With the financial support of Japan, the Ecole Internationale des Forces de Securité (EIFORCES) of the Government of Cameroon organized a peacekeeping training course from 19 to 30 March 2012 at the Palais des Congress in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The peacekeeping seminar was formally opened in the presence of Cameroonese Secretary of State in charge of Gendarmerie Jean-Baptiste Bokam, Japanese Ambassador Tsutomu Arai and American Deputy Chief of Mission Lisa Peterson. General Mohammadou Hamadicko of Cameroon, in his capacity as Director of EIFORCES, oversaw the content of the course and suitability to the African context of peacekeeping operations. The team of trainers from Japan, Professor Sukehiro Hasegawa and UN International Mediator Ms. Michiko Kuroda was joined by Mr. Saif Malik of the United Nations Mission in Darfur and Mr. Hillel Loew, Peacekeeping Analyst. [……]

　On 9th March 2012, Timorese Ambassador Coelho hosted a reception at the Hotel New Otani in Tokyo to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the restoration of independence of Timor-Leste and the 10th anniversary of the official establishment of the diplomatic relations between Timor-Leste and Japan. Foreign Minister Zacarias Albano da Costa spoke about the stable situation in his country and the friendly relationship between Timor-Leste and Japan. He expressed his appreciation of support extended by Japan. Mr. Joe Nakano, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, thanked all Timorese people for giving aid to Japan when the earthquake occurred to Japan a year ago. The amount was large in relation to the size of Timorese population. Mr. Satsuki Eda and Mr. Tsurunen Marutei, members of House of Councilor and former and current President of the Timor-Leste Japan Parliamentary Friendship League also spoke warmly Timor-Leste. The reception was attended by more than 300 people including sixteen students of the Hasegawa seminar who had visited Timor-Leste participated in the celebration. Two of were dressed in Kimonos. (Aimi Ezawa)

　Ms. Nadia Wang from Taiwan graduated successfully with a Master’s degree in political science. She wrote her master’s degree thesis entitled, “Climate Change, Global Justice and Democracy: the Post-Kyoto Dilemma”. Mr. Umid Makhmudov from Uzbekistan was admitted to the Hosei Graduate School from April 2012. On Tuesday, March 6th, Professor Hasegawa hosted a dinner for Nadia and Umid. Other graduate school participants were Ms. Gunji, Mr. Nakamura and Mr. Toriumi, Ms. Ikeda (graduated in2010) and Ms. Asano (2011) also joined in the dinner party. Mr. Nakamura and Ms. Gunji will study in the United Kingdom from September 2012 for one year. Professor Hasegawa wished all of them well in their studies and good health. (Masumi Asano)

　On 27th February 2012, commissioned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, the Hiroshima Peacebuilders Center held the 5th anniversary of the “Program for Human Resource Development in Asia for Peacebuilding” at the JICA Global Plaza, Tokyo. Five of the Hasegawa Seminar Class, Yusuke Noda, Lena Kondo, Shogo Yoshida, Keiki Takemasa and Akiho Terauchi, took part in this symposium.　In the first session, Professor Hasegawa introduced Ms. Judy Cheng-Hopkins, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support Office in the United Nations Secretariat, who delivered a keynote address on United Nations and Peacebuilding. Five panelists, Ms. Michiru Tamanai, Ms. Kaoruko Seki, Mr. Toshihiro Nakamura, Ms. Hiroko Miyamura and Mr. Patrice Chiwota, made insightful comments on the career development in the field of UN Peacebuilding and the outcome of the Hiroshima Peacebuilders Center (HPC) Program.　In the second session, three HPC training program graduates told their experiences in various parts of the world working as staff of UN agencies, funds and programmes.　Finally, in the panel discussion, Professor Hasegawa proposed the way to continue and to improve the Hiroshima Peacebuilding Training Program which he found was making a significant contribution. He also emphasized the peacebuilders should firmly put their hopes to the leaders and people of the post-conflict countries that they could rebuild their countries by themselves in a self-reliant manner.　(Akiho Terauchi)

　On January 30, 2012, Professor Hasegawa delivered a three-hour lecture on the theme of “The Challenges of UN Peace Operations” during the second session of the Basic Training Course on International peace Cooperation held at the Ministry of Defense in Tokyo. At this lecture, 44 members of the Japan Self-defense Forces attended the lecture. One third of the participants had been engaged in peacekeeping operations. Professor Hasegawa explained about the transformation of UN PKO operations over the last sixty years and the challenges posed on the United Nations peacekeepers in terms of carrying out their mandates and in protecting civilians. He referred to cases of severe human rights violations and genocides that occurred in Somalia, Rwanda, and Bosnia. During the second part of his lecture, he explained the system of UN Security Council and the process of establishing peace missions and the efforts made to achieve integration of civilian, police and military components as well as coordination between humanitarian and security activities. At the end of the lecture, Professor Hasegawa emphasized the need for peacekeepers to understand fully the mentality and mindsets of national leaders and local people. And also, as former Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Professor Hasegawa mentioned that contributions Japan and Japan Self-Defense Forces had been making in assisting post-conflict countries to carry out the rehabilitation of their communities and infrastructure facilities. Following his lecture, Professor Hasegawa responded to several questions asked by the participants. (Eri Iijima)

　On 20th January 2012, Professor Hasegawa and six Hosei students met President José Ramos-Horta of Timor-Leste at Imperial Hotel in Tokyo. Professor Hasegawa and President Ramos-Horta had a private dinner and talked about the current political and economic situation in Timor-Leste. Afterwards, the students met the President, and Miss Maruyama presented a bouquet of flowers to the President who kindly accepted taking memorial photos with the students. The students also had an opportunity to talk to the Timorese ambassador, His Excellency Mr. Isilio Antonio de Fatima Coelho da Silva. (Yusuke Noda)

　On January 19th 2012, the Third International Peace Cooperation Symposium was held in the Elizabeth Rose Hall of the United Nation University. Following Mr. Koji Haneda’s opening address, Mr. Yasushi Akashi　delivered a keynote lecture “The reminiscence about Japan’s 20 years of participation in United Nation peacekeeping operations”. Professor Hasegawa made a presentation on “The role and qualifications of the senior staff of UN peacekeeping missions”. (Yusuke Noda)