The Command Post Exercise Shared Accord 2018 is running at Rwanda Military Academy in Gako, Bugesera District, from August 14 to 29.
The military exercise is focusing on African partner capability and interoperability in support of the United Nations (UN) and African Union (AU) Peacekeeping Operations (PKO). It seeks to assess abilities of participants in conducting PKO and to enhance positive bilateral and regional relationships in austere environments.
Opening the exercise on Tuesday, the RDF Chief of Defence Staff, General Patrick Nyamvumba said discharging peacekeeping operations requires good skills, commitment and professional conduct.
“The discharge of our tasks as peacekeepers calls for experience and lessons learnt, sharing mutual understanding but more importantly commitment and resolve to act professionally. While this is already taking place at different levels and through various frameworks, there is still room for further improvement. I believe exercise Shared Accord 18 is one of the avenues to this effect,” he said.
The Co-Exercise Director and US representative, Brig. General Lapthe C. Flora, said the two-week long exercise will focus on about 100 scenarios related to conducting peacekeeping operations during the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA).
The training will help participants improve their capability to respond to regional security threats posed by Violent Extremist Organisations (VEOs) and to counter the associated ideology more effectively.
It also helps build partnership with the US Army Africa (USARAF) and East African Military Forces.
Participating countries are Angola, Botswana, Gabon, Germany, Madagascar, Malawi, Morocco, Netherlands, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, the United States and Zambia.
Participants also include international organisations, the UN and International Committee of Red Cross.
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