INFO CPADD

focus on the actions taken at the CPADD

since January 2017

After the winter truce, which allowed the CPADD to invest for the benefit of the trainees and to maintain and restore infrastructure to 19 million Fcfa ($ 65,000). France has invested almost CFAF 30 million ($ 50,000) in training and equipment in the first half of the year and plans to invest CFAF 230 million per year in 2017 and 2018. Finally, for Benin, General AMOUSSOU Chief of the General Staff of the FAB allocated 2 additional instructors in February 2017, a 90 KWA generating unit (March 2017) and committed to supply explosives, fireworks and ammunition for the explosive sessions of the year , And 50 weapons (for SALW courses: marking-destruction required during SALW courses organized at the CPADD.

Funding received by the CPADD in June 2017

France via the MAE-DCSD finances the CPADD to the tune of 461.55 million CFA (over 2 years)

For the revision of the following curricula:
• EOD2 (22 million CFA), will be delivered at the end of 2017 to be implemented as of February 2018;
• EOD3 (18 million CFA) will be delivered at the end of 2017 to be implemented as of February 2018;
• IEEI (23 million CFA) will be delivered in the second half of 2018 (Creation of IEEI training for IEDI).
For the acquisition of training materials
• EOR (20 million CFA) Acquisition of equipment is in progress and is due to be completed in September 2017, in October 2017, training begins at the CPADD;
• Between 2017 and 2018, the CPADD will acquire new EOD, IEEI equipment, amounting to 310 million CFA

The EU has decided to invest over the period 2018 to 2021, close to CFA 1 billion for facilities, and CPADD trainees

The EU’s funding of 450 million CFA in 2019-2020 relates to;
• Creation of a building housing 24 additional rooms fully equipped;
• a relaxation room and a gym equipped;
• an ambulance equipped for the benefit of the CPADD, during the destruction sessions;
• computer equipment;
• EU-funded traineeships for trainees from the African Union Standby Force for nearly 550 million CFA francs over four years (2018 – 2021).

UNMAS Mali will finance internships for 145 million CFA from July 2017 to July 2018.

UNMAS continues to trust the CPADD since 2014 with the signing of a convention on 3 July 2017 to train Malian soldiers at the CPADD for training periods from July 2017 to July 2018:
• 2017: 2 stages EOD1;
• 2018: 1 internship as a staff engineer in BAMAKO, 1 internship EOD2, 1 internship EOD3 and 1 training course for trainers in humanitarian demining.

Handicap International is continuing its partnership with the CPADD for nearly 10 years, financing:

• The redesign of the PSSM2: deposit head in October 2017;
• The creation of a new PSSM3 training for national deposit inspectors (by February 2018 for implementation in April 2017 with 15 trainees funded by HI;
• Participate with the French CPADD cooperants in a three-week IED Risk Education Course (ER-IED), to be proposed in 2018;
• Exchanges of HI instructors at the CPADD and CPADD at HI, starting in 2017.

JAPAN via UNDP, partner of the CPADD since 2009

• 2009-2010: 1.3 billion CFA that allowed the CPADD to accommodate 48 interns simultaneously instead of 24 from 2003 to 2009) to own 4 new vehicles, and office and IT equipment …
• 2015-2016: 330 million CFA  mainly invested in the construction of a building and office and computer equipment for administration, instructors and the command of the school.
• 2018-2019: Japan via UNDP was solicited for a new project for the CPADD, for more than 700 million FCFA.

1 – IMPROVEMENT OF THE CONDITIONS OF LIFE FOR TRAINEES

11 – Fight against the Palud (1.8 million CFA)

In January 2017, prior to the beginning of the internships, the CPADD financed 350 m2 of mosquito nets for the training and accommodation building used by trainees covering all the openings of the 48 rooms, classrooms and shops.
In June 2017, the CPÄDD goes even further. In partnership with a specialized NGO, the CPADD decided to commit itself to fight the Palud. After having received a 3-day training, the gardener of the CPADD is now able to plant Artemesia at the CPADD. This medicinal plant, which is particularly effective against malaria and dengue, is the active ingredient in all commercially available anti-palud agents. The planting of this plant will be effective at CPADD, in July – August 2017, on a surface of 1000m ². Finally the distribution of herbal tea of ​​artemesia will be proposed to the trainees in preventive as in curative. Photo

