Shared Accord 2018 participants called to work as combined-joint Task Force

Speaking during the closing ceremony, the Rwanda Defense Force Army Chief of Staff, Jacques Musemakweli lauded the participants who uncompromisingly worked hand-in-hand for the last two weeks to make the exercise a success, adding that the exercise enriched participants’ capacity to plan, implement and evaluate their future tasks as protectors of civilians in Peace Support Operations.

“Rwanda particularly recognizes the value and potential impact of this particular exercise and future similar ones and is honored to support the task of training and preparing forces to deploy on peacekeeping missions. Rwanda and RDF in particular, remain committed to support world peace and security whenever required,” said Lt Gen Musemakweli.

Brigadier Gen. Lapthe C. Flora, the Co-Exercise Director and US Army Africa Deputy Commander, thanked RDF for hosting the exercise, adding that exercises like SA18 not only contribute to improving participants’ peacekeeping skills, but also provide a valuable opportunity to work together while creating professional relationships, and more importantly fostering a lasting friendship.

“We arrived from 15 different countries from three continents with one goal in mind – to learn. We’ve learned how to take on an order, analyze it, develop a plan, and execute. More importantly, we’ve learned how to successfully operate as a combined-joint Task Force under one umbrella,” said Brig. Gen Flora.

Among the dignitaries present at the closing event, was the US Ambassador to Rwanda, Peter Vrooman, who emphasized that working together in such an exercise helps to create something new that couldn’t be learnt in books, especially on the protection of civilians as one of the army’s tasks.

The exercise comprised of three phases that included the academic phase aimed at enhancing participants’ understanding of the UN system and conduct of the peace operations, the Military Component Planning Process (MCPP) and the command post exercise based on the selected course of action and with more than 100 scenarios exercised.