Pomp and pageantry were the order of the day on the first day of work at the headquarters of the Argentine Joint Training Centre for Peacekeeping Operations (CAECOPAZ) in Campo de Mayo, a suburb of the Argentine capital Buenos Aires, seat of this institution. The administration of the Training Centre has, since 17 October 2022, gone to great lengths to welcome the delegation led by Brigadier General André Patrice BITOTE, Director General of EIFORCES. Among others, military honours, review of troops, national anthems, march past and a musical ride were all on the menu to give a special touch to this reception.
Two speeches in pure military tradition marked the second part of the welcome ceremony. Colonel Alberto FILIPPINI, Director of CAECOPAZ, thanked EIFORCES for this visit which heralds the beginning of cooperation between the two schools. Laying the groundwork for a mutually beneficial partnership between the two institutions, the Director General of EIFORCES outlined the purpose of the visit, and by the same token, thanked the Argentine Top Officials for making it happen.
Besides the welcome ceremony, the delegation was shown round the maze of a training institution whose experience could direct EIFORCES in its progress towards UN certification. Then followed presentations of the two institutions by Colonels CHIALLI, Deputy Director of CAECOPAZ and ATANGANA Fiacre, EIFORCES’ Director of Studies. This was interspersed with rich and informative exchanges to allow for mutual acquaintance. In an almost studious atmosphere, a visit to the training facilities rounded off the panoramic overview of the Centre. It was a very fulfilling first day which, by its close, was already pointing to very promising days ahead./-