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Military officers from Saudi Arabia listen to a presentation about U.S. Africa Command. The 25 officers are participants in the year-long Saudi Arabia War Course, a professional development program designed for those with potential for high level leadership opportunities within the Saudi Arabian military. The course was developed some years ago using the U.S. Army War College as a model to help the Saudis develop their own program. Past classes have heard from EUCOM, but this was the first year that AFRICOM was added to the agenda, based on a desire by the Saudi Arabia War Course leaders for their officers to learn more about the command’s mission and programs in Africa, U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart, April 16, 2015. (U.S. Africa Command photo by Brenda Law/RELEASED)

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Photo by: Brenda Law 

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U.S. and Saudi officers meet. Retired Maj. Gen. Mohammed Qubaiban (right) traveled with officers attending the Saudi Arabia War Course to meet with AFRICOM’s director of plans and strategy, U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Kevin Kovacich, seen here with Maj. Gen Mohammed, and others from U.S. Africa Command. Twenty-five officers are participants in the year-long Saudi Arabia War Course, a professional development program designed for those with potential for high level leadership opportunities within the Saudi Arabia military. The course was developed some years ago using the U.S. Army War College as a model to help the Saudis develop their own program. Past classes have heard from EUCOM, but this was the first year that AFRICOM was added to the agenda, based on a desire by the Saudi Arabia War Course leaders for their officers to learn more about the command’s mission and programs in Africa, U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart, April 16, 2015. (U.S. Africa Command photo by Brenda Law/RELEASED)

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STUTTGART, Germany - Twenty-five military officers from Saudi Arabia traveled to Stuttgart to learn about the mission and programs of U.S. Africa Command.

The officers are participants in the year-long Saudi Arabia War Course, a professional development program designed for those with potential for high level leadership opportunities within the Saudi Arabian military.  The Saudis developed the course some years ago using the U.S. Army War College as a model.

For the past few years, each Saudi Arabia War Course class has made the trip to learn about U.S. European Command.  For the first time, AFRICOM was added to the agenda based on a desire by leaders for their officers to learn more about the command’s mission and programs in Africa.  The Saudis heard presentations from EUCOM in the morning, and from AFRICOM in the afternoon during a full day of briefings conducted at the U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart, April 16, 2015.

Teaming with other countries in Africa was a key topic of discussion. “In working with partners, we’re trying to move from bi-lateral to a more regional approach,” said AFRICOM’s director of plans and strategy, U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Kevin Kovacich.

Another part of AFRICOM’s strategy is based on a whole of government approach to helping build capacity and capability on the continent.

“Somalia – now there’s a government emerging,” said AFRICOM’s director for outreach, Ambassador Donald Koran.  “Protecting the population and the state is the first responsibility of any government and we can see how the Somali government has grown in the past five years.  It takes time but progress has been made.”

Retired Maj. Gen. Mohammed Qubaiban, the senior Saudi officer present and mentor to current active duty officers in the course, thanked the AFRICOM staff for making time to meet with the Saudis.

“It’s good to hear from you and to try and understand that although we may have some differences, there are also shared concerns,” said Mohammed. “It is in common areas where we can build understanding and opportunities to work together.”