The General Assembly held in Hammamet, Tunisia, in March 2014 entrusted the Zambian CISM/OSMA Delegation with the organisation of the 5th OSMA Board of Directors Meeting. The Zambians took up the challenge and set up the grounds for receiving different delegations of for the 5th OSMA BOD which eventually took place in the tourist town of Livingstone in Zambia. Delegates were welcomed at the Kenneth Kaunda Airport from the 12th to the 14th January 2017.
The first phase of the events marking the 5th OSMA BOD Meeting started in the capital city of Lusaka with courtesy visits done by the OSMA Body present in Zambia and headed by the Secretary General, Lt Col DJENDOLA Pierre to the top-ranking army officials and some civilian authorities. Among the guests were the Chief of the Zambian Army, the Air Force Commander and the Zambian National Service Commander, who each were decorated with the prestigious order of Merit Medals of OSMA (The Grand chevalier). The events in Lusaka gave the delegates a foretaste of the African hospitality and the high level of organisational skills embedded in the Zambian organising committee. Every participating delegation was well impressed by this mark of hospitality an African value to be emulated where necessary.
The Second phase of the events was to be manifested in Livingstone, the tourist and historical town situated down south at about 480km from Lusaka. The city offers varied touristic sites for visitors and is historically very rich as a bigger part of the Zambian history is centered here.
The opening ceremony was chaired by the Honourable Minister of Defence, Richwell Siamunene MP, on the 17th January, an event which witnessed the rich cultural background of Zambia with the resounding traditional dance groups that spiced this event.
The Working Sessions started on the 18th with 9(nine) of the 12 Board Members Present. Important issues pertaining to the administrative situation of OSMA were deliberated upon and news fixtures for some majors' sporting events were arrived at. For details on the resolutions, consult the Final Communiqué. The end of the event was marked by a flamboyant closing ceremony which was chaired by the Zambian National Service Commander.
A global assessment of the events marking the 5th OSMA Board of Directors Meeting that was held from the 12th to the 22nd January 2016 in Livingstone, Zambia stands to say that it was one of the most successful events recorded in the 2016 OSMA Calendar as much from an organisational perspective as well as the attendance and the important resolutions arrived at.
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