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French Defence Attaché Pays Courtesy Call on Chief of The Army Staff

• 22 Oct
• Admin

The Defence Attaché of France, Colonel Grégoire Madelin, has paid a courtesy call on the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), Major General Lawrence Kwaku Gbetanu, at the Army Headquarters on Wednesday, 22 October 2025.The visit was to congratulate the COAS on his appointment and to discuss matters of mutual interest, particularly regarding the Ghana Army and United Nations peacekeeping operations.In his welcome remarks, Major General Gbetanu expressed appreciation to Colonel Madelin for the visit and for France’s continued support to the Ghana Army. He noted some key challenges affecting Ghana’s peacekeeping operations, including the recent reduction in troop contributions by the United Nations, which has impacted personnel deployment.The COAS also highlighted the need for more Ghanaian instructors to receive training in French to enhance communication and interoperability during joint operations. He appealed for assistance to enable selected instructors to undertake capacity-building courses in France. Additionally, he mentioned the need for support in developing the Army’s power-shooting capabilities and addressing funding challenges for development projects. In his response, Colonel Madelin acknowledged that the reduction in peacekeeping deployments is a global issue affecting many armed forces. He commended the idea of improving French language proficiency among Ghanaian troops, emphasizing the importance of bilingualism in multinational operations. He further invited the Ghana Army to participate in an upcoming joint exercise organized by the French Armed Forces.Also present at the meeting were the Chief Staff Officer at Army Headquarters, Brigadier General Lloyd Ator, Chief G2, Colonel Mohammed Awudu, and the French Defence Liaison Course Director at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Center, Lieutenant Colonel Pierre Surville.