Liberia and United States army to continue efforts concerning humanitarian assistance and training 10904162

Defence & Security News - Liberia
 
Liberia and United States army to continue efforts concerning humanitarian assistance and training
Brig. Gen. Daniel Dee Ziankahn, Armed Forces of Liberia chief of staff and Maj. Gen. Darryl A. Williams, U.S. Army Africa commander participated in multiple discussions at the USARAF's headquarters building, Caserma Ederle, Vicenza, Italy, April 4, 2016 to review past, current and future missions in order to better synchronize U.S. and Liberian armed forces efforts concerning humanitarian assistance, crisis response and force training.
     
Brig. Gen. Daniel Dee Ziankahn, Armed Forces of Liberia chief of staff and Maj. Gen. Darryl A. Williams, U.S. Army Africa commander participated in multiple discussions at the USARAF's headquarters building, Caserma Ederle, Vicenza, Italy, April 4, 2016 to review past, current and future missions in order to better synchronize U.S. and Liberian armed forces efforts concerning humanitarian assistance, crisis response and force training. Maj. Gen. Darryl A. Williams, U.S. Army Africa commander, and Brig. Gen. Daniel Dee Ziankahn, Armed Forces of Liberia chief of staff, render salutes during a welcoming ceremony at USARAF's headquarters building, Caserma Ederle, Vicenza, Italy, April 4, 2016.
     

One of these discussions covered the ongoing Operation Onward Liberty (OOL) 2016 mission which is a U.S. military-led team, comprised of U.S. Marines, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army's Michigan National Guard, who mentor and offer advice to AFL counterparts to assist in developing a national military that is operationally capable, respectful of civilian authority and rule of law, and is a force for good among Liberian people.

The leaders also discussed the National Guard State Partnership Program which is a Department of Defense program linking a state's National Guard with armed forces, or the equivalent of a partner nation in a cooperative, mutually beneficial relationship. Currently, the program has National Guard personnel from ten states working in 12 of 53 countries under the USARAF umbrella.

On the topic of outbreaks, discussions also focused on the September 2014 Ebola epidemic, where USARAF was first to render aid. In October 2014, USARAF passed mission responsibility to the 101st Airborne Division. Later that month, the Secretary of Defense approved the mobilization of Army National Guard and Army Reserve units from 12 states to support what is now known as Operation United Assistance.

A final discussion provided Ziankahn with an update to the African Land Forces Summit 2016, to be held this May in Arusha, Tanzania.

The summit is an annual, week-long conference bringing African land force leaders together to discuss mutual threats and challenges from a regional perspective.

Last year, USARAF co-hosted ALFS with the Senegalese Armed Forces in Dakar, Senegal. Commanders from more than 35 African nations attended. The main topics of discussion were security challenges, peace support operations and institutional adaptions.

Ziankahn cited an example of a discussion put into action. He said a recent visit with Cote D'Ivoire's chief of staff highlighted how they could 'harness the power of partnership,' in light of recent attacks at Grand Bassam, an event that took the lives of approximately 16 people. Tapping into such a power, he said could help combat these types of acts looming over West Africa.