The Counter Improvised Explosive Devices Centre of Excellence (C-IED CoE) greets the Portuguese Ambassador

• Portugal is one of the 12 nations represented in the C-IED CoE of which Spain is the host nation

The Portuguese Ambassador in Spain, João Mira-Gomes, has visited the Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices Centre of Excellence (C-IED CoE), at the Engineers Academy in Hoyo de Manzanares, Madrid.

He was accompanied by the embassy's defense attaché, Colonel Natalino Pereira, and by the Portuguese liaison officer in the Spanish Joint Chiefs of Staff. Upon his arrival at the C-IED CoE, he was received by its director, Lieutenant Colonel Javier Corbacho Margallo, and had the opportunity to greet the Centre’s staff, among them the officers from the twelve nations that are involved in it.

Later on, the director held a meeting with the delegation, explaining to the Portuguese ambassador the features of the fight against this type of explosive devices as well as the tasks and the operations of the Centre.

During the presentation, the ambassador showed his interest in the details of the partnership with Portugal and emphasized the importance of the Cooperative Security activities (Defence Capacity Building) that the Centre carries out in North Africa.

Before finishing the visit with the signing of the honours book of the C-IED CoE, the ambassador met with the Portuguese representative at the Centre, Major Marco Ferreira.

COUNTER IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE

The Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices Centre of Excellence (C-IED CoE), one of 26 NATO Accredited Centres of Excellence, is located in Hoyo de Manzanares, Madrid.

Its mission is to provide expert support to NATO, NATO partners and the International Community in the fight against the IED System in order to increase the security 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 was accredited by the Alliance in November 2010.

The Centre is currently staffed by personnel from the 12 NATO-sponsoring nations: Spain, Germany, the Czech Republic, the United States, France, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Sweden and Turkey.