A top United States General has expressed support for Sierra Leone troops
scheduled to deploy shortly in Somalia, according to a press release
from the US embassy in Freetown.
Addressing soldiers last week at the Peacekeeping Mission Training Centre (PMTC)
at the Police Headquarters, George Street, Freetown, General Carter
F. Ham referred to their mission to Somalia as a “very important
mission” where they would fight for democracy for the people of
Somalia.”
The Commander of
the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) based in Germany, said that in his
conversations with African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and the
Kenya Defence Forces, all parties were anticipating the Sierra
Leonean troops’ arrival. General Ham commended Sierra Leone for
being among the first countries from outside the Horn of Africa to
commit to deploying in Somalia.
US Ambassador,
Michael Owen told the troops that “the eyes of the world” would
be on them as they deployed in Somalia. He acknowledged the
government of Sierra Leone’s “strong and unwavering support” of
the Africa Contingency Operations Training and Assistance Program
(ACOTA) and the mission to Somalia, noting Sierra Leone’s
“remarkable” transition from civil war to now being a
peacekeeping force.
This is the first visit to Sierra Leone by the four-star General since taking command
in March, 2011. It comes just weeks before Sierra Leone’s planned
deployment of 850 troops to the peacekeeping mission in Somalia.
The United States
is said to be contributing more than $14 million in training and
equipment for the deployment of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed
Forces (RSLAF) to Somalia in support of AMISOM.
While in Sierra Leone, General Ham and U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone Michael Owen
held talks with Minister of Defense Alfred Palo Conteh, Chief of
Defense Staff Major General Samuel Omar Williams, and other senior
military officials. He also met with Dr. Kaifala Marah the State
House Chief of Staff to discuss continuing cooperation on military
issues.
General Ham also visited the Economic Community of West African States Depot, and the
International Military Assistance Training Team (IMATT).
Meanwhile, since
1997, the United States has provided robust peacekeeping training and
non-lethal equipment to more than 215,000 peacekeepers from African
partner militaries in 238 contingent units. Through ACOTA, AFRICOM
provides military mentors, trainers, and advisors.
ACOTA is funded and managed by the U.S. Department of State as part of the broader
Global Peace Operations Initiative.
AFRICOM is one of six of the U.S. Defense Department's geographic combatant
commands and is responsible to the Secretary of Defense for military
relations with African nations, the African Union, and African
regional security organizations. A full-spectrum combatant command,
AFRICOM is responsible for all U.S. Department of Defense operations,
exercises, and security cooperation on the African continent, its
island nations, and surrounding waters.
(c) Politico 11/09/12
