Defense leaders from dozens of African countries met in Gaborone, Botswana this week as part of the 2024 African Defense Secretary’s Conference to address some of the continent’s challenges and opportunities with the goal of strengthening regional security. did.
Marine Corps Gen. Michael Langley, commander of U.S. Africa Command, discussed highlights of the meeting with the media today, calling it informative and productive.
He said the theme of the conference was to share ideas to strengthen stability, security, human rights and prosperity among the 53 countries in the African region of responsibility, and discussions included deterring threats and building crisis response. It added that issues related to this were also included.
He said threats to be deterred include terrorist organizations such as ISIS, al-Shabab and Boko Haram operating in volatile regions.
Langley said the solution is to engage with countries, identify their needs, and develop lasting solutions with a whole-of-government approach that includes not only the Department of Defense but also U.S. government agencies, local governments, and civil society. Ta.
The general also discussed the negative effects of Russia’s misinformation campaign on the continent. “Getting the truth out is essential to countering disinformation. According to the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, disinformation campaigns directly lead to deadly violence, promote and justify military coups, and undermine members of civil society. It has intimidated people into silence and served as a smokescreen for corruption and exploitation.” ”
Discussions therefore included introducing an effective information campaign to counter misinformation and disinformation campaigns, he said.
In conclusion, Mr Langley said the conference provided a wealth of valuable information and lessons that next year’s conference can build upon.
This year marks the first time that the United States has co-hosted the conference with an African country. It was also the first time the conference was held in Africa.
