Jun 4 2025

Strengthening Security Through Training: NATO C-IED Mobile Training Team in Kuwait

Kuwait: From 1 to 4 June 2025, the NATO Istanbul Cooperation Initiative Regional Centre (NIRC) in Kuwait City hosted a Mobile Training Team (MTT) from Allied Joint Force Command Naples. The mission: deliver NATO expertise on Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices (C-IED) to military personnel from Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Saudi Arabia.

It’s a model that shows how the Gulf region and NATO can work together

The course combined theoretical modules with practical, field-based exercises, allowing participants to apply NATO’s best practices in realistic conditions. But the focus went far beyond technical skills. “The mistake would be to concentrate only on the device,” explained LTC Richard. “We must understand and address the entire threat system—strategically, operationally, and tactically.”

This training reflects the growing depth of cooperation between NATO and Gulf partners. Mohammed Al-Amiri, Deputy Assistant Foreign Minister for International Organizations Affairs, underlined the symbolic importance of the NIRC: “It’s a model that shows how the Gulf region and NATO can work together,” he said, expressing the hope that this example of cooperation will inspire similar efforts elsewhere.

Looking ahead, this partnership is expected to expand beyond military training to include public diplomacy and civil cooperation.

For the Deputy Assistant Foreign Minister for International Organizations Affairs: Stabilising the region and promoting peacekeeping are daily priorities for Kuwait and the Gulf countries, who are actively committed, not only within the NATO framework, but also through bilateral partnerships that reinforce global security.

Story by JFC Naples Public Affairs Office