Senegal to include military engineers, field hospital in its team to Guinea-Bissau deployment

Dakar, Senegal (PANA) - Senegal, which earlier pledged to include a field hospital in its contingent to the ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF) heading to Guinea-Bissau, has added military engineers to the team, according to Senegalese President Macky Sall.

The President said at Thursday's emergency summit of ECOWAS in Dakar that Senegal decided to reinforce its contingent to the ESF mission to Guinea-Bissau in order to make available an engineering company that can build infrastructure.

The ESF is being deployed to secure the withdrawal of the Angolan Technical Assistance Mission (MISSANG); ensure the security of the transition, and help in the implementation of the Defence and Security Sector Reform Programme.

PANA learnt that part of the duties being carried out by MISSANG is rehabilitation of military barracks, as part of the reform.

Therefore, once the Angolan mission departs, a replacement is needed to continue with the rehabilitation, hence the need for an engineering component of the ESF.
-0- PANA SIL/JSG/JEN/SEG 4May2012