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U.S. Air Forces Africa hosted its first visit by an African nation minister of defense Oct. 1 when Yero Boly of Burkina Faso visited the command to discuss areas of potential cooperation between U.S. and Burkinabe forces.
Upon arrival at Ramstein, Minister Boly and his party were treated to a hands-on tour of a C-130J aircraft and windshield tour of the Ramstein flightline, which sparked discussion of issues such as logistics hub operations and physical security measures as Burkina Faso prepares to build a new airport that will include plans for an air force base.
Prior to his arrival at Ramstein, Minister Boly spent a day at U.S. Africa Command headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, where he met with U.S. AFRICOM Commander Gen. William “Kip” Ward and other senior leaders, including Army Maj. Gen. Richard Sherlock, then director of AFRICOM’s Strategy, Plans and Programs directorate, who accompanied the minister’s party to Ramstein.
“We have a strong air component, and as you set out goals for our relationship, I’m sure they can help in many ways,” General Sherlock said during an Air Forces Africa mission briefing. “We value the friendship and partnership with Burkina Faso and would like to be seen as a long-term partner.”
Members of U.S. Air Forces Africa worked with Burkinabe forces in May during Exercise Flintlock, providing intra-theater airlift and airdrop support for the three-week U.S. Special Operations Command Africa-led multi-national exercise, which took place in Ouagadougou.
“Flintlock was a large-scale, multi-national exercise and the Burkinabes did an outstanding job as hosts for the Joint Operations Center,” said Maj. Randle Tankersley, AFAFRICA planner for Flintlock. “We welcome the opportunity to work with them again in the future.”
During the U.S. Air Forces Africa mission brief to Minister Boly, Col. Chris Hair, AFAFRICA chief of staff, highlighted the component’s Air Domain Safety and Security Program and explained how it provides a framework for engagement with partner nations by building from the basic pillars of infrastructure, personnel training, airspace control, and security and response capabilities.
“We use this as our guide in developing engagement programs with our partner nations like Burkina Faso,” Colonel Hair said. “It includes all areas of support for aircraft to operate safely in the air and on the ground. Air Forces Africa can provide expertise in these areas.”
Minister Boly, speaking through a French interpreter, acknowledged the mutual interests his nation shares with the U.S. in building a safe and secure air domain for Africa and his desire to see the partnership continue to grow. During a visit to the U.S. several years ago, Minister Boly visited the Pentagon as U.S. Africa Command was being stood up and was able to see and be a part of the “ground work” involved in that creation.
Also, during the same visit, Minister Boly met with representatives at the U.S. Department of State where he learned of the Africa Contingency Operations Training and Assistance program, an initiative designed to improve African militaries’ capabilities by providing selected training and equipment to forces supporting multinational peace support operations.
“Because of that visit, we were able to have ACOTA forces come and prepare us for deployment to the peacekeeping mission in Darfur. This visit has enlightened me and helped me to understand the mission of U.S. Africa Command and Air Forces Africa,” Minister Boly said. “You can count on Burkina Faso to continue to be a dependable partner for U.S. Africa Command in Africa.”
