A mid-morning ceremony September 29, 2009, marked the beginning of Africa Endeavor 2009, an annual joint combined communications exercise sponsored by U.S. Africa Command, supported by the African Union and, this year, hosted by the Armed Forces of the Gabonese Republic.



"The goal of Africa Endeavor 09 is to improve the security capabilities of our African partners by helping them develop common, standard military communications practices," said U.S. Navy Commander Britt Talbert, AE09 exercise director. "We're also building a community of communicators based on a spirit of relationships and interaction that stretches across different borders, cultures and languages."



An important objective of this exercise is to promote the interoperability of communication systems of the different participating nations. Future operations in the African theater will involve the combined multinational militaries of several different nations. The interoperability of communications and computer systems between African nations will be critical to successful African peacekeeping operations and provide regional stability in the greater security efforts on the continent.



"This exercises teaches us how to communicate with each other when, for example, we participate in operations outside of the country or region," said Rear Admiral Hervé Nambo Ndouany, chief of the Gabonese delegation. "For instance, during peacekeeping operations we may have forces from ten or more countries operating in the same area. Each nation will have its own communications equipment that may or may not be completely compatible with that of other participating nations. So, we learn, during these exercises, how to be able to talk via radio or send data and be successfully received by another country whatever the kind of equipment they may use. That is what interoperability means."



To this end, Africa Endeavor 09 has brought together nearly 200 participants from 25 African nations and the United States and observers from the African Union, and two regional economic communities to plan and conduct interoperability testing of communications and information systems of participating nations from September 28 thru October 9, 2009.



But true interoperability is more than just compatible communications systems; it's also developing a cadre of professionals who know how to communicate with each other.



"The principle of interoperability does not limit itself exclusively to the equipment or the way we work," explained Admiral Nambo Ndouany. "What happens is that between communicators, we test equipment to ensure we can speak with militaries from other nations. But outside of the exercises and exercise planning and after participants have gone home, with what they have learned and done, they try to maintain contact with other communicators from other militaries and other nations. This is another factor in the development and another factor in the effectiveness of military forces throughout Africa."



"One of the most exciting aspects of this exercise is the prospect of seeing professionals from throughout Africa working with each other towards common goals," added U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel George Lampkin, chief of the U.S. delegation. "The interpersonal relationships built during these two weeks are probably among the most valuable benefits of the entire exercise."



Building common and standard communications practices across Africa will is a long term process. Africa Endeavor 09 is the third and largest interoperability and information sharing exercise of this kind ever held on the African continent. Previous Africa Endeavor exercises were held in Nigeria and South Africa and planning has already begun for next year1s exercise.



"Technologies evolve," explained Admiral Nambo Ndouany. "That's why it's important to hold this exercise annually. [U.S. Africa Command] gives us the means to conduct this exercise and it's a continuing process. One exercise will not result in perfect interoperability. Rather it's a long process where we can progressively obtain a level of interoperability after a certain time but it's something that must be maintained and continually improved. Thus, what we do in Gabon over the next two weeks must be followed by similar work in other countries."



The work completed during Africa Endeavor 09 will enhance the ability of participating nations to support the African Union and its African Standby Force and augment their ability to conduct peacekeeping missions and support humanitarian assistance and other operations. It can also strengthen relations between nations and will bolster military cooperation between the United States and African nations and regional organizations.



"A country's security is reinforced by open communications with its neighbors," said Eunice S. Reddick, U.S. Ambassador to the Gabonese Republic and the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe. "Our hope is that the common efforts of each of the participants in Africa Endeavor will result in improved communications and strengthened relationships — among countries within the region, and across the continent — in order to improve everyone's security."



"What we will learn during this exercise in Libreville as well as what they learned in the previous exercise in Nigeria allows us to set up our communications and control systems to more effectively direct peacekeeping and other operations," said Admiral Nambo Ndouany. "We also welcome the assistance from the United States in helping us create a communications architecture for all of Africa that will be used for the [African Union] standby brigades."



Following last year's exercise in Nigeria, the exercise delegations' chiefs, with the support of the Gabonese delegation, decided to hold this year's exercise in Gabon.



Admiral Nambo Ndouany explained that this is the first time a French-speaking African country has hosted an exercise of this kind and it's the first time it has been held in a central African nation.



"Gabon was chosen by the different heads of delegation," he said. "I forwarded the request to the minister of defense who gained approval from the highest levels of government. And despite the sad events of this summer, Gabon has honored its commitments."



For Gabonese Gendarme Major Paul Malekou LeClercq, the Gabonese liaison officer to the U.S. exercise staff, this has been an opportunity to learn something new.



"It has been a great honor for Gabon to host Africa Endeavor this year," he said. "But more than that, I've appreciated temporarily leaving my position at the Gendarmerie school and working with the American exercise organizers. I've learned a lot and am excited at the opportunity of being part of this event."



"We are very happy to have the exercise in Gabon," said Commander Talbert. It requires a lot of time and effort, especially on the part of the Gabonese. They've made some very significant contributions, and, obviously, we wouldn't have been able to conduct the exercise without their support."