CCOPAB is visited by the Minister of Defense from Suriname
On January 25, 2012, the Minister of Defense from Suriname Mr. Lamure Latour and his illustrious committee were hosted by the Brazilian Peacekeeping Operations Joint Center (acronym in Portuguese: CCOPAB). The Brazilian Minister of Defense Mr. Celso Amorim suggested this visit during a meeting in Brasilia with Mr. Latour held in order to enhance more cooperation between the two countries concerning three topics: military affairs, combat to transnational crime and professional capabilities. Minister Celso Amorim´s intention was to strengthen the ties between the two countries and to introduce the work done by the Brazilian Peacekeeping Force in the world. During the meeting, the ministers from both countries showed their desire to enhance the existing ties.
This way, the Minister of Defense from Suriname came to Vila Militar, the neighborhood where CCOPAB is settled in the city of Rio de Janeiro, in order to become acquainted with the work developed in this Military Organization. COL Pedro Aurélio de Pessôa, Commander of the Center, made an institutional speech to the Minister and his committee at the facilities of Sérgio Vieira de Mello Cultural Center and after that, hosted the visitors through the two exhibitions shown at the cultural center: “Sports, Development and Peace” and “Rondon – The Marshal of Peace”.
Suriname is the only country in South America whose official language is Dutch. The highest rank in the armed forces in Suriname is Colonel. Among the officers present at the visit, the highest in rank was Lieutenant Colonel Johnny Antonius, Chief of the Department of Defense, Strategic Planning and Education. The committee of Ministry of Defense from Suriname remained in Brazil for three days.
