UNDSS marked a significant milestone in international security cooperation with the successful delivery of the first Revised Close Protection Officer Certification (RCPOC) course hosted by the Internal Security Force (ISF) – Lekhwiya of the State of Qatar.
As previously reported, on 18 November 2025, UNDSS signed a three-year agreement with ISF-Lekhwiya to host RCPOC courses in Doha. The RCPOC is the mandatory training and certification standard for United Nations Close Protection Officers across the UN Security Management System. Under the agreement, the Government of Qatar fully covers the costs of conducting six RCPOC courses, including travel expenses for UN personnel and instructors.
In this context, the first RCPOC course was conducted at the ISF-Lekhwiya training base in Doha from 16 November to 4 December 2025. A total of 20 officers participated in the course, including 14 UN officers from six UN missions and duty stations, alongside six ISF-Lekhwiya officers, reflecting the strong spirit of partnership and knowledge exchange.
Over the three-week programme, participants covered all core aspects of close protection operations, including direct, mobile, and static protection; operational planning; advance surveys; firearms tactics; tactical driving; defensive tactics; first aid; and reality-based scenario training. The course was delivered by certified RCPOC instructors Claude Boinquet (DSS CAR), Kingsley Opoku (MINUSCA), and Hamed Deaibes (UNSMIL), and coordinated by Programme Manager Feliks Diusheyev (TDS).
The RCPOC courses are jointly organized by TDS and the Protection Coordination Unit (PCU) of the Division of Partnerships and Specialized Support (DPSS).