The Commander of the Army Training Command (ATRAC), Brigadier General (Brig Gen) Joshua Amanor, on Monday 2 March 2026, officially opened the United Nations Engagement Platoon training at the Army Peace Operations Training School (APOTS) at Bundase.
Addressing participants at the opening ceremony, Brig Gen Amanor welcomed partners from the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and reflected on his early involvement in developing the initial engagement training modules, when standardised United Nations materials were unavailable. He observed that what began as Female Engagement Teams has since evolved into a comprehensive, gender-mainstreamed Engagement Platoon model, now central to modern peace support operations.
Brig Gen Amanor described the Engagement Platoon as a critical force multiplier in complex operational environments. He emphasised that personnel need specialised skills to interact with local communities and to gather reliable situational awareness effectively. According to him, successful peacekeeping goes beyond deployment, emphasising that it requires skilful interpersonal and community engagement, which is vital to delivering on Protection of Civilians mandates.
Brig Gen Amanor expressed profound appreciation to CAF for their continued technical assistance, underscoring the importance of troops taking full ownership of the training package to ensure its sustainability. He then urged participants to approach the course with seriousness and commitment. He noted that the competencies to be acquired would significantly enhance operational effectiveness across all Units.
CAF Contingent Task Force Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Marc Gallant, highlighted what he described as a generations-long friendship between Canada and Ghana. He stated that the CAF considers itself both fortunate and proud to deliver training in support of Ghana’s upcoming UN deployments.
Lt Col Gallant emphasised the specialised role of the Engagement Platoon as a vital enabler within the UN Infantry Battalion, strategically positioned to drive the implementation of key UN mandates, including the protection of civilians, the prevention and response to conflict-related sexual violence, and the advancement of the women, peace and security agenda.
He described members of the Engagement Platoon as agents of change who engage with vulnerable populations and provide commanders with ground-level intelligence essential for operational planning.
