On Sunday, February 20, the Flintlock 2022 Opening Ceremony was held at the International Counterterrorism Academy in Jacqueville, Ivory Coast. The annual military and police exercise, initiated by the American army since 2005 – canceled last year due to the pandemic – brings together, for this edition in reduced format, the security forces of a dozen countries, including four African countries: Ghana, Niger, Ivory Coast and Cameroon.
With our correspondent in Abidjan, Francois Hume-Ferkatadji
Based among other things on the exchange of skills and the building of a relationship of trust, the 2022 edition is largely dominated by the need for national armies to fight effectively against violent extremist groups. US military and diplomatic officials have insisted on the security threat hanging over the coastal countries of the Gulf of Guinea, and in particular on Côte d’Ivoire.
In front of some 200 soldiers gathered in line, Rear Admiral Jamie Sands, commander of US Army special operations in Africa, made the exchange of information and intelligence between the armies a top priority.
In a more political speech, the American ambassador in Côte d’Ivoire, Richard Bell, warned against human rights violations by the security forces, and made the populations’ support for the armed forces, ” rule number 1” of counterinsurgency.
“ The threat is real and as I said, the key to success is to have the support of the population. So there are many elements of professionalism that deserve to be developed. It is very difficult to carry out the task of the armed forces in a situation of conflict against an enemy who does not respect any law, any rule or value. »
The Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Côte d’Ivoire, General Lassina Doumbia, confirmed this growing terrorist threat. He promises that the country is preparing to cope. “ It is useless to veil the face. None of our countries is now immune. We have to face it. And we therefore now take this new situation into account in our planning, in the organization of our system and obviously in all the ramp-up that will follow. »
Beyond this annual exercise, the American army has shown little presence in the region in recent years, it has however brought constant logistical support to the French military operation Barkhane. The operation will continue until February 28.