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ISG recently delivered a United Nations Staff Officers Course (UNSOC) at the Peace Support Operations Training Institute (IPSOTSL) in Kukeleganga, Sri Lanka. This training event was sponsored by the United States Indo-Pacific Command and U.S. State Department’s Global Peace Operations Initiative program in support of United Nations Peacekeeping operations worldwide.

The course consisted of 38 Field Grade Officers from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Mongolia and Nepal and prepared the participants to serve as Staff Officers in UN Force and Sector headquarters Staffs. The event wrapped up with a three day exercise which enabled participants to demonstrate their new skills in an intensive simulated UN mission environment.

The Institute for Security Governance recently concluded a resident course in “Cybersecurity Policy & Practice” at ISG HQ in Monterey, California. This course explores policies and practices necessary to protect and defend the data, networks, systems, and platforms that are essential for military and security organizations, and that underpin economic, social, governmental, and political activity in society.

Instructors highlight the importance of effective cybersecurity as a national security imperative and, introduce participants to cyber mission assurance, explore barriers to effective policy and practical implementation, and consider the latest practices and innovations for building cyber resilience.

This Institute for Security Governance spotlight series highlights alumni of ISG programs whose exposure to defense governance and capacity building concepts, and interaction with ISG personnel, have had a significant impact on their area of expertise. In this edition, the spotlight focuses on ISG alum Rear Admiral (RADM) Roy Echeverria, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), who first interacted with the Institute in 2018 when he participated in the “Civil-Military Approaches to Maritime Security” resident course held at ISG headquarters in Monterey, California. In line with his impressive career, RADM Echeverria is currently serving in two offices and in two positions: as the Commander of the Maritime Security and Law Enforcement Command (MARSLEC), he is responsible for formulating policies, rules, and regulations pertaining to the implementation of the Philippine Coast Guard’s maritime law enforcement functions.

For the first time in ISG’s engagement history with Japan, this iteration included a two-day train-the-trainer preparation, enabling five Japanese instructors from the JPC to join the ISG trainers in executing the course. Japanese partners taking a direct instructional role is a strong indicator of the efficacy of ISG’s capacity building efforts in Japan. The JPC indicated their intention to build on this success during the next course in July. Participants were encouraged by the Commandant of the Joint Staff College, Vice Admiral FUTAKAWA Tatsuya, during his graduation to “take home and share the knowledge and the skills they have acquired during the course and be a core personnel in the international missions.” Japan is looking for ways to increase its contribution to United Nations Peacekeeping.

Congratulations to ISG Europe Regional Program Lead Sandra O’Hern on her participation in an episode on the Air Force Judge Advocate General’s School Podcast. In this episode Lieutenant Colonel O’Hern joins Major Laura Quaco and Dr. Andy Akin for a conversation about Russian history and the relationship between Russia and Ukraine leading up to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Stay tuned for the next episode to hear the remainder of the conversation in which the host and guests discuss operations and international legal principles related to Russia and the conflict.

ISG held a multinational staff officer course as part of Exercise Justified Accord 2023 (JA23) at the Humanitarian Peace Support School Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. The course focused on African Union and United Nations peace keeping operations and offered instruction on humanitarian assistance principles and real world problem solving for situations such as Cholera outbreaks and the recent COVID-19 pandemic. The course included over 100 participants from 17 partner nations and is U.S. Africa Command's largest exercise in East Africa.