On the 30th of September, the Director of the NATO Security Force Assistance Centre of Excellence (NATO SFA COE) welcomed the Italian Army Major General Nicola ZANELLI, the designated Deputy-Commander of Resolute Support Mission (DCOM RSM) in Afghanistan.

MG Nicola Zanelli, who has previously served as Commanding General of the Italian Joint Special Forces Operational Headquarters and the Operational Land Forces Command and Army Operational Command (COMFOTER COE), is set to take on the role of DCOM RSM, one of the most senior operative positions in NATO.

The Resolute Support is a NATO-led, non-combat mission to train, advise and assist the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF). It was launched on the 1st of January 2015, following the conclusion of the previous NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission, and the assumption of full security responsibility by the ANDSF.

The aim of the visit was to provide, in coordination with the ITA ARMY SFA a broad overview of the Security Force Assistance principles and concepts and to present how the “functional based assessment approach” is implemented in Resolute Support Mission (RSM).

Through the sharing of expertise and knowledge, the NATO SFA COE, with its Subject Matter Experts, is committed to providing a unique capability to the Alliance by organizing courses, workshops and seminars with the aim of fostering the effectiveness of advising, training and mentoring skills in security and in the related capacity building area.