Tripoli, 22 March 2014:
The first batch of Army cadets who will be sent to the UK for military training are now . . .[restrict]preparing for their departure at a training centre in Tajoura.
The new recruits are undergoing physical fitness and medical tests as well as background checks. They are also completing their visa applications and attending classes aimed at introducing them to British culture.
The new recruits are from all over Libya, including from Zawiya, Sebha and Misrata, the British Embassy said, with new recruits expected to soon arrive from Benghazi.
British Ambassador to Libya Michael Aron visited the Tajoura training camp last week. “I’m delighted to see the great work being done here, and to meet some of the young men who will contribute to the future security of Libya,” he said.
These cadets are the first of a total of 2,000 troops who will receive training in basic military skills in the UK. The agreement with the Libyan government came out of a G8 meeting in June last year.
The soldiers will be trained in basic infantry skills and leadership on ten-week courses at a British Army location in Cambridgeshire, some 80 kilometres outside London.
“This programme is an important part of our broader strategy to help Libya to become a more secure and stable place where everyone is able to play a full part in making a prosperous future for their families,” Aron said. [/restrict]
