"The company's services right from deployment up to now have
enabled us to achieve what many critics looked at as a mission
impossible, DynCorp International stood with us even during the
most challenging time of the deployment and did not waver even when
one of the aircraft was shot at."
- Lt. Gen. Wamala
The Uganda People's Defense Forces
Commander of Land Forces
Somalia had been without a stable government for nearly 20 years, and since the withdrawal of U.N. peacekeeping forces in the mid '90s, it had suffered civil strife, war, and a prolonged humanitarian crisis. Uganda, and Burundi provided contingents of soldiers for the African Union (AU) Peacekeeping Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), but faced serious equipment, deployment, and sustainability challenges.
The U.S. Department of State (DoS) committed to the African Union to provide the mobilization, materiel, and sustainment resources the peacekeepers would need to carry out their mission. Needing a proven implementation partner, DoS chose DynCorp International (DI) - the company which, over the years, has successfully taken on and fulfilled many of their most challenging missions across the globe.
In January 2007, the DoS contracted DI to equip, deploy, sustain, and train all AU peacekeepers from the Ugandan and Burundian contingents of AMISOM. The initial task was to equip and transport the vanguard force of 1,650 Ugandan Peoples Defense Force (UPDF) soldiers into Mogadishu.
DI was also tasked with training UPDF/FDN forces on U.S.-furnished technical equipment; training and deploying a UPDF Marine unit; and procuring and delivering security and transport items of the Somali National Reconciliation Council. DI had also entered into separate contractual agreements with the United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Office to obtain and transport military and non-military materiel to the deployed UPDF contingent.
DI responded to DoS's mandated tasks supporting Somalia Peacekeeping Operations, and African Union (AU) logistics operations. Our seasoned professionals, working together with local/national, and regional personnel and businesses provided a wide range of rapid-response ground and air deployment, sustainment and operational support services, including extensive maintenance of the equipment fleet, to AMISOM in their efforts to stabilize Somalia. The provision and management of long-range supply chain operations, equipment maintenance, construction, medical evacuation, and training successfully sustained the first UN/AU-approved peacekeeping forces in Somalia in 12 years.
More than 12,000 AU peacekeepers were moved into or out of Somalia; more than 15 million pounds of cargo transported by air, rail, and sea; and more than 280 air sorties flown into Mogadishu and the region on DI operated aircraft. In addition we provided maintenance support for the AMISOM equipment fleet - comprising approximately 1,200 items including armored vehicles; light to large trucks; heavy mechanical handling and construction equipment; marine craft (RHIBs); assorted trailers; and an extensive range of generator sets, refrigeration units, ROWPUs, and water pumps. The maintenance system was supported by a procurement team that sourced, procured and delivered a significant range of repair parts in excess of $10 million. The DynCorp Workshop also provided basic and advanced technical training for the AMISOM workshop personnel.
Overall we provided over 80 percent of the AMISOM fleet, by delivering and managing over 100 new and remanufactured commercial, military, and armored vehicles. Our engineers, mechanics, and trainers spent months in Mogadishu working with the contingents on inspections, mechanics training, operator training, ongoing repair, and motor-pool mentoring. Our supply-chain expertise allowed for over $10 million in spare parts to be identified, sourced, and delivered within specified timeframes.
Our team of Somalia Peacekeeping operators based in Kampala, Uganda and Mogadishu, Somalia managed efficient and pragmatic operations that give continuity and credibility to DoS operations in support of AMISOM. We developed a special relationship as AMISOM's de facto quartermaster.
DI maintained a support office in Mogadishu that handled Somalia-based requirements. This office consisted of an Operations Manager, a Maritime/Security Officer, a Burundi Liaison Officer, and a maintenance workshop. This office had a well established relationship with key AMISOM staff that used DI as the first point of call to resolve logistic problem areas.
DI operated a large vendor network throughout Somalia, and Africa, that provided expertise and resources to staff and manage our projects. We achieved numerous benefits from our engagement with local and regional nationals and companies. These included the benefits of reducing costs and streamlining operations. Partnerships with local businesses accomplished the mission and contributed to economic development, capacity building, stability, improved cultural relations, and risk mitigation; all of which were inherent goals of any humanitarian operation.
All AMISOM peacekeepers from troop-contributing countries were deployed safely, well equipped, and on time. While peacekeeping missions worldwide were experiencing severe deployment delays, DI was able to transport the first AMISOM peacekeepers into Somalia within a month of the U.N. Security Council's authorization. AMISOM peacekeepers enjoyed completely outfitted field camps, fleets of vehicles, and continuous sustainment of food and medicine - all procured, delivered, and set up by DI.
DI personnel also formed excellent working relationships with the military leadership in troop-contributing countries, and almost fully integrated themselves as AMISOM's quartermaster and air-transport corps. This seamless integration of donor-funded contractors with national contingents and African Union structures was reflected in an operation that suffered no major logistical difficulties.
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