An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir July/August 2018 www.dfmagazine.ie 8 | 8 | By CAPt ÁInE MCDonough, DALo In May, the Defence Forces hosted two high profile visits from the nigerian national Defence College and the Italian Joint Staff College. Both courses are requirements for officers from each country to advance to general Staff level within their organisations. As part of each course, of- ficers are required to visit a foreign country to study the structure of its Defence organisation. nigerian naTional deFenCe College The Nigerian delegation was made up of twenty students from the Nigerian Army, Navy and Air Force, led by Maj Gen Peter Dauke, Deputy Commandant of the Nigerian National Defence College. After receiving briefings on Foreign Direct Investment in Ireland from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the group visited McKee Bar- racks on 23rd of May for a series of strategic level brief- ings on Defence Policy, Strategic Planning, Operations and Training. D COS Ops Maj Gen Ki- eran Brennan, greeted and addressed the group on various themes including international relations and Irish history. Their recently accredited Defence Attaché, Brig Gen Abu- bakar Sadiq Ndalolo, also accompanied the Nigerian delega- tion. Brig Gen Ndalolo is based in London with secondary responsibility for Ireland. Together with Maj Gen Dauke, he met with the Chief of Staff, Vice Admiral Mark Mellett DSM, to discuss cooperation between Ireland and Nigeria. The briefings provided the students with the information required for them to compile detailed reports on Ireland as part of their eleven month long career course. At the end of their visit, the Nigerian Ambassador to Ireland, H.E. Dr Uzoma Elizabeth Emenike, hosted a dinner. iTalian JoinT sTaFF College On 28th and 29th of May, a group of fifteen students and five staff from the Italian Joint Staff College visited the DFTC as part of their Joint Staff Course. Rear Adm Gianluigi Reversi led the group. The students came from the Italian Army, Navy and Air Force as well as the Customs Police and Ministry of Defence. The Italian delegation visited UNTSI and received a number of briefings on Defence Policy, Strategic Planning, Operations and Training but also more focused presenta- tions on the 1st Joint Command and Staff Course, Brexit, Marauding Terrorists and the ARW. On 29th of May, the Chief of Staff, Vice Admiral Mark Mellett DSM, who also hosted the Italian Ambassador HE Mr Paolo Serpi at a lunch in Pearse Officers' Mess, ad- dressed the group. The visit ended with a reception for the Italian National Day hosted by Ambassador Serpi at his residence Lucan House, where a presentation was made to Col Paul Kennedy and Lt Col Seán Dunne for their service in UNIFIL, where they worked in close cooperation with the Italian military. These visits by foreign career courses provide the Defence Forces with an opportunity to showcase our expertise in relation to areas such as peacekeeping and education, and also offer avenues for future bilateral cooperation with foreign militaries.

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