African Land Forces Summit: going farther together

The goal of the African Land Forces Summit is to strengthen partnerships across Africa to improve regional and continent-wide security, as well as demonstrate to African partners that the U.S. is committed to their long-term success.

“If you want to go fast, go alone. But, if you want to go far, go together” Maj. Gen. Rohling

By Sgt. Tianna Field , U.S. Army Southern European Task Force - Africa FORT BENNING, Georgia Mar 25, 2022

View Gallery

Gallery contains 3 images

Photo 1 of 3

African Land Forces Summit: going farther together

Gen. James C. McConville, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, answers a question following remarks at the African Land Forces Summit on Mar. 22, 2022 at the Columbus Georgia Convention and Trade Center in Columbus, Georgia. Gen. McConville gave remarks about the role of the non-commissioned officer as a critical component to the success of the U.S. Army.

Download image

Photo by: Sgt. Tianna Field

Photo 2 of 3

African Land Forces Summit: going farther together

Military senior leaders from the U.S. Army and over 40 African countries met for the 10th African Land Forces Summit from March 21-25. The goal of the ALFS is to strengthen partnerships across Africa to improve regional and continent-wide security, as well as demonstrate to African partners that the U.S. is committed to their long-term success.

Download image

Photo by: Markeith Horace

Photo 3 of 3

African Land Forces Summit: going farther together

Download image

Photo by: Senior Airman Elijah Dority

Military senior leaders from the U.S. Army and over 40 African countries met for the 10th African Land Forces Summit from March 21-25. The summit, hosted by the U.S. Army Chief of Staff, focused on strengthening partnerships and discussing security challenges impacting African land forces.

The theme for this year’s ALFS was “Resilient Institutions Build Resilient Leaders,” which highlighted the importance of foundational elements within army and security institutions, such as training centers and non-commissioned officers.

Maj. Gen. Chikunkha Harrison Soko, land forces commander, Republic of Malawi, said this year’s ALFS contributes to the security of the African continent because it exposed partner nations to new leadership styles and training models, as well as providing a means to discuss issues affecting Africa and the world at large.

“For some of the generals who have never been here, they have seen soldiers coming in for training straight from recruitment, and they have seen progressive courses both for noncommissioned officers and for the officers,” said Soko. “This summit cannot be in a better place than Fort Benning.”

Maj. Gen. Andrew Rohling, commander, U.S. Army Southern European Task Force - Africa, closed out this year's ALFS with remarks encouraging attendees to build on the connections they’ve made at the summit, continue discussions, and remember their common goal: a more secure, stable, and prosperous Africa.

“There is a popular saying: ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. But, if you want to go far, go together’,” said Rohling. “The United States wants to travel together. The United States Army is committed to being a trusted, dependable partner. We highly value our partnerships. We want to strengthen our partnerships and expand new ones.”

Rohling also announced the co-host and location of next year’s ALFS in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, which is the first time the summit will be held in Africa since 2020.

“We look forward to planning the return of the African Land Forces Summit to the African continent in partnership with Division Gen. Aly Justin Dem and the Ivorian Armed Forces,” said Rohling. “I know it will be a great event.”

Attendees took part in plenary sessions in the morning and spent afternoons observing training at Fort Benning, home of the Maneuver Center of Excellence and the U.S. Army’s Infantry and Armor Schools. Attendees also saw One Station Unit Training, the Airborne School, a live fire demonstrations, and the popular Rangers in Action demonstration.

The goal of the African Land Forces Summit is to strengthen partnerships across Africa to improve regional and continent-wide security, as well as demonstrate to African partners that the U.S. is committed to their long-term success. This forum allowed for candid dialogue to discuss and develop cooperative solutions to improve transnational security and stability, and provided an opportunity for the U.S. participants to hear issues and concerns directly from African land forces commanders.

