At a planning conference for U.S. Africa Command exercise Africa Endeavor, March 13, 2009 in Douala, Cameroon, participants from 25 African nations had the opportunity to share lessons learned in command and control (C2) from their operational deployments and experiences while conducting peacekeeping and humanitarian operations.

"We have 24 delegates here [from various African nations] who have participated in peace keeping and humanitarian assistance operations," said Army Lieutenant Colonel Robert L. Watson, exercise director for Africa Endeavor 09. "They all have a good appreciation of what it takes to meet and overcome command and control challenges in this region."

During the conference, Major John J. Karangwa, commander of Rwanbatt Battalion, Republic of Rwanda Defense Force, delivered a detailed account to the 24 delegates of his experiences and challenges with C2 as a battalion commander for the Rwanda Defense Force supporting the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operations in Darfur (UNAMID). Rwanda's forces were deployed to the central sector of the Darfur region.

"The biggest challenge for us was the size of the area of responsibility [Darfur]," said Karangwa. "We found we had a very big sector to operate in and our forces didn't fit on the ground…our forces were also scattered on the ground." Given the vastness of the geography, the terrain restricted the force's movement.

In addition to the extensive size of the area, geography and climate further complicated C2 efforts. "It's extremely hot in Darfur," said Karangwa. "The average temperatures range from 40 to 50 [Celsius] and putting on helmets and flak jackets affected morale. You had to find a balance, such as working them [troops] fewer hours or replacing them more frequently."

According to Karangwa, in Darfur the only way to command his forces was through radios or cellular and satellite phones. However, information sharing among all the UNAMID stakeholders was not standardized because of incompatibilities in communication equipment among the various countries. This made C2 especially challenging.

"We could communicate within our units and at the strategic level," said Karangwa. "However, every other country had its own communications systems. We had no horizontal communication at the tactical level--you could only communicate at your own level even within your own sector."

The brief from Rwanda was a welcome addition to the conference, according to Watson, and the facilitation of information sharing and open dialogue between the 24 participating nations was a positive feature to the middle planning conference for Africa Endeavor.

"Rwanda, and other countries like them, provide the standard baseline on how to conduct peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance operations in the region," said Watson. "They have the boots on the ground and the depth and breadth of experience due to multiple rotations in and out [of the area]."

Discussing C2 challenges in this forum will help these African nations improve their ability to conduct sustained peacekeeping and humanitarian operations, and security engagements, according to Watson.

"By bringing up lessons learned in these types [peacekeeping and humanitarian] of operations and engagements, we can begin to build tactical and technical procedures and knowledge," said Watson. "Then the countries can begin to implement these into their processes. This is about Africans helping other Africans."

All the delegates were very receptive to Karangwa's discussion on his challenges in C2. "They are [Rwanda], bar none, the most proficient--technically and tactically sound--forces in Africa and the premium force providers for peacekeeping operation," said Watson. "The U.S. benefits greatly on the lessons learned from Rwanda. They provide the baseline on how to train and equip better."

During Africa Endeavor 09, which is scheduled to take place in Gabon in July, this delegation of countries will develop and test communications systems that will further enhance interoperability among the participating nations.

Africa Endeavor is a U.S. Africa Command-sponsored initiative intended to encourage information sharing and interoperability of radio and information systems among African nations. This is accomplished through communications networks and subsequent collaborative links with the United States, the African Union, and African nations with common stability, security and sustainment goals and objectives.

The exercise is designed to focus information sharing objectives in support of military and civil actions while responding to national crises and to support peacekeeping operations. The purpose of this conference is to build a strong cadre of African communications and provide the foundation for a successful Africa Endeavor exercise in Gabon.