U.S. Delegation Visits the MFO for Donor Day

SOUTH SINAI, EGYPT

07.08.2021

Story by Staff Sgt. Scott Evans 

Task Force Sinai

SINAI PENINSULA, Egypt – Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, opportunities for senior defense representatives to visit military personnel assigned to Task Force Sinai and its international sister contingents who comprise the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) have been rare.
However, with recent vaccination rates steadily increasing within the MFO, over 30 international military attaches and ambassadors from 13 nations had the occasion to travel to South Camp, South Sinai, Egypt to participate in a Donor Day event hosted by the MFO July 8, 2021.
MFO Donor Days events allow the various contingent command teams and staff to update their respective national military and political representatives on current operations, capabilities, and potential future needs. U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Shawn A. Harris, the senior defense attaché currently assigned to the United States Embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel, was among those in attendance who received briefings from personnel assigned to Task Force Sinai on their current mission state.
“Many years ago, I used to be part of an operations team that sent frequently sent troops here, but this is actually my very first time physically being here,” Harris said. “We are grateful that we had the chance to come over, and later today we’ll be returning to Israel to discuss with the representatives from all the different countries we work with about the great things (the Multinational Force and Observers) have been doing here.”
Throughout the course of the day, Harris and the other American military and defense representatives visited with the teams of Task Force Sinai, including the Aviation Company and the Military Working Dog team.
“We’re very pleased with what all the nations involved have been doing but specifically with what our American Soldiers have been able to accomplish in Egypt recently,” Harris said.
During the visit, the MFO force commander, New Zealand Army Maj. Gen. Evan Williams provided a comprehensive overview of the force’s efforts to simultaneously mitigate the COVID-19 risk to servicemembers while also accomplishing the MFO’s mission to observe, verify, report, and facilitate information in order to ensure peace and security between the Treaty Parties.
Harris firmly believes the mission of Task Force Sinai in contributing to the continued success of the MFO is vital to maintaining continued stability in the region.
“Task Force Sinai’s presence is very strategic. We need to continue to address potential friction points between Egypt and Israel going forward while having Soldiers here who are always ready to accomplish the mission”, Harris said.

-30-

• Date Taken: 07.08.2021
• Date Posted: 07.12.2021 04:47
• Story ID: 400700
• Location: SOUTH SINAI, EG