Rédaction Africa Links 24 with New Dawn
Published on 2024-02-22 20:45:17
On February 16, 2024, Liberia’s national security and defense cooperation reached a significant milestone with the visit of a delegation from the National Defense University (NDU) of the United States. The delegation, led by Gen (Rtd) Thomas D. Waldhauser and Rear Admiral Gerard Mauer (Rtd), consisted of 19 distinguished fellows, including senior military officers from the US Armed Forces. This visit aimed to strengthen military engagements and enhance strategic discussions related to the bilateral partnership between the Ministry of Defense/Armed Forces of Liberia (MOD/AFL) and the US Department of Defense.
The delegation’s visit began with a meeting with the Acting Minister of Defense, Brig Gen Geraldine J. George (Rtd). The acting minister expressed her delight in welcoming the distinguished fellows to Liberia and highlighted the substantial support that the MOD/AFL has received from the United States since the formation of the new Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) in 2006. She also acknowledged the AFL as a “Force for Good,” emphasizing the comprehensive nature of the US support in reform, training, and equipping.
Furthermore, the Minister commended the significant role played by the State Partnership Program with the Michigan National Guard in strengthening ties between the AFL and US Armed Forces. She also noted the significance of the delegation’s visit, particularly after a keenly contested presidential election. The Minister conveyed warm compliments from the President and Commander-in-Chief of the AFL to the team and wished them a fruitful study tour.
The NDU team also engaged in strategic discussions with the Chief of Staff (COS) of the AFL, Brig Gen Davidson F Forleh, and other principal staff officers of the HQ AFL. The COS highlighted Liberia’s longstanding relationship with the United States and the mutual benefits derived from this collaboration. He provided a comprehensive overview of the AFL’s achievements through US support and expressed satisfaction in the standing of the AFL as a national asset. The enduring support from the United States reflects a robust bilateral relationship between the two nations.
During the interactive session, the COS outlined his top command priorities, which included discipline/professionalism, provision of logistics for the AFL, and improving the welfare of personnel. He also expressed concerns over contemporary security challenges in West Africa, such as terrorism, maritime crime, militancy, youth restiveness, porous borders, illicit drug trade, and illegal arms/ammunition trade, among others. The COS highlighted the instrumental role of the US Government, particularly the Michigan National Guard, in building the capacity of personnel in the Liberian National Coast Guard.
Following the meeting with the COS, the NDU team received a comprehensive briefing from the AFL Assistant Chief of Operations, Col Joseph T. Gayflor. The brief highlighted the successes gained from the US partnership, including training, mentorship, and equipping. Col Gayflor also outlined challenges faced by the AFL, such as attrition, unimproved training facilities, limited training aids, inadequate housing facilities, and equipment shortages resulting from wear and tear. The NDU team further engaged with 25 selected AFL personnel who had served in the MINUSMA peacekeeping mission in Mali, providing a platform for an exchange of experiences and insights.
The MOD/AFL expressed heartfelt appreciation to the NDU delegation for their visit, recognizing the significance of such exchanges in advancing the shared goals of security, stability, and cooperation. The visit was a testament to Liberia’s enhanced capacity in peace support operations, underscoring the success of the fruitful collaboration with the United States. Overall, the visit marked another landmark event in the strengthening of national security and defense cooperation between Liberia and the United States.
Read the original article on The Newdawn Liberia
