Africa Endeavor (AE) 2010 came to a close August 20, 2010, with a ceremony held at the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College parade grounds in Accra, Ghana.

AE 2010 is a U.S. Africa Command-sponsored initiative intended to encourage interoperability and information exchange among African nations via communication networks and subsequent collaborative links with the United States, African Union (AU) and other African partners with common stability, security and sustainment goals.

"Future operations in Africa depend on the combined multinational militaries of the nations represented here today in order to effectively communicate amongst themselves," said Major General David Hogg, U.S. Army Africa commanding general.

During this two-week communications exercise, African and European partners and the U.S. worked together to develop standard tactics, techniques and procedures that can be used in future humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and peace support missions.

As a result of previous years' successes, the number of participating countries increased by 40 percent for AE 2010. A few countries returned after taking a year off from the training, but Liberia, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Republic of Congo, Seychelles, and Togo joined in the exercise for the first time.

Some of the training ran parallel with AE 2009, but new areas were also incorporated in 2010. One example of this is the first radio call to a vessel at sea from an AE event site. The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk was off the coast of Africa and agreed to help run the test, so that AE participants could attempt to establish communications. After a couple attempts, the land-to-sea radio call was a success, proving that African nations could maintain communication between inland locations and their maritime forces.

"We are fighting for unity and interoperability with our partners to establish high levels of efficiency," said Lieutenant General Peter Blay, Chief of Defense Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces. "The outcome of AE 2010 has given assurance that we are on track to achieve the ultimate goal of interoperability between our forces."

Another incorporated training event was a satellite call conducted from the AE site in Accra to the AU Peace Support Operations Center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The demonstration showed AE participants how useful reliable communication between the nations and the AU is during times of disaster relief.

"The newly incorporated signal techniques will be planned for and incorporated in future exercises," said U.S. Navy Commander Britt Talbert, AE 2010 exercise director.

Through newly incorporated training and careful planning, AE 2010 proved to achieve its goal of taking a step forward in improving interoperability and creating new ties between African nations.

"By taking part in this event, we have demonstrated a commitment to harness the power of communication technology for ensuring the long-term peace, stability, and prosperity of the African continent," said Hogg.

African nations participating in AE 2010 included Algeria, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, The Gambia, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Seychelles, Southern Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda and Zambia.

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.