Nigerien Minister of Defence visits Szolnok

Nigerien Defence Minister Alkassoum Indattou – who has been in office since 1 April 2021 – was received by Colonel Zsolt Simon, Vice-Commander, HDF 86th Helicopter Wing and Colonel Attila Krezinger, Commander, HDF Joint Special Operations Command.

“We warmly welcome you and your delegation in Szolnok, of which it is worth mentioning that it is a true garrison town, as several military units are co-located here”, this was how Colonel Krezinger received the high-ranking guest, who was then also welcomed by Colonel Simon on in the name of Colonel Dr. Tamás Bali, Commander, HDF 86th Helicopter Wing.

Alkassoum Indattou was informed in detail about the pilot training in Hungary, the development of Special Operations Forces (SOF) capabilities and the work of the Regional Special Operations Component Command (R-SOCC). The professional presentations – which were held in English, with simultaneous interpretation into French – were attended, among others, by Lieutenant Colonel Péter Benei, Head of Subdepartment for Allied Bilateral Cooperation, MoD Department for International Cooperation; Major János Gigacz, senior officer, HDF Air Force Command Training Directorate; and Government Official Kristóf Zakar.

The Szolnok visit by the Minister of Defence of the Western African, semi-presidential state continued with static displays in a hangar of the airbase, where Minister Indattou was shown the representative military equipment of the SOF and the Hungarian air force. The event ended with the introduction of the Mi-17 aircraft simulator and a visit to a practical shooting training.

On the previous day, Minister of Defence of Hungary Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky had received in his office the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Niger, with whom he had signed a letter of intent on a defence cooperation agreement. Alkassoum Indattou is staying in Hungary on a four-day state visit until Wednesday.