The four-day conference focused on a Global Network of Navies approach to enhancing collaborative efforts to achieve maritime security in the maritime domain around Africa.

Twenty-two African partner nations and nine international partners gathered in Naples, Italy for the 2016 Africa Partnership Station Annual Planning Conference held from 3-6 May. The U.S. Naval Forces Africa (NAVAF) hosted the event which enables coastal African participants to build maritime security capacity through security force assistance events and engagements.

“The men sent my parents away at the point of their AK-47, then they raped me.”

Cynthia Petrigh, from Beyond Peace, discusses gender based violence at U.S. AFRICOM’s Fourth Africa Accountability Colloquium (ACIV) on “Responding to Gender Based Violence During Peace Operations.” Nearly 40 military legal professional and commanders from 20 African countries have come together in an effort to lay the foundation for responding to sexual violence allegations that occur during peacekeeping operations. The annual event is once again being hosted by the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL) in Sanremo, Italy, Mar. 1-3, 2016. (U.S. Africa Command photo by Brenda Law/RELEASED)

Commandant Ngarhordje Dedjiri and her colleague from Chad hear opening comments at the U.S. AFRICOM's Fourth Africa Accountability Colloquium (ACIV) on “Responding to Gender Based Violence During Peace Operations.” Nearly 40 military legal professional and commanders from 20 African countries have come together in an effort to lay the foundation for responding to sexual violence allegations that occur during peacekeeping operations. The annual event is once again being hosted by the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL) in Sanremo, Italy, Mar. 1-3, 2016. (U.S. Africa Command photo by Brenda Law/RELEASED)

Group photo of participants of the U.S. AFRICOM’s Fourth Africa Accountability Colloquium (ACIV) on “Responding to Gender Based Violence During Peace Operations.” Nearly 40 military legal professional and commanders from 20 African countries have come together in an effort to lay the foundation for responding to sexual violence allegations that occur during peacekeeping operations. The annual event is once again being hosted by the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL) in Sanremo, Italy, Mar. 1-3, 2016. (U.S. Africa Command photo by Brenda Law/RELEASED)

Former African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) Commander, Maj. Gen. Fred Mugisha draws an African spear as an analogy to describe the challenge of executing peace operations where multiple systems of law are in use, and soldiers require the support of their command in confronting extraordinary logistical challenges." Mugisha delivered the keynote address at the U.S. AFRICOM’s Fourth Africa Accountability Colloquium (ACIV) on “Responding to Gender Based Violence During Peace Operations.” Nearly 40 military legal professional and commanders from 20 African countries have come together in an effort to lay the foundation for responding to sexual violence allegations that occur during peacekeeping operations. The annual event is once again being hosted by the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL) in Sanremo, Italy, Mar. 1-3, 2016. (U.S. Africa Command photo by Brenda Law/RELEASED)

Legal Counsel to the Commander, U.S. Africa Command, U.S. Marine Col. Donald Riley delivers comments at AFRICOM’s Fourth Africa Accountability Colloquium (ACIV) on “Responding to Gender Based Violence During Peace Operations.” Nearly 40 military legal professional and commanders from 20 African countries have come together in an effort to lay the foundation for responding to sexual violence allegations that occur during peacekeeping operations. The annual event is once again being hosted by the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL) in Sanremo, Italy, Mar. 1-3, 2016. (U.S. Africa Command photo by Brenda Law/RELEASED)

Deputy Chief of Legal Services for the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces, Col. Godard Busingye, (left), and President of the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL), Prof. Fausto Pocar at the U.S. AFRICOM’s Fourth Africa Accountability Colloquium (ACIV) on “Responding to Gender Based Violence During Peace Operations.” Nearly 40 military legal professional and commanders from 20 African countries have come together in an effort to lay the foundation for responding to sexual violence allegations that occur during peacekeeping operations. The annual event is once again being hosted by the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL) in Sanremo, Italy, Mar. 1-3, 2016. (U.S. Africa Command photo by Brenda Law/RELEASED)

The training in St. Louis, Senegal was part of the ongoing Flintlock 2016 exercise.

Military members from 16 nations participated in the 12-day exercise that ended July 31 in The Netherlands.

Western Accord 2015 is officially underway as participants enter the academic phase of the exercise at Winkelman Kazerne in the Netherlands.

Staff members from a number of military organizations participating in Western Accord 15 prepare for the upcoming a command post exercise at Winkelman Kazerne, Harskamp, The Netherlands, July 22. The exercise encourages participants to work together in preparation for multi-national responses to peacekeeping and humanitarian operations. (U.S. Army Africa photo by Staff Sgt. Killo Gibson)

Staff members participating in Western Accord 2015 prepare for the upcoming command post exercise at Winkelman Kazerne, Harskamp, The Netherlands, July 22. The exercise benefits participating militaries and encourages them to work together in preparation for multi-national responses to peacekeeping and humanitarian operations. (U.S. Army Africa photo by Staff Sgt. Killo Gibson)

Using a scenario modeled after an existing U.N. mission in Mali, Western Accord is a command post exercise designed to strengthen multinational coordination during military operations.

Dutch Brig. Gen. Gino van der Voet, director of training and operations, Royal Netherlands Army Command, addresses a formation of U.S., African and European servicemembers during the opening ceremony for Western Accord 2015, at Harkscamp, The Netherlands, July 20. Western Accord 2015 is a command post exercise in the Netherlands July 20-31. Western Accord 15 replicates the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, Sector Headquarters mission command in support of United Nation and African Union mandated peacekeeping operations. (U.S. Army Africa photo by Sgt. Marcus Fichtl)

U.S., African and European servicemembers stand in formation during the opening ceremony for Western Accord 2015, at Harkscamp, The Netherlands, July 20. Western Accord 2015 is a command post exercise in the Netherlands from July 20-31. Western Accord 15 replicates the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, Sector Headquarters mission command in support of United Nation and African Union mandated peacekeeping operations. (U.S. Army Africa photo by Sgt. Marcus Fichtl)

- Representatives from African partner nations Ghana, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, and Senegal participated in the Special Operations Command Africa- coordinated 2012 Flintlock Senior Leader Symposium hosted at the Kofi Annan