A/69/212 military personnel on child protection to be conducted during their predeployment training. The materials were validated by Member States in Kenya in March 2013, piloted in Malaysia and Uruguay in the third quarter of 2013 and launched in April 2014. The training of peacekeepers is central to the protection of children in peacekeeping and for monitoring and reporting. The Special Representative encourages Member States and regional organizations to take full advantage of the training to ensure that troops are trained in child protection before and during their deployment in peacekeeping operations. Moreover, the Special Representative’s office is working very closely with the Department of Peacekeeping Op erations, OHCHR and UNICEF on the planning processes for current and upcoming peacekeeping operations with regard to adequate child protection capacity. B. Working with regional organizations African Union 70. Throughout the reporting period, the Special Representative sustained her engagement with the African Union. On 17 September 2013, she formalized the ongoing collaboration through a joint declaration of intent which foresaw the following areas of collaboration, to be implemented jointly with UNICEF: (a) the development of a strategy to mainstream child protection concerns in African Union activities; (b) the establishment of policies and practices on child protection in accordance with regional and international standards, including the devel opment of guidelines for African Union-led missions; (c) the assurance of a dedicated child protection capacity within the Peace and Security Department of the African Union Commission; and (d) the joint development a programme of work to further implement the activities foreseen in the declaration. As envisioned in the declaration, the United Nations and the African Union have deployed a child protection adviser to advance the partnership’s objectives. 71. In January, the Special Representative attended the high-level segment of the African Union Summit with the view to strengthening partnerships, engaging in discussions and advocating on the protection of children affected by armed conflict with the Heads of States and ministers of the African countries c overed by her mandate. 72. The Special Representative briefed the African Union Peace and Security Council in Addis Ababa on 8 May at the Council’s first open session dedicated to children affected by armed conflict, convened under the chairmanship of the United Republic of Tanzania. During the session, the Special Representative received strong support from all members of the Peace and Security Council, and the meeting proved to be an opportunity to discuss issues affecting children in conflict situations in Africa, with an emphasis on sustainable reintegration. Members of the Peace and Security Council welcomed the partnership with the office of the Special Representative, supported the Children, Not Soldiers campaign and requested that regular sessions be held on the issue of children and armed conflict. 73. The Special Representative also took that opportunity to meet with the Secretariat of the African Union Commission of Inquiry for South Sudan to explore possibilities for providing dedicated expertise on child protection to the Commission. In addition, the Special Representative held discussions with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development to collaborate on enhancing the 16/18 14-58528