CHOD presides over the celebration of the anniversary of the Spanish Verification Unit

• Admiral General Teodoro López Calderón assisted at the acts commemorating the 32nd anniversary of the creation of the Spanish Verification Unit (UVE).

After the lecture of the order of creation of the UVE, the colonel in charge of the unit congratulated the participants and gave a presentation in which he outlined the main duties and challenges of the unit. A member of the UVE then gave a presentation on the current security situation in the possible areas of action and deployment. After the talks, the Army Chief of Staff, as a former member of the Unit, opened the round of accounts of some of the experiences and events that took place during his time in the unit. The memories provoked smiles and complicity, as a clear example of reinforcement of the bonds of affiliation. Finally, after the official photo, CHOD congratulated the UVE and toasted His Majesty the King.

The events celebrating the anniversary of the UVE serve to bring together every year the personnel who have formed part of this Unit, created in 1991, with the goal of promoting cohesion, pride in belonging and the sharing of experiences in order to continue learning from them for future situations.

The tasks of the SVU are multiple, as it carries out inspections, assessments, observation flights or other monitoring activities in other States, coordinated in the appropriate frameworks with allied countries and with the countries of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. To this end, the SVU personnel are highly trained, with language skills in English and Russian, knowledge of materials and equipment, and the ability to negotiate in the multinational and operational sphere, among others.

The Spanish Verification Unit is the State's tool to face not only the present obligations implied by the treaties, but also the future challenges that are presented in order to contribute to Spain taking its rightful place in the defence of peace and stability in Europe. Clear examples of this disposition are: its continued readiness to participate in the de-escalation of the conflict if considered necessary; its involvement in future agreements; and its support for the countries of Latin America and its North African neighbours in security projects and the destruction of small arms and conventional ammunition.