US, Burkina Faso wrap-up Western Accord 2016 planning event

Courtesy Photo | Maj. Sean Burnett, S-3 for the 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion, points out some key landmarks during a guided tour of the Western Accord 2016 training site at the Burkina Faso Armed Forces Noncommissioned Officer Academy March 22. WA 2016 is a two-week long exercise with regional African partners and their Western allies designed to strengthen partnerships and enhance capacity and capabilities to conduct joint multinational peacekeeping operations in West Africa. (U.S. Army Africa photo by Sgt. 1st Class Chris Bridson)  

OUAGADOUGOU, BURKINA FASO

03.31.2016

Courtesy Story

U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa

The Western Accord is a series of exercises designed to develop the capacity
of the ECOWAS Standby Force's rapid deployment capability to plan, deploy,
employ and sustain forces in support of peacekeeping operations.

"Western Accord 2016 will be a noteworthy opportunity to build peacekeeping
capability in West Africa and enhance military cooperation between all the
partner nations," said Patrick Hughes, USARAF WA 2016 Planner.

With so many different countries involved in this year's exercise and a
plethora of languages and dialects spoken, it was imperative that French and
English interpreters are used. This was particularly handy when annotating the
minutes from the event and the signing of the Western Accord 2016 Exercise
Support Arrangement between USARAF and the Ministry of Defence of Burkina
Faso.

The ESA is a mutually agreed upon arrangement between USARAF and the Ministry
of Defence of Burkina Faso in which they recognize the success of WA 2016 is
contingent upon shared support and cooperation.

Brig. Gen. Kenneth H. Moore, Jr., USARAF deputy commanding general and Col.
Maj. Yaya Sere, chief planning officer and chief of operations for the General
Staff of the Burkina Faso Armed Forces sat side-by-side reading over the
arrangement before signing both copies and shaking hands.

"It has been a pleasure working with our Burkina Faso partners over the past
week and I look forward to a very successful Western Accord exercise here in
May," said Moore.

The final planning event this week was the last opportunity for the BFAF,
USARAF, and partner nation's planners to meet and coordinate the support
requirements for the event before the culminating exercise in May.

"Thanks to the hard work, professionalism and hospitality of our strategic
partner, the Burkina Faso Armed Forces, we now stand ready to successfully
conduct the exercise together," said Hughes. "This comes during an important
transitionary period for Burkina Faso as a nation and at a time when this
region faces threats to security from within and outside its borders," Moore
said.

• Date Taken: 03.31.2016
• Date Posted: 04.04.2016 02:57
• Story ID: 193942
• Location: OUAGADOUGOU, BF