allAfrica.com                                                                               *       


Britain to Support Country's Defence


Leadership (Abuja)


NEWS
13 June 2008
Posted to the web 13 June 2008

By Raliat Ahmed


The United Kingdom (UK) has promised to assist Nigeria in its moves to
strengthen the Nigerian armed forces.

The British High Commissioner, Ambassador Bob Dewar, who paid a courtesy call
on the Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, yesterday at the
ministry's headquarters in Abuja, stated this.



During the occasion, the Minister and High Commissioner signed two formal
memoranda of understanding relating to the legal framework for permanent and
visiting UK military training teams.

Speaking to the minister and his senior military officers and civilian staff,
Dewar said he was delighted to be in Nigeria and to have the honour to call on
the minister to discuss existing defence co-operation and how it might be
further strengthened and add value to Nigeria's own objectives.

Dewar said he was very pleased to sign the two MOUs, which provided frameworks
both for the British military training and advisory team stationed in Nigeria
and for visiting and mobile training teams.

He said a very important aspect of the military partnership between the UK and
the Nigeria was to help with training and capacity-building of the Nigerian
military for their peace support operations in Africa under United Nations (UN)
and the African Union (AU) auspices.

"He had been pleased to visit Jaji to see the impressive training facilities on
the ground. Britain admired the role Nigeria played in preventing and managing
conflicts in Darfur and Liberia and remained committed to adding value," a
press release from the commission stated.

Dewar offered condolences on the recent tragic death of returned Nigerian
peacekeepers in a road accident.

He also stressed the value placed by Britain on the partnership with the
African continent and with the African Union's plans to establish new
continental and regional peace and security architecture designed to prevent
and manage conflict. Britain was working closely with ECOWAS in its efforts to
establish its regional Standby Force (ESF), including financial help for a new
HQ as well as training inputs.

This was another important strand of co-operation, given Nigeria's leading role
in ECOWAS.

The High Commissioner stressed that the UK wanted to help more widely wherever
some value added could be offered from British experience and skills.
Professional and development courses in the UK were on offer. Possibilities of
assistance for other services ? the navy and air force ? were also under
consideration.


  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Copyright © 2008 Leadership. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica
                         Global Media (allAfrica.com).
  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       
Quantcast