When a landlocked country like Austria trains combat divers in a desert country like Senegal, it needs to be explained. Preferably from the Minister of Defense himself, during her lightning visit to Dakar. The “crown” was there.
At almost 30 degrees in November, Klaudia Tanner stands here in Dakar between Jagdkommando divers and army logistics staff, who have been training the Senegalese armed forces since 2018, largely unnoticed by the public. When it comes to roasted peanuts, the minister has to go back: Austria is involved because contact with the former French colony under Bruno Kreisky was intensified. The area is “hugely important” – especially after the setbacks in Mali and Burkina Faso. “Austria may be neutral, but that does not mean that we are only freeriders,” says the minister. “We are making our contribution in the region.”
With bathing ladder and speed boat
This refers to the fight against drug smuggling from South America and human trafficking. Because Senegal is politically stable. There has never been a coup here. This is also due to the high reputation that the Senegalese armed forces enjoy in the country. And their potential: Under the eyes of the Austrian trainers, they demonstrate in the port of Dakar how to board a ship by speedboat and boarding ladder – at full speed and in rough waters (see video above). Mist splashes across the roughened steel deck, the patrol boat’s turbine roars shrillly. Right in the middle: Klaudia Tanner, giving her thumbs up. These training missions have a minimum duration of five years. How durable are they? “If it works anywhere in West Africa, it’s here in Senegal,” an officer told the Krone.
Oil becomes interesting thanks to the war in Ukraine
All this is not entirely selfless. Austria is currently trying to export waste management know-how to the region. Also solar technology. This is only possible in a stable environment. Oil produced off the coast of Senegal will sooner or later flow the other way. Far too expensive and unprofitable so far, but the war in Ukraine has unbalanced global aid. Here Lieutenant Colonel Fritz Wenhoda intervened. The 64-year-old officer of the Jagdkommando is responsible for training the Senegalese combat swimmers. “What we teach the divers here, we can use later to protect the rigs,” says Wenhoda, taking a long drag on his cigarette. Development aid by rebreather.
ammunition security
Lieutenant Colonel Jürgen Marsching is also doing God’s work here in the region. What at first sounds like dry dust – Marsching is an internationally renowned expert in the storage of ammunition and explosives – saves lives. Because in Senegal old ammunition, stored incorrectly, piles up and the crates are eaten away by termites. Many of these camps are located in metropolitan areas.
“As we saw in Beirut, such an incident can wipe out not only an entire neighborhood, but also the last bit of faith in the government,” said Marsching. He trains warehouse experts who recognize in good time when abandoned depots need to be closed and old ammunition need to be blown up. The know-how for this comes from the army’s ammunition depots in Felixdorf, 5,000 kilometers away.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
