Regional force to distribute food in Kunene
Roughly 1 000 military personnel are expected to participate in the Blue Kunene exercise that will distribute humanitarian aid in the Kunene Region from 20 August to 7 September.
This is an exercise by the Namibian Air Force together with other SADC air forces.
They will distribute more than 400 tons of food aid donated by the Office of Prime Minister's Disaster and Risk Management Unit. Medical treatment of varying degrees will also be offered.
Defence minister Penda ya Ndakolo yesterday officiated at the start of the operation at the Oshakati Independence Stadium.
Also present were Oshana governor Clemens Kashuupulwa, Kunene governor Angelika Muharukua, her advisor Katuutire Kaura, NDF Lieutenant-General John Mutwa, Air Force commander Air-Vice Marshal Martin Pinehas, Army commander Major-General Nestor Shalauda and Navy commander Rear-Admiral Peter Vilho.
Ya Ndakolo said Blue Kunene was a product of the African Union's strategy on the role of the African standby force in humanitarian and natural disaster support.
Ya Ndakolo said this was done in accordance with the AU Peace and Security Council Protocol which highlights one of the functional aspects of the standby force as being the facilitation of “humanitarian assistance to alleviate the suffering of the civilian population in conflict areas and support to address major natural disasters”.
The participating countries are Botswana, Malawi, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Namibia. The commandant of the Namibian Air Force School of Air Power Studies, Hosea Ndjibu, said this exercise was the sequel to the exercise Blue Cluster hosted by South Africa in 2011, Blue Zambezi by Angola in 2013 and Blue Okavango by Botswana in 2015.
“The objectives of SADC Blue Kunene are to improve cooperation in humanitarian support operations among SADC air forces, develop and practise SADC air doctrines, exercise joint helicopter, fighter and command and control operations and validate interoperability and compatibility of multinational components,” Ndjibu said.
Ya Ndakolo commended the participating SADC forces for dedicating time and resources, saying that the exercise required long hours of meticulous planning and preparation.
“This is a SADC exercise aimed at building regional capability that eventually strengthens the African standby forces. Essentially, the exercise seeks to enhance the already high level of interconnectedness and interoperability in preparation for rapid deployment capability which has been developed through other exercises,” Ya Ndakolo said.
“Therefore, over the next 10 days or so, this exercise is expected to distribute over 400 tons of food aid in the Kunene Region constituencies. This will be done in conjunction with the Office of the Prime Minister's Disaster and Risk Management Unit. Medical outreach programmes will be conducted in the form of screening and treatment of various ailments that will be administered to the population of the Kunene Region.”
ILENI NANDJATO
This is an exercise by the Namibian Air Force together with other SADC air forces.
They will distribute more than 400 tons of food aid donated by the Office of Prime Minister's Disaster and Risk Management Unit. Medical treatment of varying degrees will also be offered.
Defence minister Penda ya Ndakolo yesterday officiated at the start of the operation at the Oshakati Independence Stadium.
Also present were Oshana governor Clemens Kashuupulwa, Kunene governor Angelika Muharukua, her advisor Katuutire Kaura, NDF Lieutenant-General John Mutwa, Air Force commander Air-Vice Marshal Martin Pinehas, Army commander Major-General Nestor Shalauda and Navy commander Rear-Admiral Peter Vilho.
Ya Ndakolo said Blue Kunene was a product of the African Union's strategy on the role of the African standby force in humanitarian and natural disaster support.
Ya Ndakolo said this was done in accordance with the AU Peace and Security Council Protocol which highlights one of the functional aspects of the standby force as being the facilitation of “humanitarian assistance to alleviate the suffering of the civilian population in conflict areas and support to address major natural disasters”.
The participating countries are Botswana, Malawi, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Namibia. The commandant of the Namibian Air Force School of Air Power Studies, Hosea Ndjibu, said this exercise was the sequel to the exercise Blue Cluster hosted by South Africa in 2011, Blue Zambezi by Angola in 2013 and Blue Okavango by Botswana in 2015.
“The objectives of SADC Blue Kunene are to improve cooperation in humanitarian support operations among SADC air forces, develop and practise SADC air doctrines, exercise joint helicopter, fighter and command and control operations and validate interoperability and compatibility of multinational components,” Ndjibu said.
Ya Ndakolo commended the participating SADC forces for dedicating time and resources, saying that the exercise required long hours of meticulous planning and preparation.
“This is a SADC exercise aimed at building regional capability that eventually strengthens the African standby forces. Essentially, the exercise seeks to enhance the already high level of interconnectedness and interoperability in preparation for rapid deployment capability which has been developed through other exercises,” Ya Ndakolo said.
“Therefore, over the next 10 days or so, this exercise is expected to distribute over 400 tons of food aid in the Kunene Region constituencies. This will be done in conjunction with the Office of the Prime Minister's Disaster and Risk Management Unit. Medical outreach programmes will be conducted in the form of screening and treatment of various ailments that will be administered to the population of the Kunene Region.”
ILENI NANDJATO
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