SFAB Soldiers grow partnerships in Ghana through peacekeeping training exercise

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Southern European Task Force Africa

U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the 2nd Security Forces Assistance Brigade stand for a group photo with members of the Ghana Armed Forces. 2nd SFAB soldiers assisted in a pre-deployment peacekeeping training held at the GAF Army Peace Operations Training School in Bundase, Ghana. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Amanda Fry)

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Photo by: Staff Sgt. Amanda Fry 

BUNDASE, Ghana - In January, Soldiers assigned to the 2nd Security Force Assistance Brigade supported a new training program for Ghana Armed Forces. The team out of Fort Bragg, N.C., helped prepare GAF soldiers for an upcoming peacekeeping mission in the Central Africa Republic.

The training collaboration is the latest step in the ongoing partnership between Ghana and the U.S. GAF soldiers are scheduled to deploy as part of the U.N.'s Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic.

1st Lt. Christopher Wilson, a team leader with 2nd SFAB, said that the ultimate goal is to continue the collaboration and training at the Army Peacekeeping Operations Training School, building on the existing training partnership that SFAB and GAF has throughout the country. The training also offers 2nd SFAB soldiers the opportunity to learn training techniques and practices from GAF soldiers.

"That exchange of ideas is something that can benefit both countries," Wilson said. "We bring combat experience, and every aspect of that from logistics in austere environments to medical and communications -- all that we have learned in the past 20 years, we can bring here to our Allies and partners and build them up. At the same time, GAF soldiers go all over the world, and have experience in U.N. peacekeeping missions, so we can learn from their experiences as well."

Ghana army Col. Clement Dingane, commander of APOTS, said that the collaboration with SFAB Soldiers brings the training center a step closer to being capable of preparing other nations in peacekeeping operations. Dingane said his ultimate goal for APOTS is to have a U.N. certified training center other countries can travel to in order to receive peacekeeping training certifications, noting that it is the responsibility of all nations to provide safety and security throughout the world.

"I believe the overall peace and security of the world lies in the hands of all countries," Dingane said. "That is why I count on our bilateral relations and multilateral relations, and SFAB is part of this with Ghana." The January training event consisted of classroom and tabletop exercises aimed at preparing soldiers to work in a peacekeeping environment while maintaining safe security measures.

SFAB Soldiers train with Allies and partners around the world. The 2nd SFAB was regionally aligned to Africa in 2021 and has steadily improved partner capability there ever since through security force assistance coordinated by various offices of security cooperation at U.S. embassies and the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, based in Vicenza, Italy.