AFRICOM STRENGTHENS PARTNERSHIPS WITH CÔTE D'IVOIRE

US, IVORIAN ARMIES HOST AFRICAN LAND FORCES SUMMIT IN ABIDJAN

African special operations forces, U.S. SOC-Africa announce Flintlock 2023

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Ghanaian military train on base camp design

African Lion, NCO development discussed during visits in Senegal

Africa Enlisted Development Strategy

Cote d'Ivoire

U.S. Army Southern European Task Force - Africa

AEDS

ALFS

African Land Forces Summit

Army lawyers provide training on rules for armed conflict at exercise Justified Accord

NAIROBI, Kenya – Among the flurry of tactical live fires and squad movement drills, air ground integration and even the humanitarian initiatives at exercise Justified Accord 2025 (JA25), lies the one thing those who serve in any armed force must follow: The Law. The Law of Armed Conflict, or LOAC, is a key aspect of training for any military. JA25’s academics course aimed at learning from the international legal lessons of previous wars in an effort to reduce the amount of human suffering in future conflicts. “The soldier’s rules are a broad set of rules that we have pulled from the large breadth of international law,” said U.S. Army Maj. Tim Olliges, an operational law attorney assigned to U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), the lead U.S. Army command and planner of JA25. “The LOAC is extensive and can be complex, so we pull out the ten most critical concepts that every soldier, right down to the private, should know before they go into combat.”

US, Kenya prepare for the unimaginable CBRN threat

NAIROBI, Kenya – Imagine two scenarios. Scenario 1: Dawn breaks over the capital of Kenya. A U.S. diplomat leaves his residence for the embassy. After a 20-minute ride, his car arrives at the gate and he enters. He sits in his office to begin the day when, all of a sudden, he hears an explosion through the open window. It seems far off; it is not a large explosion. He thinks maybe it was just a car accident, but minutes later he smells something bitter in the air. His eyes water, sirens blare and a U.S. Marine Corps security detail enters his office wearing gas masks. They put a mask on him and tell him they must evacuate immediately because a deadly chemical is blowing over the compound. Scenario 2: U.S. intelligence receives credible information that radiological material is being loaded onto a ship in the Kenyan port city of Mombasa. Time is short and no one knows which ship, only that it will embark soon, possibly bound for the hands of violent extremists or other state actors looking to imperil the U.S. homeland. There is no time to send U.S. security forces to intercept the package. Instead, the Kenyan Disaster Response Battalion (DRB) mobilizes and arrives at the port. Using tactics and tools gained from years of training with the United States, they find the ship and the weapon, placed there by a violent extremist organization, and prevent its departure, defeating the threat to America and its citizens. Similar scenarios have happened before in other areas of the world.

36th Annual International Military Chiefs of Chaplains Conference and First Chaplain Africa Forum held in Brussels

The U.S. European Command (EUCOM) and Belgian Ministry of Defence, in partnership with U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) and U.S. Indo Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) Chaplain Directorates, hosted the world’s largest annual meeting of senior military religious leaders at the 36th Annual NATO & Partner International Military Chiefs of Chaplains Conference (IMCCC) in Brussels, Belgium, January 27-31, 2025.

Army lawyers provide training on rules for armed conflict at exercise Justified Accord

US, Kenya prepare for the unimaginable CBRN threat

36th Annual International Military Chiefs of Chaplains Conference and First Chaplain Africa Forum held in Brussels

Army lawyers provide training on rules for armed conflict at exercise Justified Accord

US, Kenya prepare for the unimaginable CBRN threat

36th Annual International Military Chiefs of Chaplains Conference and First Chaplain Africa Forum held in Brussels

United States Africa Command

African Land Forces Summit: going farther together

The goal of the African Land Forces Summit is to strengthen partnerships across Africa to improve regional and continent-wide security, as well as demonstrate to African partners that the U.S. is committed to their long-term success.

African Land Forces Summit: going farther together

African Land Forces Summit: going farther together

African Land Forces Summit: going farther together