Robert Smith

Bahrain-based BMMI, a leading services and supply group, was recently presented with the prestigious Vanguard Award, the top honour awarded by the International Stability Operations Association (ISOA), at its second annual awards ceremony.

The event was held at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, District of Columbia.

ISOA is a global association of private sector and nongovernmental organisations that is dedicated to the establishment, support and good conduct of international stability operations. The association and its members are committed to raising the standards of the stability operations industry to ensure sound and ethical professionalism and transparency in the conduct of peacekeeping, post-conflict reconstruction and disaster relief activities.

Vanguard Award winners were selected from a group of 17 companies who were awarded the ISOA Achievement Award in May.  Companies were evaluated and awarded based on achievements in work in sustainability operations, efforts and success in local capacity building, promotion of transparency and ethical conduct, and corporate social responsibility initiatives.

The event also featured keynote speaker, Peter Marocco, deputy assistant secretary state for the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations (CSO).

BMMI actively executes contracts throughout the Middle East and Africa, in areas considered to be contingency zones and regions where stability operations take place, including providing medical logistics services from Djibouti, life support services in South Sudan and food procurement and logistics services in Iraq, in addition to further operations in Ghana, Kenya, Sudan, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, where the company is headquartered.

Robert Smith, chief operating officer, Contracting & Logistics, of the BMMI Group, accepted the award on BMMI’s behalf. Other BMMI representatives in attendance included Olivier Fricot (vice president, Africa), Yussury Kallouche (country manager, BMMI Djibouti), and Joe Walker (business development manager).

“We are honoured to be presented with the Vanguard Award,” said Robert Smith. “To be nominated and awarded alongside such notable organisations working in some of the most challenging operational environments is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our teams working in remote operations around Africa and the Middle East.” – TradeArabia News Service