COTONOU, Benin - Ambassador J. Anthony Holmes, U.S. Africa Command's deputy to the commander for civil-military activities, speaks to participants of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Maritime Safety and Security Conference held in Cotonou, Benin, March 28-29, 2012. More than 250 representatives from more than 20 African nations attended the conference, which was held to facilitate cooperation between both African communities in order to provide regional maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea. The event was organized and facilitated by U.S. Africa Command and Africa Center for Strategic Studies. (U.S. AFRICOM photo by Staff Sergeant Olufemi A. Owolabi)