 12 – Necessary plumbing work (23.6 million CFA)

• Plumbing and taps, tiling and painting of 18 rooms out of 48 were completed on 15 June 2017 and financed by the CPADD at a cost of 6.8 million FCFA;
• The refurbishment of 18 additional rooms in the main building, estimated to cost 6.8 million CFA francs (CPADD funding), will be carried out in August 2017 during the summer break;
• The 10 last trainee rooms and the 5 temporary reinforcements rooms will be upgraded to January 2012 (CPADD funding) estimated at 9 million CFA francs;
• In May 2017, the booster pump supplying the accommodation and instruction building was changed and a buffer reserve of 5m3 was installed nearby for 1,530,000 FCFA. (CPADD Financing);
• The aging outdoor water system in the building is being repaired to clog water leaks. The takeover of the entire buried network is under consideration and will be proposed for external financing.

13 – Repairs to the roof and gutters (7.1 million CFA)

In May 2017, with the rainy season, recurring water infiltration did not leave other alternatives to the director of the CPADD than to carry out major repairs to the roof to protect the accommodation and instruction building. They will be followed in August of the replacement of the gutters of the training and accommodation building.

14 – Fire safety, an imperative (5 million CFA)

The safety of staff trainees and instructors is a permanent priority of the center. As proof, winter work has helped finance:
• From February to May 2017: 90 smoke detectors were installed in the rooms and all CPADD parts (CE standards).
• Completion of an evacuation plan for the main building and the management building is being finalized and will be completed by the end of August 2017.
• The refurbishment of all extinguishers present at the CPADD will be completed by the end of August 2017.

15 – Electricity and the control of energy (3.1 million CFA)

• In April: The 4 circuit breakers were replaced, one in the “instructors” building and three in the main building for 2.5 million CFA;
• In April: 110 intelligent LED bulbs were installed instead of neon lights, for 1.2 million FCFA (180 LED bulbs would be required for the whole building);
• In July 2017, the installation of 3 large capacity regulators (CPADD financing) will be installed before the end of August 2017, for the benefit of the training building and the administrative and command building for 3.5 million CFA;
• The computer room with 14 stations (UNDP-JAPAN funding in 2010) has since April 2017, a broadband Internet connection up to 6mo / s, 7 regulators and 14 new inverters. This room is for the use of the CPADD trainees. 20 computers and screens should arrive at the CPADD in 2019 (EU funding).
• After completing the study, CPADD is seeking funding to equip solar panels and batteries with the two main existing buildings (excluding air conditioners): “accommodation-instructions” building and “Direction, Studies and Administration” building for 98 millionCFA.

2 IMPROVING WORKING CONDITIONS AND TRAINING OF TRAINEES IS OUR VOCATION

21 – The redesign of the EOD1, 2, 3 curriculum will be completed in January 2018, it is a priority of the school (47 million Fcfa in 2017)

After the PSSM curricula in 2015 and SALW in 2016 (funding: CNEMA France and international disability). The year 2017 will be marked by a complete overhaul of the EOD curriculum (taking into account the latest regulations in force in the field of humanitarian demining (IMAS) published by the IACHR-G. EOD1, 2 and 3 courses have been upgraded. The EOD1 courses were delivered in March 2017 and applied during the EOD1 training funded by UNMAS, from 24 April to 19 May 2017.
The redesign of the PSSM2 “deposit head” and the creation of the PSSM3 “national inspector of deposits” is financed by international disability for early 2018.

22 – Armory protection works school of the CPADD (1.3 million CFA)

Security work (door and window barriers) of the “armory-school” of the CPADD were carried out to accommodate the 50 weapons of all calibers provided by the EMG, in May 2017.

23 – Creation of a hangar for the mechanical demining means held by the CPADD (3.1 million Cfa? CPADD  funding)

The DIGGER D2 demining facility was offered to the CPADD by the DIGGER (SUI) foundation for mechanical demining training. This covered parking built in January 2017 aimed at preserving the equipment by protecting it from the elements and to be able to carry out the maintenance properly, a Concrete slab of 25cm and 60m2 of roofing (see photo).
A one-week internship has been added to the training schedule in 2017 and 2018 (for 8 Beninese trainees).

