The first cadets from Afghanistan’s British-mentored officer academy are ready to secure their country’s future after completing their training, the Defence Secretary has said.
Michael Fallon MP witnessed the passing out of the first intake of the Afghan National Army Officer Academy (ANAOA) at its mountainside base near Kabul today (Wednesday 24 September).
He met a number of the 243 graduates, drawn from across Afghan society, who were selected from an initial pool of 10,000 to attend the 42-week leadership course which is inspired by the ethos of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst but tailored to Afghan experience.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said: “I am proud to see these new, highly-trained officers prepare to take their place in the Afghan National Army (ANA). Benefiting from UK-lead mentoring, these leaders will strengthen Afghan forces as they continue to provide security for their people.”
Following his visit to UK troops in Camp Bastion and Kandahar in August, the Defence Secretary met Regular and Reserve personnel who have been instrumental in mentoring the cadets and their Afghan instructors.
With UK combat troops due to leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014, Mr Fallon added: “The country these new Afghan officers will soon patrol has the best possible chance of success thanks to the commitment and sacrifice of UK and ISAF troops. Afghanistan is now a place where seven million children attend school, almost three million of whom are girls, which was simply unthinkable under the Taliban. Most importantly, Afghanistan is no longer a safe haven for international terrorism."
The Defence Secretary’s visit to Afghanistan coincided with the first successful operational flights in Helmand of the new Unmanned Air System, Watchkeeper, built by Thales UK. It is the first such system developed and built in the UK to become operational and will be a significant surveillance and reconnaissance capability for the Army for years to come.