ACIRC Command Post Exercise Utulivu Africa III 2017 (Rwanda, 20th - 31st March 2017)
ACIRC Command Post Exercise Utulivu Africa III 2017 (Rwanda, 20th - 31st March 2017)
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01:08 From the 20th to the 31st of March, 2017,
01:11 Rwanda hosted the African Capacity
01:14 for Immediate Response to Crisis military exercise
01:18 in the Rwanda Military Academy GAKO,
01:20 with the name of testing for confirmation
01:23 the ASIRC operational readiness.
01:26 The African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crisis
01:29 was conceived in 2013 by the African Union Commission
01:33 as a strategic security partnership
01:36 between the African Union and volunteer nations
01:39 to enable the African Union to intervene on short notice
01:42 in a crisis that may pop up in Africa.
01:45 So far, volunteering nations are Algeria, Angola, Benin,
01:50 Burkina Faso, Chad, Egypt, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal,
01:56 South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.
02:00 The exercise, that was codenamed Utu Livu Africa III,
02:04 brought together about 200 officers
02:07 from ASIRC volunteering nations.
02:10 Utu Livu Africa III 2017 was preceded
02:14 by a planning conference held in Rwanda
02:16 from the 13th to the 18th of March, 2017
02:20 at Lemigo Hotel in Kigali.
02:23 At the official opening of the planning meeting
02:26 that made final touches on the planning process of the ASIRC
02:30 command post exercise, Major General Martin Zaramba,
02:34 commander of National Basic Military Training Center
02:37 on behalf of Rwanda Defense Force Chief of Defense Staff,
02:41 recalled the will and determination of African leaders
02:45 to find solutions to African problems.
02:48 General Zaramba, who was also set to be the exercise director,
02:52 added that the command post exercise Utu Livu Africa III
02:57 is an enabling factor for the ASIRC member state
03:01 to develop greater maneuver capacity
03:03 and the best utilization of the available resources
03:07 in finding African solutions to African problems.
03:11 - The concept expressed the will and determination
03:16 of our leaders to build our capacity
03:25 to address the scourge of conflicts in Africa
03:32 and ensure peace, security, and stability
03:37 as well as prosperity.
03:44 On behalf of the Chief Defense Staff,
03:48 it is now my pleasure to declare
03:53 the final planning conference officially opened.
04:00 (audience applauding)
04:03 - As indicated by Colonel Ali Katimbe,
04:09 the head of ASIRC cell,
04:11 the biggest challenge for the African Union
04:13 is building the capacity of most African states
04:17 to deploy rapidly and effectively.
04:19 - As planners, we always know that if you want to plan,
04:23 you start with the intent.
04:25 Allow me to quote the very famous speech
04:29 of Raymond Remaris of his excellence, Paolo Kagame,
04:33 the president of the Republic of Rwanda,
04:36 which was given on the 7th of April, 2010 in Kigali.
04:41 He said as follows,
04:42 "Beauty in our future must come from us.
04:46 External support will only come to complement our efforts.
04:51 No one will do for us except ourselves.
04:59 We are Rwandans, we are Africans.
05:02 We should be happy to be who we are."
05:07 The end of quote.
05:07 As you are planning, let me translate the political intent.
05:13 Which intent?
05:14 Beauty in our future must come from us.
05:19 External support will only come to complement our efforts.
05:26 No one will do it for us except ourselves.
05:31 No one will plan the exercise except ourselves.
05:36 (audience applauding)
05:39 - The exercise participants underwent also
05:41 a pre-training exercise from the 20th to the 25th of March
05:46 at the Rwanda Military Academy in Gako.
05:49 On the 25th of March, 2017,
05:52 the V-Exercise, Utulivwe Africa III started.
05:56 Major General Jacques Moussa Makweri,
05:59 the RDF Army Chief of Staff,
06:01 noted that the exercise contributes on the long way
06:04 to guarantee the attainment
06:06 of the African leaders' aspiration
06:08 of finding African solutions to African problems.
06:12 - The overall objective of Utulivwe Africa III UA.
06:17 - What would be the objective of Utulivwe Africa III?
06:23 - 2017 CPEC.