24 – The roof of the Covered Bus Parking of the CPADD, on 6 February 2017 (1 million CFA , CPADD funding)

The 100m2 of deteriorated roofing (over time) was replaced in February 2017 by a new roof to protect from the rust and the bad weather the bus of the CPADD, used for the transport of the trainees on the different sites of the CPADD (in particular the two polygons Explosives used by the center) and to the Cotonou airport at the beginning and end of the training period.

25 – Covered parking for motorcycles and bicycles, in March 2017 (3.2 million Cfa, CPADD funding)

It was created, at the northern entrance of the CPADD compound, this covered parking is operational since March 2017 and very much appreciated by users (CPADD funding).

26 – Investment in equipment and means of instruction (32 million Cfa, french funding)

• 20 demining outfits and 20 helmets (UN colors) were delivered in November 2017 for 12.5 million CFA;

• Preparation of 250 models of rocket mines, ammunition. They will be delivered in June 2017 and will be used by the trainees, for all the workshops of the year, cost: 7.6 million CFA;
• Purchase of ammunition for the Cobra MK2 robot barrel, cost: 4.5 million CFA;
• 5 technical reinforcements were requested and obtained by the CPADD, for 5 training periods of 6 weeks: 3 Belgian EOD specialists and 2 French specialists will be financed in 2017 by the countries providing the reinforcements;
• The delivery of 100/250 models of mines, rockets, mortar and ammunition, the estimated cost is 7.5 million CFA annually arrived in Benin and awaiting their clearance. Another delivery of 150 models is planned in December 2017. The financing of 250 additional models per year in 2018 and 2019 is already registered by the French MAE.

27- Renovation works for classrooms (3.6 million Cfa, CPADD funding)

• The refurbishment of the two classrooms was completed in April 2017, covering painting, door frames, false ceilings, electricity (with the installation of low-energy LED light bulbs) and the replacement of Curtains of the two classrooms of the CPADD (March-April 2017).

28- Reception of a 90 Kva Emergency Response Unit at the CPADD on 11 February 2017 (cost: 7.2 million CFA)

• The construction of a shelter for the GE 90 Kva cost 2 million CFA francs plus the removal and transportation of the GE to OUIDAH, its installation, commissioning and the reversers and connection to the GO tank, for a total cost of 2.5 million FCFA to the CPADD;
• Maintenance and repairs of the GE 200 Kva returned to FCFA 5.2 million (in 6 months).

3 PROSPECTIVES

Projects seeking funding for the CPADD are:

• Interior and exterior painting work. 7 million CFA for plastering and painting of the enclosure wall and 6.5 million CFA, for exterior and interior painting of the building instruction, corridors, EAO and IMSMA rooms as well as those of the CPADD hardware stores;
• Painting of the mines exhibition hall and the restaurant room should be carried out this summer or January 2018 (CPADD funding);
• Complete refurbishment of the interior electrical network of the building instruction and accommodation is to be expected within 2 years maximum;
• The internet networking of the administration and command building (not foreseen in the initial project) must be carried out at a cost of 5 million CFA;
• The upgrading of the DAN explosive range to international standards is a priority for 2017, and an expert mission in February 2017 made it possible to estimate the upgrading to standards of 140 million CFA. This funding remains to be found in 2017;
• Replacement of the 95 air conditioners in the accommodation building and annexes (half since the creation of the CPADD in 2002);
• The takeover of the entire buried network is under consideration and will be proposed for external financing;
• The last trainings to be updated in 2019 will be the “humanitarian demining site manager” training course and the IACQ “quality assurance inspector” (search for funding in 2019).
• The implementation of these projects depends to some extent on the funding obtained from Benin, France, Japan, Belgium, the European Union, the international community and historical partners of the CPADD, such as UNMAS Mali And RCA, HI, CIDH-G and other non-governmental organizations that trust the CPADD.

1 – Visit of the Moroccan liaison officer in Benin.

On Tuesday, 25 April 2017, the visit to the CPADD of the Moroccan liaison officer, Colonel Mohamed Lekbir. The LCL OBELAKOU, after welcoming him, gave a presentation of the CPADD, then visited the CPADD’s infrastructure and was able to exchange with the officers present.

2- Visit of the UNMAS program director to Mali.

