05 Aug 2018

Botswana Defence Force (BDF), ground forces Commander, Major General Molefi Seikano has lauded both BDF and Namibian Defence Force (NDF) for their cooperation in the implementation of defence and security resolutions.

Officiating during the closing ceremony of exercise Tshwaragano II held in Kang recently, Major General Seikano said the exercise was a success due to the strong co-existing bilateral relations between the two countries.

Major General Seikano said ex-Tshwaragano and ex-Hanganee exercises were a series of joint bi-lateral peace support operations held every two years.

He said the exercises emanated from the agreement reached between the two countries during the 23^rd Joint Permanent Commission on Defence and Security (JPCDS) that was held in Gaborone in November 2012. He noted that the exercises were conducted to enhance trust and promote good neighbourliness on defence and security issues, adding that 820 soldiers from both Botswana and Namibia participated in the exercise.

He attested that the conduct of all the exercises both in Botswana and Namibia was a clear indication that the two countries were dedicated and committed in peace keeping operations. He added that should the need arise for the defence forces of the two countries to be deployed in peace keeping operations, they would be prepared and inter-operable under the auspices of African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA).

Major General Seikano also lauded the Kang community and other Kgalagadi North areas for their noble gesture to have accommodated them to host the exercise in their locality despite causing some inconveniences.

He also said communities from Kang, Phuduhudu and Lehututu benefited from their outreach programmes as they screened them for different diseases. He also noted that they renovated the Matsha Senior Secondary School guard room and constructed a proper flag pole stand at Phuduhudu Primary School.

For his part, Namibian Brigadier General, Leonard Nghishoongele also lauded both forces for their commitment in upholding the exciting bilateral relations between the two countries.

He said the collaboration displayed by the two forces proved beyond reasonable doubt that participants had attained a degree of competency as per the objectives of the exercise.

“I am sure that this exercise has given you the gift of confidence and professionalism in pursuing your career,” he said.

He said the exercises had prepared them to be conversant with the challenges that might crop up, and that with the gained experience they would be able to deal with them.

He also urged them to have confidence and respect their capabilities as they would inspire them to act accordingly whenever action was needed.

Furthermore, Brigadier General Nghishoongele said through the exercises both defence forces would secure a better path in the entire defence forces and urged them to utilise the newly acquired knowledge to carry out any assignment as experts.

In his welcome remarks, exercise director, Brigadier Simon Barwabatsile said the conduct of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) standby forces exercise enabled them to harmonise and inter-operate on peace-keeping supporting issues.

He also said the exercise enabled the sharing of lessons learnt in various training operations as well as capacitating them to be able to evaluate and validate policies and procedures of the SADC standby force.

He further said their collaboration fostered interactions between the two troops.

Ex-Tshwaragano II was conducted under the theme “Enhancing joint Cooperation” ENDS