06:27 (speaking in foreign language)
06:31 - Is to prepare AFRIC Force to future intervention operation
06:35 within the context of Article 4H.
06:39 (speaking in foreign language)
06:51 - And 4G of the African Union Constitute Act.
06:56 (speaking in foreign language)
06:59 - We believe that you will undertake these drills
07:03 with dedication.
07:05 (speaking in foreign language)
07:09 - Commitment to that you do only achieve
07:15 the objective of current exercise.
07:18 (speaking in foreign language)
07:22 - But also those of future operation.
07:27 (speaking in foreign language)
07:30 - Ultimately, the success of this exercise
07:33 will go on long way to guarantee attainment.
07:38 (speaking in foreign language)
07:42 (speaking in foreign language)
07:46 - Of our leaders' inspiration,
07:51 finding African solution to African problems.
07:55 (speaking in foreign language)
07:59 - Mr. Sevoui Lebam,
08:01 the African Union Commission representative
08:03 and head of the Peace Support Operations Division
08:06 reminded participants that they have huge responsibilities
08:10 of meeting the African Union objectives
08:13 within the evolving conflicts on the continent.
08:16 - That ASERC is not a tool of war, but is a tool of peace.
08:19 (speaking in foreign language)
08:23 - However, the African Union
08:27 (speaking in foreign language)
08:28 - Took a decision.
08:29 (speaking in foreign language)
08:31 - That they will use tools of war
08:32 in order to create space for peace to be kept.
08:35 (speaking in foreign language)
08:39 - Therefore, the deployment of ASERC
08:41 (speaking in foreign language)
08:42 - Is not a reckless decision that is taken lightly.
08:46 (speaking in foreign language)
08:48 - Of what the volunteering nations
08:49 are fully aware of the implications
08:51 of using tools of war in order to create peace.
08:54 (speaking in foreign language)
08:58 - Therefore, the African Union
09:01 (speaking in foreign language)
09:02 - Wishes to extend its gratitude
09:04 (speaking in foreign language)
09:07 - To the Rwanda government,
09:09 voluntary nations,
09:11 for having taken this opportunity
09:12 (speaking in foreign language)
09:15 - To create a pool of officers
09:17 (speaking in foreign language)
09:19 - That will use
09:20 (speaking in foreign language)
09:21 - And ensure
09:22 (speaking in foreign language)
09:23 - That the tools that they have in their hands
09:25 (speaking in foreign language)
09:30 - Will be used optimally
09:33 (speaking in foreign language)
09:36 - With due consideration
09:37 (speaking in foreign language)
09:39 - Of the right to preserve life.
09:41 (speaking in foreign language)
09:44 - After the opening,
09:46 Utulevu Africa 3 participants
09:48 visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial
09:51 to pay respect to the victims
09:52 of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi
09:55 and to learn firsthand information
09:58 on the inability of the African states
10:00 to rapidly intervene in crises on the African continent.
10:04 (somber music)
10:06 (somber music continues)
10:11 (somber music continues)
10:14 (somber music continues)
10:32 (somber music continues)
10:35 (somber music continues)
10:46 - This museum showed me
10:58 how the people experienced
10:59 that they're looking at the videos.
11:01 I can't believe it actually happened,
11:04 but how Rwanda is now,
11:05 I can't believe that they developed so much
11:08 and that people forgive each other
11:11 for that it's very well of them,
11:13 it's very good of them to actually forgive each other.
11:16 So I'll just hope they'll prosper in the future.
11:19 - It's very clear.
11:20 It's very clear that this is a result
11:25 of a bad management that we used to have in the continent.
11:29 And me speaking as a peacekeeper,
11:33 I have to say that we need to bring all the force,
11:38 we need to use all the means to avoid such activities,
11:42 such sacrifices to happen again in this continent.
11:45 We need to unify our forces.
11:49 All the needs needs to be brought into action
11:52 so that this kind of a situation
11:55 do not ever, ever happen again in this continent.
11:58 - Over a period of two weeks,
12:00 Uthulivu Africa 3 participants
12:03 were taught different techniques
12:05 of intervening in conflict zones,
12:07 as well as rescuing people.
