The Swedish Ambassador visits the Counter Improvised Explosive Devices Centre of Excellence

• The C-IED CoE is one of 26 NATO Accredited Centres of Excellence

The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden to the Kingdom of Spain, Teppo Tauriainen, has visited the Counter Improvised Explosive Devices Centre of Excellence (C-IED CoE), located at the Engineer Academy base in Hoyo de Manzanares, Madrid.

Upon his arrival, the Ambassador, accompanied by the Minister Counsellor of the Embassy, Johanna Lind, was received by its Director, Colonel Jose Antonio Cruz Moro, and greeted CoE personnel, including representatives of the 12 nations participating in the Centre.

The director then explained to the ambassador the characteristics of the C-IED fight, the tasks and organisation of the CoE, as well as the Centre's research projects. The ambassador showed his interest in the particularities of Swedish collaboration, as it is a nation that does not belong to the Atlantic Alliance. He also mentioned the importance of the current debate in Sweden on cooperation with its neighbours and NATO.

After the explanation, the Ambassador signed the C-IED CoE Book of Honour and toured the facilities.

Finally, the Ambassador and his Minister Counsellor had a meeting with the Swedish representative at the Centre, Lieutenant Commander Raffe Thein.

Counter Improvised Explosive Devices Centre of Excellence (C-IED COE)

Counter Improvised Explosive Devices Centre of Excellence (C-IED CoE) is one of the 26 NATO Accredited Centres of Excellence and is located at the Engineering Academy base, in the Madrid town of Hoyo de Manzanares.

C-IED COE mission is to provide subject matter expertise and leadership in order to support the Alliance, its Partners, and the International Community in the fight against IED and co-operate to increase security of Allied Nations and also all the troops deployed in theatres of operations, reducing or eliminating the threats from improvised explosive devices used or for use, in particular by terrorists or insurgents.

It was formally offered to NATO as part of its network of Centres of Excellence and it was accredited by the Alliance in November 2010. Just over a decade after its settlement, it currently has staff from the 12 participating nations: Spain, Germany, Czech Republic, United States, France, Greece, Hungary, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Sweden and Turkey.