U.S. Africa Command Academic Symposium held in Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – The U.S. Africa Command and the Africa Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS) co-sponsored the second U.S. Africa Command Academic Symposium in Addis Ababa from August 17 to 20, 2009. 

Forty academics from Africa, Europe and the United States came together to enhance their understanding of Africa Command, and to offer their input on how the Africa Command can best support peace and stability in Africa.

The symposium was designed to enhance understanding of Africa Command and its mission and objectives among the academic community in Africa, Europe and the United States.  The symposium sought to engage academics with expertise in subject matter areas including history, political science, security studies, civil-military relations, and conflict management.

During the four-day symposium, participants assessed the ways that Africa Command can best support democratic civil-military relations In Africa and discussed the challenges ahead in Africa Command’s efforts to assist in building security sector capacity in Africa.  They also identified areas of further cooperation between Africa Command and the academic community. 

Having listened to participants’ recommendations, General William E. “Kip” Ward, Commander of U.S. Africa Command, appreciated the opportunity to hear scholars’ views and the fact that the conference had brought together academics from across the continent, Europe and the U.S. 

Celebrating the 10th anniversary of its founding, the Africa Center for Strategic Studies is one of five U.S. Department of Defense regional centers that provide strategic-level education to international civilian and military personnel through a combination of multi-week courses, short-term conferences, seminars and workshops, and outreach.