We awoke early to what would prove to be a time-sensitive day. Our first event was a brief by Anne Slack, Political-Military Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Amman. She briefed us on the geopolitical situation in Jordan and also touched on the country’s culture, education, and economic circumstances. Of special interest was her discussion regarding her own experiences during her tenure in country.
Anne handles the mine action portfolio for the U.S. Embassy, so her insights into the mine/UXO situation in the country were informative and helpful.
After our meeting with Ms. Slack, we visited the headquarters of the National Center for Demining and Rehabilitation for a courtesy call on its Director, Brigadier General Mohamad Breikat. A most gracious man, BGEN Briekat provided a quick summary of the history of the landmine/UXO problem in the country and the remaining challenges faced by NCDR as the overseeing national organization for mine action. The General is confident that Jordan will complete its northern border project on schedule. What will remain is the need for NCDR to verify, through established quality control procedures, that the cleared areas are indeed free of landmines.
When we finished our all-too-short meeting with BGEN Breikat, 12 of our group headed for the airport for an onward trip to Istanbul. The remaining 2 stayed in Jordan to enjoy more of the country’s wonders.
Upon arrival in Istanbul, the group traveled to our respective hotels where we began our totally tourist experiences in Turkey.
No comments:
Post a Comment