T
he United States and Italy signed an agreement on September 23, 2005
formalizing U.S. support to the newly established international Center of
Excellence for Stability Police Units (CoESPU), located in Vicenza, Italy.
U.S. support to CoESPU is a key element of the President's Global Peace
Operations Initiative (GPOI) and affirms U.S. commitment to the G-8 Action Plan
“Expanding Global Capability for Peace Support Operations” endorsed by G-8
partners at Sea Island in June 2004.
G-8 partners agreed to support the Italian
initiative to establish an international training center to train the Stability
Police (i.e. Carabinieri / Gendarmerie-like units) of interested nations,
including those in Africa, for peace support operations.
Stability Police can help fill the security gap between military forces and
civilian police in peace support operations by relieving some of the burden on
military units and by establishing a stable environment in which civilian
police can operate effectively. A greater number of similarly trained and
equipped Stability Police units are needed to participate in a growing number
of international peace support operations and related activities.
CoESPU's first classes will commence on November 7 with students from Cameroon,
India, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Morocco, and Senegal.
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