12:09 - We are preparing ourselves in such a manner
12:13 that we are prepared all the time
12:14 to respond to a problem within Africa.
12:17 How do we come up with a decision to react to a situation
12:20 where the country, for example, there's a genocide in the country,
12:23 how do you have to go there?
12:25 How do you have to supply logistics?
12:28 How do you have to handle your troops?
12:30 How do you have to coexist with the other African forces
12:33 in a state of operation?
12:36 - Training can help us very well
12:38 because it can help us to join our full capacity.
12:43 - Courses were designed to practice ASIC,
12:45 forces' skills and procedures
12:47 of fighting in built-in areas using air, land and maritime forces.
12:52 - At this moment, Rwanda, BG1,
12:56 it's now already in theatre.
12:59 At this moment, we have secured the airport of Garasi
13:02 and we have also secured the seaport of Garasi.
13:06 Now, at this moment, we are receiving the foreign forces,
13:10 which is Republic of Angora and the Republic of South Africa.
13:14 Since we are still arriving in the town,
13:19 we expect to communicate, to go, to talk to the government forces
13:25 and other leaders to see how they can tell the citizens
13:29 that we are here for the peace, we are not here for the fight.
13:32 - We landed at the airport of Garasi for about 16 hours.
13:37 - Today, at 16 hours, we have landed at the airport of Garasi.
13:41 - Where the Rwandan battalion created all the conditions
13:44 necessary for our landing.
13:46 - On which the Rwandan battalion had prepared the proper conditions
13:53 for our deployment.
13:54 - And then we went to our sector, which is now assigned to sector 2.
13:59 - On which also after that, we started the process of deploying
14:03 our forces along sector 2, our sector.
14:08 - Where we created the conditions to divide the subsectors
14:13 to the different companies.
14:16 - On that same sector, we divided the same sector into subsectors
14:21 in order to deploy our companies.
14:25 - And at this very moment, we are creating the conditions
14:27 to be able to receive the populations that are in sector 3
14:31 for our area.
14:32 - And also we are creating the conditions on creating a channel
14:37 so in which the population that are fleeing from the conflict areas,
14:41 they can come to our protected areas.
14:44 - We just landed into the mission area.
14:47 Our role is to support the APOCA forces in terms of stabilising Karana.
14:54 As you know that there is currently tensions going on.
14:58 The way forward for the battalion is to deploy and get all our members
15:03 on the ground so that we can dominate the area and ensure that peace
15:09 and stability is achieved at the end of the mission.
15:13 Up to so far, no challenges we prepared for the terrain before we arrive
15:19 into the mission area.
15:21 - At the closing day on the 31st of March, 2017, the Rwanda Defence Force
15:26 Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, General Patrick Nyamvumba, Mr. Sevouyele Bam,
15:31 the African Union Commission representative and the head of Peace Support
15:35 Operations Division and other officials were shown how about 200 officers
15:40 from ASIC volunteer nations have been equipped with necessary knowledge.
15:45 ♪
16:06 - I'm Brigadier General Murenzi.
16:08 - So, Brigadier General Murenzi.
16:09 - From Rwanda Defence Force.
16:10 - The Chief of Defence Staff of Rwanda.
16:13 - I'm the ASIC Force Commander.
16:14 - I'm the ASIC Force Commander.
16:16 - For the purpose of this exercise...
16:19 - For the purpose of this exercise...
16:21 - I'm the APOCA Force Commander.
16:24 - I'm the APOCA Force Commander.
16:25 - APOCA is the African Prevention and Protection Operation in Karana.
16:32 - APOCA means the African Prevention and Protection Operation in Karana.
16:38 - The guest of honour...
16:39 - I'm the guest of honour...
16:41 - The Force Commander is getting the political guidance from the Special Envoy.
16:44 - The Force Commander is getting the political guidance from the Special Envoy.
16:50 - And the Force Commander holds operational control of all assigned troops.
16:55 - I, as the Force Commander, execute operational control of all APOCA forces.
17:02 - This intervention to Karana has demonstrated the ability and willingness
17:07 - of African nations to resolve complex contemporary crises in Africa,
17:13 - leading to adherence of African solutions to African problem objective.
