French Defense Minister Florence Parly visited Jordan in late December 2018 to discuss bilateral security cooperation. Jordanian Prime Minister Omar Razzaz, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Freihat and French Ambassador David Bertolotti joined the talks to discuss the countries’ partnership regarding armaments and military industries. The King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau encourages the development of Jordan’s armaments industry, mainly through joint ventures with foreign firms. Another topic was the continuing efforts by the global coalition to eradicate Daesh despite the terror group’s territorial losses in Iraq and Syria. “Jordan was one of the…
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Kazakhstan earned praise for its two-year stint as a nonpermanent member of the United Nations Security Council, a position from which it focused on counterterrorism, nuclear nonproliferation and overseas peacekeeping operations. As the first-ever Central Asian member of the Security Council, Kazakhstan took pride in its sponsorship of the Code of Conduct Towards Achieving a World Free of Terrorism, signed by 70 countries in September 2018. Another achievement was the deployment of 120 troops in late 2018 to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which has kept the peace in South Lebanon. Kazakhstan has focused on stabilizing not…
A Pakistani general has been appointed commander of peacekeeping forces in Western Sahara, reaffirming the country’s support for such stabilization missions around the world. Maj. Gen. Zia Ur Rehman — who served as the senior national representative to United States Central Command in Florida in 2015 and 2016 — was named by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to lead the Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). Maj. Gen. Rehman has 30 years of national and international military leadership experience, including as a military observer in the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The…
As part of a European Union focus on improving security in Central Asia, EU Special Representative to Central Asia Peter Burian visited Kyrgyzstan in November 2018 to solidify bilateral relations. Europe has stressed the need to support Kyrgyzstan and the region to improve border security, business and investment, private sector development, education and training, and good governance. Those goals are enshrined in a new EU-Central Asia strategy that Europe and the five Central Asian states plan to adopt in 2019. Hosting the latest EU delegation, Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Chyngyz Aidarbekov noted that the EU is a foreign policy priority for…
Photos by TOM GAGNIER/U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND Solidifying his country’s security partnership with the United States, then-Uzbek Minister of Defense Gen. Lt. Abdusalom Azizov visited U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) headquarters in January 2019. Uzbek and U.S. military leaders discussed security and stability in Central Asia, Soldier training, joint exercises and other issues concerning the two countries’ defense ministries. For example, Uzbek troops participated in CENTCOM’s Regional Cooperation exercise in September 2018 with forces from Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Mongolia. “Uzbekistan is an important partner, and we have a strong military relationship,” said then-CENTCOM Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Erik Kurilla. “We applaud…
Tajikistan and the United States held their seventh annual bilateral consultations in Dushanbe in October 2018. These consultations allow both sides to discuss cooperation over the previous year and identify priorities for future joint efforts. A U.S. delegation led by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Central Asia Emilia Puma went to Tajikistan for a two-day visit to discuss strategic bilateral relations, including cooperation in fighting violent extremism and drug trafficking as well as promoting regional collaboration, trade and economic relations, and political dialogue. Puma met with Tajik Minister of Foreign Affairs Sirojiddin Mukhriddin, Defense Minister Sherali Mirzo and heads…
The warring parties in Yemen ended 2018 by agreeing to a cease-fire in the city of Hodeida, the main lifeline of two-thirds of the country’s population. The two sides reached an agreement after talks in Sweden mediated by the United Nations. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he hoped it would be the starting point for ending the nearly four-year civil war that has killed thousands and caused a humanitarian crisis. The leaders of the Yemeni government and the Houthi rebels shook hands after the cease-fire was agreed upon. Hodeida is one of the areas controlled by the Houthi. According to…
IRAQI DIRECTORATE OF MILITARY INTELLIGENCE | Photos by IRAQI MINISTRY OF DEFENSE On the 98th anniversary of the creation of the Iraqi Army, Director of Military Intelligence Maj. Gen. Saad Al Allaq received a delegation of students and teachers from Al-Ghad Primary School. Maj. Gen. Saad made an inspiring speech to the students, who also used the occasion to tour the directorate’s offices and study exhibits related to the Iraqi military’s defeat of Daesh. “You will complete the march to protect Iraq, and your group will become officers, engineers and doctors serving Iraq and protecting its people. I wish you…
Naval preparedness was the goal of Hamad 3, a joint Egyptian-Bahraini military exercise in January 2019. Egyptian Navy and Air Force formations participated in the three-day training near Salman Marine Base and Isa Air Base in Bahrain. Hamad 3 is considered to be one of the most important joint exercises in the Arabian Gulf region. Activities are designed to coordinate combat routines using up-to-date air and naval tactics to foil external attacks or terrorist threats. The Egyptian Armed Forces join their Bahraini counterparts in many exercises, contributing to military interoperability, as well as honing the skills of troops engaged in…
Oman’s military used the occasion of Armed Forces Day on December 11, 2018, to open the Joint Operations Center and Maritime Security Center, part of a plan to improve the capabilities of the Sultanate’s Armed Forces. Rear Adm. Abdullah bin Khamis Al Raisi, commander of the Royal Navy of Oman and chairman of the Maritime Security Committee, said the Joint Operations Center will streamline and standardize the efforts of the military and security sectors in the country. The maritime center will do much the same for agencies affiliated with naval affairs. “The opening of such modern edifice is an important…