Africa Leaders Summit

The U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit builds on shared values to advance peace, security, and good governance, and reinforce commitment to democracy, human rights, and civil society.

By U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs , United States Africa Command Washington D.C. Dec 14, 2022

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President Joe Biden is hosting leaders from across Africa in Washington, D.C., from Dec. 13-15, 2022, for the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit.

The Summit demonstrates the U.S.’ enduring commitment to Africa, and underscores the importance of U.S.-Africa relations and increased cooperation on shared global priorities. Africa will shape the future — not just the future of the African people, but of the world. Africa will make the difference in tackling the most urgent challenges and seizing the opportunities we all face.

The U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit builds on shared values to better:

Foster new economic engagement
Advance peace, security, and good governance
Reinforce commitment to democracy, human rights, and civil society
Work collaboratively to strengthen regional and global health security
Promote food security
Respond to the climate crisis
Amplify diaspora ties
Promote education and youth leadership

On Dec. 13, the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit kicked off with a focus on the vital role of civil society and the strength of our African diaspora communities in the United States. It featured a range of sessions on topics from trade and investment, to health and climate change, to peace, security, and governance, to space cooperation.

READ: Austin: listening to African partners critical to development of productive relationships 

WATCH: Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Angolan President João Lourenço

The second day of the summit focused on increasing two-way trade and investment at the U.S.-Africa Business Forum. CEOs and private sector leadership from over 300 American and African companies convened with the heads of delegation to catalyze investment in critical sectors, including health, infrastructure, energy, agribusiness, and digital.

President Biden closed the USABF with remarks. Later in the day, he hosted a small group of leaders at the White House for a discussion on upcoming presidential elections in 2023 and U.S. support for free, fair, and credible polls in Africa. He then hosted all 50 Heads of Delegation and their spouses for dinner at the White House.

Also on Dec. 14, Gen. Michael Langley, commander, U.S. Africa Command, and Amb. Andrew Young, deputy to the commander for civil-military engagement, attended the Africa Center for Strategic Studies-hosted Ambassador's Roundtable to highlight the importance of professional military education institutions and how military professionals are called to a higher ethical standard and given enormous trust and responsibility.

"International Military and Education Training goes beyond building partner-nation capacity. It builds connections, creates a sense of shared purpose and promotes transparency," Langley said. "IMET helps build militaries that are responsive to the needs of their societies. It ensures troops are technically and tactically proficient, and have leadership and ethical decision-making skills. This professional education stresses democratic values such adherence to the Law of Armed Conflict, as well as respect for the rule of law and civilian control of the military."

The third day of the Africa Leaders Summit was dedicated to high-level discussions among leaders, with President Biden opening the day with a session on partnering on Agenda 2063, the African Union’s strategic vision for the continent.

Later in the day U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Dr. Celeste Wallander met with the Minister of Defence of Cabo Verde Janine Tatiana Santos Lélis to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on Defense Cooperation between the U.S. and Cabo Verde.

The President closed the day with a discussion on food security and food systems resilience, a critical issue for our African partners who have been disproportionately impacted by the rise in food and fertilizer prices and disruptions to global supply chains as a result of Russia’s war against Ukraine.

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africa leaders 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.

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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

Africa Leaders Summit

The U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit builds on shared values to advance peace, security, and good governance, and reinforce commitment to democracy, human rights, and civil society.

Africa Leaders Summit

Peace, Security & Governance Forum

Ambassador's Roundtable at the Africa Leaders Summit

Meeting With the President of Angola

Ambassador's Roundtable at the Africa Leaders Summit