U.S Gives AFL Equipment

The Government of the United State of America has given a consignment of military vehicles and equipment to the Armed Forces of Liberia or AFL, through the Government of Liberia.

18 Land Cruiser pickup Trucks, two Land Cruiser maintenance vehicles, two boats, as well as spare parts were on Tuesday, July 12, 2016, turned over to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Liberia, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to help control its coastal waters, as well as contribute to international peacekeeping missions.

Speaking at the ceremony at the Barclay Training Center in Monrovia when she officially turned over the equipment to the Government of Liberia, Ambassador Christine Ann Elder of the United States said the day was a reminder of the enormous strides the AFL has made since its reconstitution in 2005 as it continues to professionalize its forces and fulfill its mandate to ably serve and protect the public.

According to Ambassador Elder, the United States has a long and continuing relationship with the AFL, and was heavily involved with the demobilizing the old AFL as the civil war ended, then recruiting, vetting, training and equipping a new AFL of about 2,000 men and women from across the country.

The U.S Ambassador to Liberia noted that in order to support the AFL upcoming rotation of a contingent to the MINUSMA peacekeeping mission in Mali, the U. S. has decided to provide as a permanent donation a 10,000 liter water truck, a 50,000 liter day water purification unit and a mobile kitchen trailer.

She also hailed the commitment of the Government of Liberia to contributing to peacekeeping internationally as the Liberian security forces have recently and successfully taken over security responsibility from UNMIL peacekeepers.

She said the U.S. partnership with Liberia will move forward, and will continue to support Defense Institutions, Strengthening Engineer support, Professional Development, Maritime security and medical readiness, through the Embassy office of Security Cooperation.

Brigadier General Daniel Ziankahn expressed gratitude to the U.S Government for the equipment, assuring that the equipment will be used for tactical operations, while very few will be used for office. He emphasized that the buck of the equipment will be send to Mali for peacekeeping operations and outside Monrovia.

By Bridgett Milton–Edited by George Barpeen