West Virginia, Gabon Begin State Partnership

LIBREVILLE, Gabon - Leaders of the West Virginia National Guard and the state of West Virginia met with U.S. Embassy officials at the capital city of Libreville Nov. 18 as part of a five-day trip to the Gabonese Republic to launch the State Partnership Program relationship between West Virginia and the African nation.

U.S. Ambassador Vernell Trim FitzPatrick and her staff briefed participants about Gabon's history, culture, political and military affairs, security and economy.

"We were incredibly pleased to host the delegation from West Virginia and to help facilitate this inaugural meeting with Gabonese counterparts," FitzPatrick said. "We are excited for this new partnership and are happy to work with our friends from West Virginia to assist in building a strong and lasting relationship between West Virginia and the nation of Gabon."

The SPP is a key U.S. security cooperation tool and whole-of-government program, facilitating cooperation across all aspects of international civil-military affairs and encouraging people-to-people ties at the state level.

The partnership will focus on key leader engagements, noncommissioned officer professional development, basic Soldier skills instruction, aviation maintenance training, disaster preparedness and response, military civil engineering, public health, education exchange and economic development.

In addition to the National Guard Bureau and the United States Africa Command, the U.S. State Department has provided coordination and field expertise since West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice announced the official partnership March 6.

"Ambassador FitzPatrick and her staff provided us with excellent dialogue, insights, and first-hand knowledge of our newest SPP partner," said Maj. Gen. Bill Crane, adjutant general of the West Virginia National Guard. "We cannot thank the ambassador and her staff enough for their professionalism while helping us plan for this inaugural visit and key leader engagements and cannot adequately express our appreciation for their wonderful hospitality today."

The inaugural engagement will continue for the rest of the week. The West Virginia delegation will meet with counterparts and attend cultural events and a ceremony with Gabonese government and military leaders.

Gabon is the third SPP partner nation for West Virginia, joining Peru and Qatar.