Ghana Armed Forces to support FAMA

The Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), Maj Gen William Azure Ayamdo as part of his visit to Ghana Engineer Contingent serving with MINUSMA has called on the Forces Armées Maliennes (FAMA) Commander, Maj Gen Coulibaly Abdoulaye in his office in Bamako to look into the growing insecurity in the Sahel region.

The friendly interaction was centered on how to find solutions to the growing acts of terrorism in the entire Sahel, which the Commanders said is expanding into other peaceful nations outside of the G5 Sahel like Burkina Faso and others.

Taking the time during the visit on 5 Nov 19, Maj Gen Ayamdo hinted that FAMA and GAF have a lot in common. He mentioned the security of the country’s borders, cooperation to better share information willingly to protect each sovereignty, implementations of some security sector reforms and exchange training between the 2 Armed Forces in the future for both Commissioned Officer category to Recruit level. The Army Chiefs shared areas that are top priorities to the security of both nations and how to diversify training knowledge with sub-region.

FAMA Chief of Army Staff, Maj Gen Coulibaly who is confident of total peace and security in the near future in Mali, lamented the deaths and attacks on his soldiers. His main challenges were recruiting, training and fighting at the same time. A journey he said was not easy to take.

“If you’re a chief and your young ones coming up are being killed in the field, isn’t it a worry”? He asked. Nonetheless, he mentioned the support of ECOWAS and MINUSMA to helping Malians.

During Maj Gen Ayamdo’s customary call on Ghana’s Ambassador to Mali, HE Maj Gen Francis Adu-Amanfo (Rtd), the Ambassador added that the African Continent must collaborate and own the concept to counter terrorism within the G5 Sahel. To the countries outside the Sahel region, he urged to build the capacity to assist the G5.

Maj Gen Adu-Amanfo (rtd), who was in the past the Director-General Army Intelligence, echoed that intelligence gathering and information sharing amongst Armed Forces of Africa could check the insecurity crack.

He further disclosed that the replacement of spare parts and maintenance of the Forces Armées Maliennes Aircraft CASA C-295M by the Ghana Air Force in September 2019 was the result of information sharing. Instead of the inconveniences of maintenance in Europe.

The Head of the Medals Day Delegation and Chief of the Army Staff and entourage earlier paid a courtesy call on MINUSMA Force Commander, Lt Gen Dennis Gyllensporre, Acting Director of Mission Support, Norman Atkins, MINUSMA Sector West Commander, Brig Gen Eno Eno Eyong and other key components of the mission.

The Delegation will return to Ghana on Wednesday 15 November 2019.