The ECOWAS Mission in The Gambia (ECOMIG), has a new Force Commander (FC) in the person of COLONEL FULGENCE NDOUR from Senegal. Colonel Ndour assumed office on Tuesday 5 March 2018 after a comprehensive taking over from the previous FC, Colonel Magatte Ndiaye who has completed his tour of duty and since returned to his home country.
The new FC, Colonel Ndour, is a seasoned and very proficient senior military officer who brings to ECOMIG, a wealth of experience that is expected to add a fresh dimension and a new impetus to the gains made by his predecessor to further move the Force to achieve greater heights of success.
Under his watch, ECOMIG will further enhance the existing positive working relations and joint operations with the Gambian Armed Forces and also work progressively with all other major stakeholders in order to achieve the Force mandate and the overall objective of sustaining peace and stability in The Gambia.
PROFILE OF NEW ECOMIG FC
Colonel Fulgence Ndour was commissioned into the Senegalese Army on 11 November, 1984. He proceeded to the National School for Active Officers from 1984 to 1986 and continued with his Infantry Officers training from 1985 to 1986 and Captain Courses from 1994 to 1995 all in Senegal. Colonel Ndour did additional Staff Courses at Koulikoro, Mali, from 1999 to 2000 and attended War College in Tunisia from 2011 to 2012.
In addition to the above, Colonel Ndour has undertaken several professional courses such as the Military Observers Course at Zambakro, Cote d’Ivoire in 1995 and Peace Support Training at the Regional Studies Centre for Peacekeeping in Nairobi, Kenya in 2000. Subsequently, he completed several peace support related courses in Bamako, Mali. These were: Civil-Military Coordination (CIMIC), Disarmament Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) and Battalion and Brigade Headquarters Staff Training respectively.
During the course of his career, Col Ndour has held several key appointments such as Platoon Commander from 1987 to 1992, Officer of Traditions and Training Instructor from 1993 to 1996. He progressed to become a Company Commander with the 6thBattalion in Kolda from 1996 to 1999. Subsequently he rose to be a Brigade Commander at an Infantry School from 2000 to 2001 and later a Principal Staff Officer at the Office of the Chief of Army Staff from 2001 to 2003. He was once the Maneuvering Officer (Operations) of Military Zone 5 from 2004 to 2005 and then the Commanding Officer 3rd Battalion in Kaloack from 2005 to 2008.
He also served as an Assistant Director at the Directorate of Prevention and Military Security from 2008 to 2009 and a Chief of Staff at the Office of the Commander in Chief and President of the Republic from 2009 to 2010.Other previous appointments held are: Deputy Commander of Military Zone 5 in Ziguinchor from 2012 to 2014, Commander of the Infantry School, Thies, from 2014 to2015 and Commander of Military Zone 5, Ziguinchor, from July 2015 to August 2017. Until his appointment as ECOMIG FC, Col Ndour was a Deputy to the Chief of the Army Staff in Senegal.
The new FC is a veteran peacekeeper. He served with the Senegalese Battalion in the ECOWAS Ceasefire Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) in Guinea Bissau from June 1997 to March 1998. He was also a Camp Commandant with the Senegalese Battalion in Cote d’Ivoire under the auspices of the ECOWAS Mission (ECOMICI) and the United Nations Mission (MINUCI) from June 2003 to March 2004. He also served in the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) as the Senegalese Contingent Commander from April 2006 to January 2007 and later as a Staff Officer with the United Nations in Darfur (UNAMID) from August 2010 to September 2011.
Colonel Flugence Ndour who speaks French, English, Wolof and Serer, is highly accomplished and has been decorated with the following: Commander in the National Order of the Lion, Military Value Cross with Silver Star, Medal of Honour of the Army, Medal of the French National Defence and Medal of Ivorian Merit. He is also a proud recipient of the ECOMICI, MONUC and UNAMID Medals.
Ecomig press release
