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SALIMA, Malawi – Participants of Southern Accord 2016 held a closing ceremony to mark the end of this year's command post exercise (CPX), Aug. 12 at the Malawi Armed Forces College in Salima, Malawi.
SA16 is a U.S. Army Africa-led annual, combined military exercise that brings together U.S. military personnel with African partner nations to improve readiness, promote interoperability, build capacity and strengthen partner relationships.
“You were simply outstanding,” said Brig. Gen. Jon A. Jensen, deputy commanding general, U.S. Army Africa, to the training audience of SA16. “Your work ethic, your commitment to the exercise and your commitment to each other was spectacular.”
The CPX was based on a scenario, which required African, U.S. Army Africa and European partners to lead a peacekeeping force in support of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission (UN MONUSCO) in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a real-world ongoing mission for the Malawi Defence Force (MDF).
“If you want an example of a complex operation, DRC is one of them,” said Lt. Gen. Clement Namangale, MDF deputy commanding general. Namangale went on to thank exercise coordinators for choosing the timely and relevant scenario and participants for their focus throughout. “This is a purpose-built exercise that we will see the fruits of.”
The first week of the exercise consisted of academic briefings focused on U.N. operational planning processes and working alongside different agencies and organizations, such as local police and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
The MDF hosted a CPX for SA14 as well, but this year joined with the Malawi Department of Disaster Management Affairs personnel to conduct their first disaster relief table top exercise based on a flood that occurred last year.
“You should be proud and honored that your country selected you to come to this exercise, and with this honor, comes obligation, however; the obligation to take what you've learned over the last two weeks back to your nation, back to your army, back to your unit and to share, to train your fellow officers,” Jensen said.
| Date Taken: | 08.12.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 08.17.2016 10:54 |
| Story ID: | 207392 |
| Location: | SALIMA, MW |
| Web Views: | 79 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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