In cooperation with the Armed Forces of Ghana and the support of the African Union (AU), U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) is sponsoring the largest military communications interoperability and information sharing exercise in Africa from August 9-20, 2010 in Accra, Ghana.

Africa Endeavor (AE) 2010 will bring together 36 African nations, two European partners, the AU, AU regional economic communities and the United States to plan and execute interoperability testing of command, control, communications and information systems of participating nations, as well as information exchange in support of future combined humanitarian, peacekeeping and anti-terrorism operations.

"AE 2010 encourages interoperability and information exchange among African nations via communications networks and subsequent collaborative links with the U.S., the AU, and African partners with common stability, security and sustainment goals, and objectives," stated Army Brigadier General Robert Ferrell, director of Command, Control, Communications, and Computers Systems, U.S. Africa Command.

AE 2010 will be a culmination of the planning and hard work conducted during planning conferences throughout the past year. The AE Initial Planning Conference was held in Kampala, Uganda in January 2010; Mid-Planning Conference in Accra, Ghana in April 2010; and Final Planning Conference in Kigali, Rwanda in June 2010.

"Representatives from more than 30 nations have come together over the last several months to finalize the AE 2010 exercise agenda, testing schedule, technical details, and objectives," said Ferrell. "This comprehensive and deliberate analysis among leaders, planners, and of course, the expert technicians from throughout Africa is a perfect demonstration of cooperation among nations that will lead to not just improved communication, but will set the stage for interoperability that will yield results long after exercise completion."

AE 2010 is a key element of U.S. military's theater security cooperation strategy, specifically in regional security. It further achieves the command's goals of assuring military communications interoperability and facilitating information exchange across border and cultural barriers to meet peace and stability objectives.

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. In addition, AE 2010 will strengthen Africa to address transnational threats and will bolster military cooperation between the U.S. and African nations and regional organizations.

The first AE was held in Pretoria, South Africa in 2006. Subsequent exercises took place in Abuja, Nigeria in 2008 and in Libreville, Gabon in 2009.

See related article: Africa Endeavor 2010--Information and Communication Barriers Breaking Down in Ghana