LOME, TOGO – Delegates from the North Dakota National Guard traveled to Lomé, Togo to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the State Partnership Program between the state of North Dakota and the Republic of Togo, June 26, 2024. Togo was officially selected to partner with North Dakota as part of the SPP in April 2014.
Attending the event were U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Kenneth Ekman, U.S. Africa Command Strategy, Engagement and Programs director, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Al Dohrmann, NDNG adjutant general, Command Sgt. Maj. Jason Magnuson, NDNG senior enlisted leader, and U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Merri Filloon, 119th Wing, command chief.
“It is my privilege to stand before you today as we commemorate the remarkable journey. A journey that began 10 years ago and has blossomed into a strong bond of friendship and cooperation between North Dakota and the Republic of Togo,” said Dohrmann. “Over the past decade, we have achieved remarkable milestones in disaster preparedness. This was showcased earlier today with the National Emergency Operations Center dedication.”
Earlier in the day, they joined Senior Togolese officials from the Ministry of Security and the National Civil Protection Agency, leaders from the U.S. Embassy, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for a dedication of a new National Emergency Operations Center. Once construction is completed, the NDNG will then work with Togo’s National Civil Protection Agency and Ministry of Security to supply the new facility.
The disaster preparedness portfolio is North Dakota’s most cross-cutting engagement with the SPP. North Dakota routinely brings over state employees from public health, fire, and police forces in addition to National Guardsmen. One of the most significant engagements through the program is counter-IED awareness training. The Republic of Togo conducts many peacekeeping operations around Africa and they also have experienced increased violent extremism and conflicts at their borders; many ambushes they experience involve an IED, followed by small arms fire. The NDNG partners with them to train on best practices, using experience that NDNG Soldiers gained from deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.
The NDNG has conducted 45 military-to-military engagements and 17 disaster-preparedness engagements in Togo. The NDNG’s 164th Regional Training Institute in Devils Lake, North Dakota, has a strong relationship with the Togo Armed Forces Non-Commissioned Officer Academy, helping to update the Togo Military’s curriculum and building NCO empowerment. The NDNG worked with the U.S. Corps of Engineers to advance the training and outfitting of the National Emergency Operations Center in Lome, Togo. The NDNG trained 800 first responders within the Republic of Togo.
“Congratulations to the North Dakota National Guard and their Togolese partners on the 10-year anniversary of their State Partnership Program. It was a pleasure to join Maj. Gen. Alan Dohrmann and North Dakota leaders in Lome to commemorate the anniversary, conduct a groundbreaking for the new DoD-funded Emergency Operations Center, and celebrate American Independence Day with the U.S. Embassy,” said Ekman. “The State Partnership Program exemplifies the principles of 21st century partnership guiding America’s approach to African nations, and USAFRICOM’s support our partners.”
Funding for the program comes from both the National Guard Bureau and the combatant command. No money is taken directly from the state of North Dakota. The NDNG has conducted more than 300 engagements with its three partner countries; Ghana, Togo, and Benin with all of the funding being provided by NGB and USAFRICOM.
The SPP was developed in 1993 in response to the Cold War. The goal was to maintain relationships between the U.S. and other countries and to move forward with security cooperation that encouraged and enabled international partners to work with the U.S. to achieve strategic objectives. The program establishes enduring partnerships, improves long-term international security, builds partner capability and capacity, and provides access. Currently, the program has partnered states with over 100 countries.
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