Armed Forces Liberia, USARAF reaffirm partnerships

By Staff Sgt. Lance PoundsApril 7, 2016

Armed Forces Liberia, USARAF reaffirm partnerships
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Maj. Gen. Darryl A. Williams, U.S. Army Africa commander, shakes hands with Brig. Gen. Daniel Dee Ziankahn, Armed Forces of Liberia chief of staff, during a welcoming ceremony at USARAF's headquarters building, Caserma Ederle, Vicenza, Italy, April 4... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Armed Forces Liberia, USARAF reaffirm partnerships
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Maj. Gen. Darryl A. Williams, U.S. Army Africa commander, and Brig. Gen. Daniel Dee Ziankahn, Armed Forces of Liberia chief of staff, stand before honor guard Soldiers during a welcoming ceremony at USARAF's headquarters building, Caserma Ederle, Vic... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Armed Forces Liberia, USARAF reaffirm partnerships
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Maj. Gen. Darryl A. Williams, U.S. Army Africa commander, and Brig. Gen. Daniel Dee Ziankahn, Armed Forces of Liberia chief of staff, render salutes during a welcoming ceremony at USARAF's headquarters building, Caserma Ederle, Vicenza, Italy, April ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

Ziankahn participated in multiple discussions to review past, current and future missions in order to better synchronize the two militaries' efforts concerning humanitarian assistance, crisis response and force training.

One of these discussions covered the ongoing Operation Onward Liberty 2016 mission.

OOL 2016 is a U.S. military-led team, comprised of U.S. Marines, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army's Michigan National Guard, who mentor and offer advice to AFL counterparts to assist in developing a national military that is operationally capable, respectful of civilian authority and rule of law, and is a force for good among Liberian people.

The leaders also discussed the National Guard State Partnership Program.

The SSP is a Department of Defense program linking a state's National Guard with armed forces, or the equivalent of a partner nation in a cooperative, mutually beneficial relationship. Currently, the program has National Guard personnel from ten states working in 12 of 53 countries under the USARAF umbrella.

"It's not just about a mentor/mentee relationship," said Ziankahn. He said it is also about heart. "There are good relationships going on here."

Further discussions will include force development, training, and potential Hepatitis B outbreaks.

Hepatitis B is a viral infection, which attacks the liver. According to the World Health Organization, between five and ten percent of sub-Saharan Africa's adult population are or will be infected. Vaccinations can help prevent the virus from spreading, however once an individual has contracted the virus, there is currently no cure.

On the topic of outbreaks, discussions also focused on the September 2014 Ebola epidemic, where USARAF was first to render aid. In October 2014, USARAF passed mission responsibility to the 101st Airborne Division. Later that month, the Secretary of Defense approved the mobilization of Army National Guard and Army Reserve units from 12 states to support what is now known as Operation United Assistance.

Ziankahn said one of the biggest lessons learned during the crisis was leadership participation.

The teamwork displayed by U.S. Africa Command and USARAF assists ALF accomplish our goals said Ziankahn.

Ziankahn said senior leaders demonstrated the "how and why" of working together towards a common outcome and was well received by ALF personnel. He said working together proved the magnitude of what their organizations could accomplish.

According WHO, the 2014 Ebola Virus outbreak claimed more than 11,300 lives and infected more than 28,500 people in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone over a two-year period.

A final discussion provided Ziankahn with an update to the African Land Forces Summit 2016, to be held this May in Arusha, Tanzania.

The summit is an annual, week-long conference bringing African land force leaders together to discuss mutual threats and challenges from a regional perspective.

Last year, USARAF co-hosted ALFS with the Senegalese Armed Forces in Dakar, Senegal. Commanders from more than 35 African nations attended. The main topics of discussion were security challenges, peace support operations and institutional adaptions.

Ziankahn cited an example of a discussion put into action. He said a recent visit with Cote D'Ivoire's chief of staff highlighted how they could 'harness the power of partnership,' in light of recent attacks at Grand Bassam, an event that took the lives of approximately 16 people. Tapping into such a power, he said could help combat these types of acts looming over West Africa.

Ziankahn's visit to USARAF demonstrates the U.S. Army's commitment to strengthening its relationships with African partners, who cooperate on a regional basis to ensure a more secure Africa.

See more from U.S. Army Africa at http://www.usaraf.army.mil/