Burkina Faso concluded a military parachuting certification program on July 1st for 200 soldiers, with logistical and technical support from Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces (FAR).
The training took place at the Airborne Troops Training Center (CITAP) in Bobo-Dioulasso.
The five-week intensive course included medical examinations, physical training, and jump techniques, and involved 10 officers, 56 non-commissioned officers, and 134 enlisted personnel. The success rate was 100%.
A Moroccan detachment, equipped with a Hercules C130H aircraft and specialised instructors, oversaw the execution of 500 operational jumps between June 19 and 30, in accordance with international standards.
The closing ceremony, chaired by Burkina Faso’s Army Chief of Staff, Colonel-Major Hermann Rouamba, highlighted the strategic value of the training.
“This graduating class enhances the rapid deployment capabilities of our forces in sensitive areas,” he stated.
The session also welcomed 28 military personnel from 11 African countries, including Morocco, Chad, Guinea, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, and Benin—emphasising the regional dimension of this military cooperation.
MK/te/sf/lb/as/APA