17:20 - In conclusion, this intervention to Karana has demonstrated the ability and willingness
17:25 - of African nations to resolve crises in Africa,
17:28 - and obviously making use of the motto of our African leaders
17:31 - for African solutions, for African problems, for African solutions.
17:35 - Fada Saab, APOCA intervention has proved the ability of various forces,
17:42 - speaking various languages, with various doctrines,
17:46 - to achieve interoperability towards a common objective.
17:50 - Still, Your Excellency, this intervention to Karana has provided to the various countries of the Caribbean
17:58 - the ability to speak the same language and still make use of different doctrines
18:03 - in order to achieve interoperability towards a common understanding.
18:08 - APOCA forces successfully achieved their mandated tasks within prescribed time frame,
18:16 - and this is 90 days, and handed over the mission to the African Stand-by Force.
18:21 - And finally, Your Excellency, APOCA forces achieved success in their mandated tasks,
18:27 - all this fulfilled within the established time frame, 90 days,
18:31 - and then handed over the mission to the African Stand-by Force.
18:34 - Thank you very much.
18:37 This was followed by a closing event.
18:41 The end.
18:44 The end.
18:48 The end.
18:51 The end.
18:54 The end.
18:58 The end.
19:27 The end.
19:30 Attention!
19:44 Attention!
19:46 Present arms!
19:49 Present arms!
19:52 Present arms!
19:55 Present arms!
19:59 The end.
20:02 The end.
20:05 The end.
20:08 The end.
20:11 The end.
20:14 The end.
20:17 The end.
20:20 The end.
20:23 The end.
20:26 The end.
20:29 The end.
20:32 The end.
20:36 [Band playing]
20:40 [Band playing]
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20:49 [Band playing]
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21:36 [Band playing]
21:40 [Band playing]
21:53 [Band playing]
21:56 [Band playing]
22:02 First Commander.
22:10 Lastly, outgoing First Commander, General from Angola.
22:19 [Speaking in Portuguese]
22:22 Incoming First Commander, Brigadier General Evaristo Morense.
22:45 [Speaking in Portuguese]
22:49 [Speaking in Portuguese]
22:52 [Speaking in Portuguese]
22:55 [Speaking in Portuguese]
22:58 [Speaking in Portuguese]
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23:42 [Speaking in Portuguese]
23:47 [Birds chirping]
23:50 [Speaking in Portuguese]
24:15 The Exercise Director, Major General Martin Zaharamba,
24:19 explained that the CPX Outulivu Africa 3 2017
24:23 was designed to practice ASIC forces' skills and procedures
24:28 of fighting in built-up areas using air, land, and maritime forces.
24:33 The exercise demonstrated unity of purpose among ASIC volunteer nations
24:42 and was, therefore, a success and a great achievement for ASIC forces
24:51 towards maintaining the readiness of its capabilities.
24:58 [Speaking in Portuguese]
25:02 [Speaking in Portuguese]
25:05 Certainly, participants of this CPX gained wider experience,
25:24 acquired new skills, gained knowledge on the ASIC concepts and its procedures.
25:35 [Speaking in Portuguese]
25:45 I, therefore, recommend that such an exercise should be regularly conducted.
25:54 [Speaking in Portuguese]
25:57 Mr. Sevouyele Bam expressed gratitude to the Republic of Rwanda
26:04 for organizing and hosting the exercise.
26:07 On behalf of the AAU Commission Chairperson,
26:10 [Speaking in Portuguese]
26:14 the Commissioner for Peace and Security of the African Union,
26:17 [Speaking in Portuguese]
26:20 and the Director of the Peace and Security Department,
26:25 [Speaking in Portuguese]
26:28 we wish to convey our sincere gratitude
26:31 [Speaking in Portuguese]
26:34 to the Republic of Rwanda for hosting the exercise Outulivu Africa 3.
26:40 [Speaking in Portuguese]
26:44 One cannot wait for one's neighbors when one's house is on fire.
26:48 [Speaking in Portuguese]
26:51 You have to use whatever means you have at your disposal to deal with it.
