Story by JFC Naples J-9
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates - A JFCNP cross-functional Counter Insurgency (COIN) MTT was invited by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Armed Forces to inform them about NATO COIN principles.
The training took place at the UAE Officers’ Club in Abu Dhabi from the 1st to 5th of July.
The JFCNP team consisted of 6 officers coming from OSO, J2, J3 E&I, J3 CIED and J9.
The UAE Armed Forces sent 32 participants from various branches of their Armed Forces, the Joint Headquarters and the Ministry of Defense.
Due to the cross-functional nature of the topic several dimensions of the NATO full spectrum COIN approach were discussed, such as Understanding Insurgency and the Human Domain, STRATCOM & Information Operations, Comprehensive Approach, CIMIC, CIED, Intelligence Preparation of the Environment, Targeting and the use of Special Forces.
The students were highly interested in the subject and throughout the training many discussions and friendships developed.
Brigadier General Hamdan Al Zayodi from the Department for International Cooperation of the UAE Ministry of Defence highlighted the importance of the Mobile Training Teams for the UAE Armed Forces, "No matter how much we benefit - whether it’s 90% or 70% - we definitely benefit. We trust NATO in the field and we trust the NATO Training and Education system.“
Brigadier General Hamdan Al Zayodi concluded with calling the JFCNP Mobile Training Teams a real success story because we reach a high amount of students in-country and introduce them to NATO thinking.
UAE is one of the most active ICI partner countries and becomes more and more important as NATO partner.
UAE contributed troops to KFOR, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Inherent Resolve.
Due to the intense cooperation links with NATO, UAE Armed Forces are one of NATO’s most trustworthy and reliable partners.