February 2, 2022 – On January 31, the U.S. Government and the Government of Mozambique launched the third Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET) program within ten months, in which the U.S. Army will partner with the Mozambican military to hone special operations skills.
The JCET program provides foreign military and U.S. special operations forces an opportunity to exchange knowledge and best practices. In addition to military training, the two-month U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) JCET exercise will focus on the law of armed conflict, human rights, and medical training.
“As a strategic partner, the United States is committed to ensuring our military-to-military engagements continue during such an important moment for Mozambique’s national security,” said U.S. Ambassador to Mozambique Dennis W. Hearne. “Military exchanges like these are important for the security and prosperity of Mozambique and the region.”
This is the third JCET exercise in Mozambique since March 2021, a show of a sustained increase in U.S.-Mozambican security cooperation. In November 2021, AFRICOM Commander General Stephen J. Townsend visited Maputo, one month after Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel “Woody” Williams (ESB 4) made a scheduled port visit. The DoD also provided important tactical combat casualty care and combat lifesaver training courses for the Mozambican armed forces in 2021, which will continue in 2022. Mozambique participated in the second multinational maritime exercise Cutlass Express in January 2022 and continues its long-standing participation in the International Military Education and Training (IMET) program.