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On 9/2/2009 2:24:58 PM General William E. Ward, commander of U.S. Africa Command wrote
On my trip last week to Mauritius, Seychelles, Ethiopia and Kenya, I again observed "partnership" in action and it emphasized to me how important this concept is to the work that we do at the command.
My first visit to the island nations of Mauritius and Seychelles was a true pleasure, and I will long remember the warmth with which both the civilian and military leadership greeted me. Our comprehensive meetings focused on how we can best work together to combat the myriad maritime-based threats to security in the region. These meetings and engagements provide the foundation for future cooperation and we are excited for the opportunities ahead of us. This, to me, is the essence of partnership working together in support of common goals.
A few days later, I had the privilege to deliver closing remarks at the command's second academic symposium, co-sponsored with us by the African Center for Strategic Studies and held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The symposium brought together academic professionals from across Africa and the broader international community to secure their insights as to how US Africa Command might better develop and implement its activities on the continent to improve the benefit to our African partners.
These academicians brought the full force of their knowledge to their task and were eager to assist us in areas they felt important. I am honored that these professionals took the time out of their busy schedules to work with our command in order to help make what we do better. Through such engagements, we both gain greater understanding and respect for each other and allow us to see new perspectives as we look at issues through another "lens."
In Addis, I also had the chance to meet with Chairperson Ping and other key leaders of the African Union. As we work to improve the security capacity of our African partners, our relationship with the African Union is essential to this mission. Our discussions allowed me to understand what is important to them and to learn how our command can best provide support. I deeply value this partnership and its open lines of communication.
On my short stop in Nairobi, Kenya, I had the chance to sit down and speak to military officers from seven African nations who were attending a course at the International Peace Training Support Center in Embakasi. These events improve each officer's ability to deliver improved security and stability to their respective nations. Just as importantly, these events also develop and reinforce strong professional and personal relationships amongst the attendees. Like the academic symposium in Addis, these opportunities to come together, to share ideas, and to learn from each other are invaluable and create personal and professional bonds lasting long past the event itself.
And of course, as part of every trip I take to the continent, I'm greeted at every stop by a group of outstanding professionals I respect and admire -- the men and women of the United States Embassies. From the senior representative to the most junior teammate, they are fully committed to their service in support of United States government objectives and its citizens, as we work with our friends on the African continent and island nations. Their skills are integral to the effective conduct of Department of Defense activities in Africa and we couldn't do what we do without their guidance and support.
It's obvious to me that "partnership" can be defined in many ways and can take many forms. This recent travel reminded me just how fortunate our command is to have so many partners with whom we engage--partners who are excited to be working with us and with whom we have such positive relations. Although we all see issues a bit differently, it's good to know that we're all working toward a common goal -- a more peaceful and stable Africa.
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