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On 4/7/2008 9:36:50 AM Brig Gen Paul F. Capasso wrote
AFRICAN ENDEAVOR 08 - Providing Common IT Solutions
Several of you who responded to my last article were concerned about how the lack of infrastructure threatened the proliferation of information technology on the African continent. It is true that the lack of infrastructure has slowed down the advancement of information technology and its use on the continent in the past.
On the surface, this may seem to be a detractor in helping Africa move forward on the information highway. I believe, however, with the advent of new technology, opportunities to get connected to the internet are easier and less complicated than ever before. The development of mobile and wireless solutions will allow African nations to implement its core technological foundation at a more rapid and cost effective pace. This investment in a mobile infrastructure will ultimately result in an increased internet penetration on the continent. An increased internet presence will not only energize economic development, but will promote educational instruction and services, facilitate improved health care capabilities and strengthen institutional governance by keeping citizens informed.
Through the use of security cooperation activities such as the AFRICAN ENDEAVOR (AE08) exercise, USAFRICOM hopes to build enduring relationships with our African partner militaries to take advantage of information technology by 1) developing regional partnerships to accelerate and optimize collaboration capabilities and information exchange; 2) developing the foundation for testing, documentation and development of communication capabilities; 3) facilitating the use of standard communication practices and policies across regions, and by 4) providing for the necessary skills, training and education to enable African militaries to take advantage of the information age.
AE08 consists of two planning conferences and a final interoperability exercise. The first planning conference was held in Kenya with 34 nations in attendance. The last planning conference is taking place in Ghana, while the final AE08 exercise is planned to be held in Nigeria. AE08 is one of many examples of how USAFRICOM will partner with African militaries to create conditions which will promote regional stability and cooperation, and to foster economic opportunities through the continent.
PAUL F. CAPASSO, Brig Gen USAF Director, C4 Systems U.S. Africa Command
On 10/7/2008 10:56:42 AM mauldman in us ghana wrote I in all honesty will like to believe that US comes to help, but I am sorry I just cannot do so. Where was US when Rwanda happened, or now when Sudan is occurring, where is US's honesty with the fact that Georgia attacked South Ossetia forcing Russia to re-act where is the honesty in the plotting of coups across africa to de-stabilize young growing and fragile economies. If it is the aid that we are giving, quoted in millions if not billions of dollars, but in reality, almost all in expired emergency relief crop products, or funds that never reach africa, you can keep it that way and still keep us indebted to you. If you really want to help, curtail the way you take from us and invest 95% of all profits made from our soil and labour on our land. There is growing wide spread technology in africa, technology proliferation can't be halted like nukes, right...lol. Well then, we do not need your IT help, soon to become wire tapping as suggested by bush to congress, or a missile defense system as planned in Poland. We are grateful that you consider to help and you are always welcome as you have been are and will be on our continent, but please not in those dessert uniforms that remind us of "Operation Iraqi Freedom Operation Cheaper oil". Come build schools for us, educate us and treat as as though we were able and then there would be no need for militaries that only remind us of our days of oppression. What we need from you is to treat us Africans with dignity as though we are human beings like yourself. If not for oil, mineral wealth, all coined as EXPLOITATION, what else do you want from us. I have a cell phone, I browse the net, and get to watch foreign media news channels like BBC and not CNN. I don't need the luxuries that you seem to have there, after all life indeed is vanity, and I better die a happy man worthy of the Kingdom of heaven than an American ally who will wage wars over oil, and will ignore a genocide, and in the words of former US Presiden...
On 5/13/2008 5:46:48 AM Army Specialist in Fort Lewis wrote Im Looking forward to serving in Africa. ... I am actually excited because that is one place that I would really like to go.
On 5/4/2008 10:36:57 AM Jesse Sekitoleko in Cranford NJ USA wrote IT is such an awesome tool in this generation where other communication means often fail. it is such an advancement in the war against terrorism let us use this moment in our time to educate and equip ourselves. Thanks to the pentagon and all our superiors at the centcom, Africom and all the community of the brave. God bless America the land of the brave.
On 4/29/2008 6:43:16 AM ANTHONY AARON AKERA AYONGO in KAMPALA wrote DEAR GENS.WILLIAM WARD, DAVID PETREAUS AND ROBERT GATES,
THERE IS A GLOBAL CRISIS HAPPENING AND TAKING THIS MATHEMATICAL SERIES OF 2007,2014,2021,2028 AFTER EVERY SEVEN YEARS PLEASE STUDY IT AND WORK AS ATEAM WITH THE FOLLOWING STEADY AND STABILISING PAIRS OF HAND KOFFI ANNAN, BARACK OBAMA, OLARA OTUNNU, TONY BENN, TONY BLAIR, ARSENE WENGER, JOSE MOURINHO, ALEX FERGUSON, PAUL KAGAME, YOWERI KAGUTA MUSEVENI, RUKANA RUGUNDA, DAVID PULKOL, DAVID TINYEFUZA,MUGISHA MUNTU ARONDA NYAKARIMA,JAMES MUGIRA, FRED TOOLIT,VINCENT OKETA,PAUL LOKECH,ANYANG NYONGO, ZINNI ATHONY, COLLIN POWEL,HENRY KISSINGER,DAVID MILLIBAND,EMMANUEL TUMUSIIME MUTABILE, BEN BENARKY, RICHARD LEVIN,GEORGE SOROS, BILL GATES,DAVID DEIN,MERVNY KING,ODINGA OGINGA,MWAI KIBAKI,RICHARD BRANSON,RUPERT MUDOROCH, MO IBRAHIM,JOACHIM CHISSANO, JAKEYE KIWATA AND MADIBA MANDELA NELSON.
On 4/28/2008 11:18:11 AM ANTHONY AARON AKERA AYONGO in KAMPALA wrote WITHOUT AMERICA BILL GATES AND FRIENDS AND ISREAL HIS ROOTS THERE WOULD BE NO PROPER IT, COMPUTERS AND SUCH EASY MODE OF COMMUNIATION. please Brs and Sis we all owe israel and america a great debt and deal . Lets unite behind the various visions and values they are bringing in africa through AFRICOM Lets GO GENTLE GIANTS AS ATEAM.
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