The Chief of Defence attends the inauguration of the Director of the NATO-accredited Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices Centre of Excellence

• The Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices Centre of Excellence is an international military organisation hosted by Spain, with 13 participating countries

The Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices Centre of Excellence (C-IED CoE) today held a ceremony to mark the appointment of Colonel Javier Sanz Maldonado as Director of the National Element of the C-IED CoE.

The ceremony was presided over by the Chief of Defence, Admiral Teodoro Esteban López Calderón. It was attended by authorities of the Operations Command and representatives of the Army, Navy, State Security Forces and Centres that provide expert personnel to the CoE. Defence and military attachés from the participating nations were also present, as well as international representatives from the CoE's Steering Committee.

Former CoE directors, representatives from institutions with which the Centre has working relationships, and other guests of the new Director also attended.

Colonel Sanz has replaced Colonel Javier Corbacho Margallo as director of the C-IED CoE, who was transferred to NATO's Joint Analysis and Lessons Learnt Centre in Lisbon on 1 August.

Colonel Sanz takes charge of the C-IED CoE after leaving CESEDEN, where he was a member of the Department of Advanced Studies at the Higher Centre for National Defence Studies (CESEDEN).

Since his appointment as a lieutenant in the Engineers Corps in 1994, he has held positions in various units of the Corps and as a professor at its Academy. After graduating as a Staff Officer in 2005, he has held positions at various headquarters in the Spanish and international armed forces.

In his speech, he thanked the Chief of Defence for choosing him as director of the CoE and offered his utmost loyalty during his tenure. He also took the opportunity to thank everyone involved in his personal and professional development up to this culminating point in his professional career and outlined the future direction of the CoE for the coming years.

The Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices Centre of Excellence

The Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices Centre of Excellence (C-IED CoE) is one of 30 NATO-accredited Centres of Excellence and is located in Hoyo de Manzanares, Madrid.

Its mission is to provide expert support to NATO, its partners and the international community in the fight against IEDs in order to increase the safety of deployed troops by reducing or eliminating the IED threat, especially from terrorist and insurgent networks.

The Centre was offered by Spain to NATO as part of its network of Centres of Excellence and accredited by the Alliance in November 2010.