Story by Turkish Army Major Tayfun Erbay, JFC Naples J-9
LAGO PATRIA, Italy - Allied Joint Force Command Naples received a delegation from the Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF) on July 15th.
Before the meeting, Bahrain Major General Saad had an office call with JFCNP Commander Admiral James Foggo.
The meeting was in the framework of an annual military cooperation Expert Staff Meeting (ESM). It aimed to enhance NATO's understanding of the BDF’s military interests and partnership goals, while showcasing the various partnership opportunities available.
The ESM also enabled the delegation of the Military Partnership Branch and its partners to openly discuss progress under various initiatives and to ensure that our partners are correctly supported by NATO through JFC Naples.
Discussions included a review of the cooperation program between Bahrain and NATO in 2017 & 2018, the BDF’s topics of interest, JFC Naples MPB's role in facilitating this partnership and a presentation on worthwhile cooperation program activities and exercises available to BDF in 2020.
Brigadier General R Kloss, Assistant Chief Of Staff, J-9 Division, stressed that constant communication remain vital in maintaining the relationship between NATO and Bahrain.
BDF delegation also paid a visit to NSD-S Hub to familiarize themselves with its role and mission.
Bahrain is a partner nation from the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative Framework.
The Expert Staff Meeting is a vital part of the annual military cooperation between NATO and Bahrain, as it ensures the military partnership is meeting the needs of the BDF in-line with NATO’s Military Committee’s Direction and Guidance.
More broadly it also supports NATO’s broader aims to help build the trust and understanding that will lead to better cooperation in the region while increasing military interoperability for future NATO missions
The next ESM between JFC Naples and BDF will take place in Manama in 2020.