WA16 participants enhance cooperation support through UN academics

Photo By Staff Sgt. Candace Mundt | Members of the Western Accord 16 Joint Exercise Control Group learn principles of facilitating an effective command post exercise May 3, 2016 at Camp Zagre, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Western Accord 16, which officially began May 2, is an annual combined, joint exercise designed to increase the ability of African partner forces and the U.S. to exercise participants’ capability and capacity to conduct African Union/United Nation mandated Peace Operations. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Candace Mundt/Released)  

OUAGADOUGOU, BURKINA FASO

05.04.2016

Story by Staff Sgt. Candace Mundt 

2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso – Western Accord 16 is underway with academic classes aimed at enhancing operational cooperation amongst 25 African, European and U.S. partner nations at Camp Zagre, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Western Accord 16, which officially began May 2, is an annual combined, joint exercise designed to increase the ability of African partner forces and the U.S. to exercise participants’ capability and capacity to conduct African Union/United Nation mandated Peace Operations.
Participants will attend the academics portion of the exercise during the first week and follow with a communications exercise and a culminating command post exercise. Observer, controller, trainers, or OCTs, who control the exercise environment, also attended briefings about facilitating a challenging, effective and realistic accord.
Individual nations have their own operational doctrine and procedures. Leaders participating in Western Accord 16 will use United Nations doctrine and common practices to enhance cooperation on regional security issues and strengthen interoperability between African partner nations. The academics classes define those standards and show how they may be implemented.
This is the first year Burkina Faso has hosted the regional event lead by U.S. Army Africa and supported by the Regionally Aligned Force brigade, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division.

• Date Taken: 05.04.2016
• Date Posted: 05.05.2016 06:57
• Story ID: 197357
• Location: OUAGADOUGOU, BF