From April 27th to 29th, 2017: Mr. Philippe RENARD Philippe Program Director UNMAS MALI was received by the Director of the CPADD to present the evolution of these training courses and the prospects for the new administration in the CPADD for several months, A focus on the work undertaken as part of the improvement of the living environment and training of trainees for 4 months.

3 – Visit to the Nigerian DEM:.

On Thursday, April 27, 2017: the CPADD welcomed 52 officers of the NIGER General Staff Diploma. LCL OBELAKOU gave a presentation to them of the CPADD, in a conference room, then they were able to visit the center and see firsthand the excellence of the training given in the SALW, PSSM and EOD fields.

This content is also available in: French

The second EOD level 2 course of the year will be conducted in English for Anglophones, under the main funding of the DCSD, within the framework of the cooperation. This internship started on 22 May and will end on 30 June 2017 for 10 trainees.

Their profile is the following:

7 trainees funded by the French DCSD-MAE, come from 7 countries (Ghana, RCI, Swaziland, Uganda, Kenya, Niger, South Sudan) and 1 Benin trainee sent by the Beninese Armed Forces.
2 self-financed interns working for NGOs in the field of humanitarian demining;

The aim of this training is to train cadres capable of participating in operations to eliminate Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) within a military unit, a mine action center, a government organization ( OG), a non-governmental organization (NGO), or a national or international humanitarian demining facility.

The qualified personnel “EOD level 2” is more particularly qualified to intervene on conventional atmospheric munitions, likely to be encountered during the missions of maintenance of the peace and during operations of humanitarian demining.
He may hold the position of systematic demining team leader.
In addition, he will be trained as an explosives officer.
The trainees are all holders of an EOD1 diploma, acquired at the CPADD or in their country of origin, a sine qua non condition for integrating this demanding training.

This course is subject to final testing. The CPADD reserves the right to exclude the trainee during training for disciplinary, medical or attendance reasons.
Finally, the trainee must obtain an average higher than 12/20 to obtain his diploma. We wish them good luck !

The new director of the CPADD, since January 5, 2017 is Lieutenant-Colonel Saturnin OBELAKOU who is a senior engineer officer trained at the engineer’s school from Munich, (Germany).

He holds a Master 2 and a War School diploma. He has been assigned 11 years inside CPADD and he has had the opportunity to occupy all the positions as instructor of course and as deputy of the director and chief of training department of CPADD, from 2013 to 2015. In 2015, he became advisor “GROUND” to The military cabinet of the president of the republic that he left to take the head of the CPADD on January 5, 2017.

In addition, LCL OBELAKOU Saturnin has also participated in several external operations under the auspices of the United Nations.

Finally, in the field of humanitarian demining, he attended the course of staff officers of the humnitarian demining sector in 2007 and the course of management, in the programs and projects of humanitarian demining in 2010.

He is married And father of four children.

at the right,: LCL LOSSITODE Gilbert                                         at the left: LCL OBELAKOU Saturnin, the new director of CPADD

The closing ceremony of the sixth promotion of officer-general engineering took place in BAMAKO in Mali, at the school of the maintenance of the peace, on March 25, 2018. this training began on February 19, 2018 and lasted 5 weeks of which the first four were directed by LCL Obelakou, director of the CPADD. Funded by UNMAS MALI, this course was designed to train senior Malian officers to be able to work in a military unit, a demining center or a humanitarian demining organization. They must be able to assume the responsibilities inherent in the design and management of operations in the field. At the end of the training period, this EM-2D specialist may be placed directly under the authority of the program director or the head of the G3-2D cell during peacekeeping operations. This Operations Officer is also responsible for managing the quality assurance process for all activities of the counter-mining program.

To enable them to have quality information, many high-level external actors (Europe and Africa) have intervened to add value to this training.

