Arab countries co-operate in move towards regional force

Joint training and enhanced co-operation are two steps Arab armed forces have agreed to take in the coming months to support an eventual regional force, according to decisions reached at a meeting of military officials that ended on 26 June at the Arab League headquarters, participants told Jane's.

The semi-annual meeting under the aegis of the military administration of the 22-member body aims to co-ordinate training at national military academies and training centres. The Department for Military Affairs also oversees discussion on essential defence issues for the region, which stretches from Mauritania to Oman.

Directors of training from 18 countries and their deputies also committed to working more closely for the eventual training and deployment of a regional force that would respond to emergencies and crises within the region, with an eye towards possible deployment outside North Africa and the Middle East.

One of the biggest challenges for the trainers is the diversification in equipment and weapon systems being used around the region, especially communications systems, which prevents their use being harmonised.

"We still have a long way to go to unify the Arab armed forces' training system, which should lead to a unification of armament sources," Colonel Maher Faris, deputy commander of the Palestinian Authority Military Intelligence Unit, told Jane's.