Soldiers from the British Army have been working with their Ghanaian Partner Force in Accra to deliver tactical and conceptual training in support of regional stability.
The Ghanaian troops included the Army’s 64th Infantry Battalion and 69th Airborne Force, who currently provide a national security role in Ghana, and wish to expand their capabilities as an expeditionary Task Force.
A British Army Team Commander was quoted as saying:
“As a training team, our overall role is partner-focused capacity building; to provide stability and protection against the emergence of future security threats.
The aspiration is that by developing the skills, abilities and processes of one Partner Force, they will become a credible organisation through which capacity development can be passed on to neighbouring countries, having a greater overall effect within a particular region.
Our relationship with the Partner Force is the keystone to our role; we must understand what they want us to do and why. Having that clear, empathetic approach and being personable gains trust, resulting in mission success.”
You can read more here at the source.
It is quite amazon the level of bullshit bingo that goes on in modern press releases. Using Plan English is now a long dead skill.
Hi Jonathan-haha “Partner focussed capacity building”. Couldn’t agree with you more! The British Army does however have a long standing relationship with Commonwealth countries in Africa and the stamp of their tactics, ranks, uniforms and traditions remains as a strong link with the UK. Pre independence, the local colonial units included such fine Regiments as the Kings African Rifles,the Rhodesian Light Infantry and the Royal Rhodesia Regiment although particularly in Rhodesia they were strongly influenced by local conditions. Here in SA even today and notwithstanding the ANC’s drive to eliminate anything from the ‘settler’ community, much of the old structures… Read more »
Look at the video of the last parade of the Rhodesian Light Infantry laying up their Colours in 1980 as Mugabe took over. The Regimental colours were those of the pre UDI period including the Union Jack. Must have been hard for many of those troopies who by then were very anti-British although it must be said that the bulk of them were British born or first generation Rhodesians! Echoes of 1776!! I met the ex Police Commisioner of the BSAP in Durban. He was Ian Smith’s right hand man but privately admitted to me that he never liked the… Read more »
Yes.
BMATT in Ghana have done an amazing job over the years, supporting the Staff College and Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre in Accra, and providing wider support through STTTs and to neigbouring nations such as Sierra Leone, Gambia and Nigeria. They have anchored our infuence and military assistance in West Africa long before intervention in Sierra Leone and the establishment of the British Defence Staff in Nigeria. The Ghanian Armed Forces are the most professional in the region, and that is testimony to our cooperation.
Good post James. I have a friend who worked in Ghana for a year and was very impressed by the country as one of Africa’s few success stories! Thanks in no small measure to Jerry Rawlings who staged a coup that ejected the dictator who would have destroyed Ghana, much like Mugabe,IdiAmin, Mobutu etc
@Geoff, Jerry Rawlings did not overthrow any dictator in his 2 coups. The first coup in 1979 overthrew the Supreme Military Council v2 (SMC2) lead by General Fredrick Akuffo who had overthrown General Ignatius Achaempong (he overthrow the Constitutional government of 2nd Republic lead by Dr. Busia), a few months earlier and was in the process of organizing elections to return power to a civilian government. Rawling in the June 1979 insurrection killed all the former living Ghanaian heads of States, on the pretext that they were corrupt. He however proceeded to complete the SMC2 political transition process which saw… Read more »
Thank you for correcting my simplistic view of Gerry Rawlings Branaboy. The point that I was trying to illustrate in broad terms was firstly, how Ghana has fared better than many other African states in the post colonial period, and secondly how few and far between have been leaders of calibre on this troubled continent. Here in South Africa we had a wonderful start with Mandela and Mbeki-both educated, intelligent individuals, but then we had a decade of Zuma, a disgusting corrupt,criminal who has all but ruined what was the finest economy in Africa.The Chinese have indeed spread their influence… Read more »
Here is an example of the defence review thinking in restructure the army, create security regiments, repurpose the RM to their origins and create littoral support groups.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/90-reported-killed-as-myanmar-forces-crack-down-on-anti-coup-protesters-njkg7d7l5