General Figliuolo assumes command of COVI

(To Greater Defense)
20/01/22

Yesterday morning, at the Interoperable Summit Operations Command (COVI), in the presence of the Minister of Defense, the Hon. Lorenzo Guerini, accompanied by the Chief of Defense Staff, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, took place the alternation ceremony in the position of commander of the Interoperable Summit Operations Command between the incoming army corps general Francesco Paolo Figliuolo and the air squad general Silvano Frigerio.

In addition to the Undersecretaries of State for Defense, Sen. Stefania Pucciarelli and Hon. Giorgio Mulè, present, together with other military and civil authorities, the Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces and the Guardia di Finanza, the Secretary General of Defense / National Director of Armaments, the Military Ordinary for Italy and the representatives of the world academic and university, of the National Defense Industry and of the Health Service.

The Chief of Defense Staff thanked the Air Squad General Silvano Frigerio, "Which in a difficult situation ensured the continuity and brisk pace of COVI towards a modern and integrated reality", without forgetting what was done by the general of the army corps Luciano Portolano as commander "emeritus" of COVI, and expressed his best wishes for the new prestigious assignment to the general of the army corps Francesco Paolo Figliuolo, as the new commander of the COVI.

In particular, Admiral Cavo Dragone in the course of his speech underlined the guiding role of COVI in the prompt and effective management of the defense competition in contrasting the COVID 19 epidemic, and then affirmed that "COVI certainly embodies, in the most complete way, the inter-force spirit, with the total and convinced involvement of all the Armed Forces, obviously in safeguarding the prerogatives of the heads of the Armed Forces, and is today the real multiplier of the Defense forces , an element that generates, coordinates and manages operations in any field we are called to operate ".

The new commander of COVI, general of the army corps Figliuolo, after thanking the Minister of Defense and the Chief of Staff of Defense for the trust placed in him and greeting the military commanders abroad, 19 of whom connected by videoconference in representation of the 32 Operational Theaters in which the Italian Armed Forces operate, he went on to say “I take up this position with honor, in the name of the tradition and continuity of those who preceded me. COVI represents the beating heart of Defense, a heart that beats thanks to the energy and synergy of all the Armed Forces. Our strength lies in the commitment and sacrifice of the thousands of men and women with stars who are on the field every day, in the wide spectrum of operations that our Defense expresses to protect the country ".

General Figliuolo then underlined how "The role of commander of COVI will be combined with that of the extraordinary commissioner for the emergency, generating an added value in terms of institutional harmony, coordination and teamwork, which are essential factors for the success of any company".