26:55 [Speaking in Portuguese]
26:58 This is also part of the resolve of the African Union.
27:01 [Speaking in Portuguese]
27:04 But no more shall we be indifferent to atrocities.
27:07 [Speaking in Portuguese]
27:10 Violation of human rights.
27:14 [Speaking in Portuguese]
27:17 Because our interpretation of the responsibility to protect concept,
27:20 [Speaking in Portuguese]
27:23 protection of civilian concept,
27:26 [Speaking in Portuguese]
27:29 compels us to be prepared
27:32 to intervene in situations to avoid such atrocities.
27:35 [Speaking in Portuguese]
27:38 This is all of course taken within the context.
27:45 [Speaking in Portuguese]
27:48 But these capabilities will not be deployed recklessly and needlessly.
27:51 [Speaking in Portuguese]
27:54 We therefore need to reinforce
27:58 the African peace security architectures approach
28:01 [Speaking in Portuguese]
28:04 [Speaking in Portuguese]
28:07 The creation of the ASERC and the African Stand-by Force.
28:11 [Speaking in Portuguese]
28:14 I just put one of those tools in a toolbox.
28:17 [Speaking in Portuguese]
28:20 That our member states will use to resolve conflict.
28:27 [Speaking in Portuguese]
28:30 It is in this regard therefore
28:33 [Speaking in Portuguese]
28:36 that our member states have reaffirmed
28:39 [Speaking in Portuguese]
28:42 that they will make the African Union and regional mechanisms
28:45 [Speaking in Portuguese]
28:48 effective tools for conflict resolution.
28:51 [Speaking in Portuguese]
28:54 It is in this regard
28:57 that the Peace Fund
29:00 of the Republic of Rwanda
29:03 was requested by his peers
29:06 [Speaking in Portuguese]
29:09 to come up with a report on how to make the AU more effective.
29:12 [Speaking in Portuguese]
29:15 It therefore gives us great pleasure
29:21 that we are here today
29:24 as part of the efforts of realizing those objectives.
29:27 [Speaking in Portuguese]
29:30 General Patrick Nyamfumba
29:34 congratulated participants for the skills displayed
29:37 during the exercise.
29:40 [Speaking in Portuguese]
29:43 Let me take this opportunity to congratulate those who participated in this exercise.
29:46 [Speaking in Portuguese]
29:49 I just witnessed the skills
29:56 and the professionalism displayed
29:59 in the different battle group command posts
30:02 and was very impressed.
30:05 [Speaking in Portuguese]
30:08 As such, we cannot overemphasize the need to have
30:15 a robust peace and security mechanism
30:18 [Speaking in Portuguese]
30:21 to prevent and resolve conflicts in Africa.
30:25 [Speaking in Portuguese]
30:28 Therefore, as we conclude the UTOLIV Africa III CPX
30:31 [Speaking in Portuguese]
30:34 we should ask ourselves whether we have strengthened our resolve
30:40 [Speaking in Portuguese]
30:43 the capacity and the professional might to guarantee
30:50 our leaders' aspirations of providing African solutions
30:53 to African problems.
30:56 [Speaking in Portuguese]
30:59 I urge you as participants
31:06 from ASRIC volunteering nations
31:09 that the lessons that you have learned from this exercise
31:12 [Speaking in Portuguese]
31:15 should reaffirm our leaders' conviction
31:22 [Speaking in Portuguese]
31:25 that ASRIC should stand as a legacy and practical cornerstone
31:29 to the peace and development of our peoples.
31:32 [Speaking in Portuguese]
31:35 I hope you take with you the memories of comradeship
31:41 made during this exercise as we build a credible force
31:44 to address our security challenges of our time.
31:47 [Speaking in Portuguese]
31:50 I hope you take with you the memories of comradeship
31:53 made during this exercise as we build a credible force
31:56 to address our security challenges of our time.
31:59 [Speaking in Portuguese]
32:02 Thank you very much.
32:05 Stand for the recognition of the flags.
32:08 [Shouting]
32:11 [Shouting]
32:14 [Shouting]
32:17 [Drumming]
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32:32 [MUSIC]
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38:42 (upbeat music)