LIST OF TRAININGS AVAILABLE TO CPADD

1- HUMANITARIAN DEMINING AND POLLUTION

EOD1

Mechanical demining training (in conjunction with DIGGER) Duration: 1 week

Recce EOD duration: 3 weeks

EOD2 duration: 6 weeks

Humanitarian demining project leader Duration: 6 weeks

Training of trainers humanitarian demining duration: 5 weeks

IACQ (quality control inspector insurance) period: 6 weeks

EOD3 duration: 8 weeks

2- PSSM

PSSM 1: storekeeper duration: 2 weeks

PSSM 2: Chief of ammunition store Duration: 5 weeks

Training of trainers PSSM1 duration: 5 weeks

3- SALW

Weapons store manager (Armurier) duration: 2 weeks

Operator of ALPC marking duration: 1 week

Operator of destruction ALPC duration: 1 week

4 – MISCELLANEOUS

Awareness raising EEI (Improvised Explosive Devices) duration: 1 week

Internship Engineer in General Staff: 5 weeks

Mine Risk Education: 2 weeks

The 2nd semester 2016 training ended on Thursday 9 December 2016, with the graduation ceremony of the EOD3 course in French. The results of this semester can be summarized as well.

Between 8 July 2016 and 9 December, the CPADD trained 105 trainees during 5 scheduled training sessions. These training courses were given in French). They were financed by France, Japan, UNMAS Mali, HI RCA and the GICH-D. 101 diplomas were awarded.

2 instructors EOD-IEDD from Belgium and France Armies, came to reinforce the pedagogical team of the CPADD.

The CPADD was able to acquire 20 new demining uniforms and 20 UN colored helmets for these training courses. This was made possible thanks to an energetic action by the CPADD, the Directorate of Cooperation and Defense Security of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and funding from the European Union.

After five years at the head of the CPADD, LCL LOSSITODE Gilbert gave the place of director of the center to LCL OBELAKOU Saturnin on January 05, 2017.

Since becoming director, LCL LOSSITODE has been invested and passionate about the noble cause of mine action. With a keen sense of human relations, he has established himself as a respected leader both by the instructors and by all the trainees who have had the opportunity to meet him during these years.

At the international level, all the organizations: UN, NGO, GICH-D, Handicap international, CCLAM were able to appreciate its professionalism and its sense of duty in favor of the fight against the mines and the remains and explosives of war. Everyone at CPADD wishes him “good wind” in his new role in N’Djamena in CHAD where there is no doubt that his qualities and knowledge will be invaluable and appreciated.

Photo n ° 1: the LCL LOSSITODE Gilbert on the left – the LCL OBELAKOU Saturnin on the right

The Center for Development of Post-Conflict Mine Action and Decontamination Actions (CPADD) experienced two major events in January, the first of which saw the arrival as director of the CPADD, of LCL OBELAKOU Saturnin succeeding LCL LOSSITODE Gilbert, January 5 2017 and the second, the inauguration of a modern management and administration building on January 31, 2017, in keeping with the ambitions of the CPADD. It is not necessary to recall that the CPADD was inaugurated in April 2003 by France and Benin and that it had seen its capacity of accommodation doubled from 24 rooms to 48 rooms of trainees, in 2009-2010, With funding from JAPAN.

Over the last 13 years, 36 African countries (Francophones, Anglophones and Lusophones) have relied on the CPADD and Benin, so that the CPADD has delivered 2371 diplomas since its opening (279 trainees for 16 courses in 2016). The mission of the center is to meet the needs of African countries in the field of training in humanitarian demining but also in the management of ammunition stocks and arms control “SALW”, enabling all African countries to benefit from A unique training structure in Africa, thus contributing to their commitment to international bodies in general and to the Ottawa Agreement (1998) in particular.

On January 31, 2017, the inauguration ceremony of the “jewel” building offered by Japan, in the words of the Deputy Minister for Defense MR Candide AZANNAI who presided over the ceremony, in the presence of Mr Kiyofumi KONISHI Ambassador of Japan, Mr. Siaka COULIBALY, UNDP representative in Benin, and the high-ranking Beninese military authorities, chief among them CEMG, Brigadier General AMOUSSOU, and LCL SCHIFFER representing the French Ambassador to Benin.

The project to extend the CPADD, whose objective is to strengthen technical and managerial capacities, has been equipped with computer equipment and office furniture to make it a modern management center. The project led by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Benin was the result of Benin’s will and Japan’s technical and financial support for 500,000 US dollars. The Government of Japan, as part of its policy of development and peacekeeping in the world and sensitive to the dangers of AP mines, which still cause more than 4,000 victims each year, The duration with France to help the CPADD to fulfill its mission and gave it the means to develop and to further increase the capacities of the center, to the benefit of the military personnel and the civilian personnel involved in the demining operations in Africa and particularly at the level of ECOWAS and ECCAS.