Humanitarian training for the military

The first follow-up brigade-level multinational training exercise on peacekeeping and humanitarian aid operations under the US African Crisis Response Initiative (ACRI) programme began on Monday in Senegal, the US European Command reported. “This training supplements and reinforces the initial brigade instruction that was provided last September and October in Dakar and Thies,” it said. The training focuses on peacekeeping and humanitarian aid operations and doctrine, staff officer skills, planning and coordinating administrative, operational and logistical support, as well as military decision-making. The three-week training session will end in a computer-assisted command-and-control exercise conducted, via satellite, between ACRI partner countries Senegal and Malawi. US European Command reported that about 12 of its soldiers and airmen, aided by some 40 contract instructors and assorted support personnel, are providing this phase of the follow-up training to approximately 65 Senegalese staff and non-commissioned officers. ACRI is sponsored by the US Department of State and supported by the United States’ European and Central Commands. These commands provide peacekeeping and humanitarian aid training to the militaries of selected African nations which have committed forces to the programme.