15 Apr 2005

NATO opens new facilities for Iraqi students News 15/04/2005 - JFC Naples NATO opens new classroom facilities for Iraqi students Background NATO’s assistance to Iraq On 15 April, the NATO Training Mission in Iraq opened a new, dedicated classroom facility in the international zone of Baghdad. “A couple of weeks ago this splendid new classroom facility was a wreckage, a gutted garage,” said Major General Agner Rokos, Deputy Commander of the Mission, at the opening ceremony. “It is a great satisfaction to see this building, renovated and ready to move into only a few weeks after work commenced. This is our first-ever dedicated training facility.” Training and equipping Until now, NATO instructors used various training facilities, moving from one building to another. NATO’s mission is helping Iraq provide for its own security by training Iraqi security personnel and supporting the development of the country’s security institutions. In addition to training and mentoring of security personnel, NATO is also co-ordinating offers of equipment and training from individual NATO and partner countries. So far 11,640 AK-47 rifles, 10,080 helmets, and 3,979,000 rounds of ammunition been delivered to the Iraqi security forces.