Niger: Ambassador Gatto, interviewed by La Nation, talks about the commitment of the Italian military mission MISIN

(by Andrea Pinto) The Italian ambassador in Niger, Emilia Cat, on the occasion of the celebrations of 2 June, the Italian Republic Holiday was interviewed by the most important newspaper in the African country, The Nation.

As happens in Italy, on the occasion of the events commemorating the referendum of 2 June 1946, the commitment of our Armed Forces is also highlighted abroad. The Niamey Chancellery therefore organized a ceremony in the presence of a representative of the Italian contingent framed in the Bilateral Support Mission in the Republic of Niger - Will you -, commanded by the air brigadier general, Davide Cipelletti.

The ambassador also during the interview with La Nation wanted to tell the commitment of our soldiers in the African country:

"At the security level, our military cooperation began in 2018 with the Bilateral Support Mission in the Republic of Niger (MISIN), with a training and education approach for the Niger Defense and Security Forces with the aim of increasing their their ability to combat security threats and the phenomenon of illicit trafficking.

We try to give greater confidence to the young Nigerians, whom we see sincerely committed to defending their territory and their own populations.

Since then, our military cooperation has grown and consolidated. Today we are in Niamey and increasingly present also in Aguelal, in the province of Arlit and, occasionally, in Agadez.

"Non nobis solum”(Not just for us) is a Latin phrase which means that everyone should contribute to the greater good of humanity, regardless of their interests. This beautiful phrase is MISIN's motto. It derives from a sentence of the Treaty of Cicero on the duties that associates this concept with the Stoic ideal of cosmopolitanism, according to which all men are related to each other.

Indeed, MISIN has also managed to establish a strong link with the local authorities and communities, through the Civil-Military Collaboration (CIMIC), which is committed to addressing social challenges such as the health of the Nigerian people ”.

Bilateral Support Mission in the Republic of Niger (MISIN)

Since September 2018, MISIN has been operating under a bilateral agreement between Italy and Niger, in line with the multinational effort aimed at stabilizing the Sahel (Niger, Mali, Mauritania, Chad and Burkina Faso). With its MTT (Mobile Training Team) made up of personnel from the Italian Army, the Air Force, the Carabinieri and the Special Forces, the Italian Mission guarantees the increase of Nigerian capabilities in contrasting the phenomenon of illegal trafficking and threats to security, border surveillance and territorial control. MISIN has trained, to date, over 6.000 military personnel from the Nigerian Defense and Security Forces (Armed Forces, National Gendarmerie, National Guard and Special Forces of the Republic of Niger).

Niger: Ambassador Gatto, interviewed by La Nation, talks about the commitment of the Italian military mission MISIN