On the 10th of February, the NATO Security Force Assistance Centre of Excellence (NATO SFA COE), provided an orientation briefing to the Brigadier General Roberto Viglietta, the future Commander of the European Union Training Mission in Somalia (EUTM-S).
The purpose of the visit was to give the General an overview of Security Force Assistance and on how to apply SFA principles in contributing to the training of Somali security forces through a comprehensive approach.
EUTM-S provides political and strategic level military advice and mentoring to Somali authorities within the Defence Institutions, as well as specific mentoring, tailored training and capacity building in the training domain, in order to contribute to the development of the Somali National Armed Forces (SNAF). The goal is to ensure that the SNAF are capable of fulfilling their assignments in the security sector with a priority on the delivery of effective and sustainable security in Somalia.
During the meeting, a Lessons Learned Subject Matters Expert explained the structure of the mission and the role of the main actors involved in the area. Furthermore, he explained the SFA activities emphasizing the tasks of the Advisor and Training Team.
Representatives of the Simulation and Validation Centre (Ce.Si.Va.), one of the training Centres of the Italian Army that ensures the preparation and the continued professional development of the personnel planned for Command or Staff positions, were also present at the meeting.
This meeting highlights once again the paramount role of the NATO SFA COE in supporting the personnel who will be employed abroad in Security Force Assistance operations and the relevance of the SFA Operators’ role and training, seen as a fundamental tool to enhance the benefit of the Alliance and its Partners.
