Inside the Air Force Base 101 of the Niger Air Force, the changeover ceremony was held yesterday at the command of the Italian Bilateral Support Mission in the Republic of Niger (MISIN), between the general of division Liberato Amadio and the air brigadier general Nadir Ruzzon, who assumes the leadership of the Italian contingent.
The ceremony was presided over by Joint Chief Operating Officer (COVI), army corps general Francesco Paolo Figliuolo, in the presence of the Italian ambassador in Niamey Emilia Gatto.
Many civil and military authorities of Niger also took part, including the Minister of the Interior and Decentralization, the President of the City Council of Niamey, the Secretary General of Defence, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force and the senior commander of the National Guard.
Ambassador Gatto, in thanking the ceding commander, recalled that in a context of the global fight against terrorism and banditry, everyone's efforts - military but also civilian - are not limited to the borders of the Mediterranean and Italy. The MISIN contingent, in particular, operates in a spirit of solidarity, collaboration and support for the Nigerien people. MISIN plays a vital role, addressing complex challenges common to the entire Sahel region. A necessary commitment-she added-because "one cannot remain helpless in the face of the violation of the deepest moral ethical values of justice and peace, where the most elementary human rights are trampled on".
General Figliuolo, during his speech, recalled that the Italian Armed Forces are committed to increasing the capabilities of the Nigerien Defense and Security Forces, which are on the ground every day to counter the threat to stability and civil coexistence of this Village. “Nigerian and Italian soldiers together represent a solid bulwark of regional and European security. A bulwark that sees the Italian military operate in a delicate and complex educational and training mission that proceeds smoothly and with ever greater momentum". Finally, he thanked General Amadio for the commitment with which he fulfilled his mandate, expressing satisfaction with the work done in particular by the Task Force Genius, based on the 6th pioneer regiment, engaged in the construction works of the new Italian base as a logistic hub for operational activities in Niger.
Over the past seven months, MISIN has carried out the training of approximately 8.200 Nigerien military personnel in Niger conducted in the training centers of Niamey, Agadez and Arlit. In the field of health and education, MISIN has launched and finalized multiple projects with civil institutions, for a total of over 560 euros.
Among them, the construction of the Center d'Expertise de Médecine Aéronautique du Niger (CEMEDAN), center responsible for health checks aimed at issuing medico-legal qualifications for the pilot and technical personnel of the Armée de l'Air. This is a capability that can also be addressed to Niger's partner nations, making the country an international reference center.
The delivery of the "drape" of the mission from General Amadio to General Ruzzon effectively sanctioned the transfer of responsibility between the two commanders.
