US Seeks Closer Security Partnership with Africa As African Land Forces Summit Opens in Dakar

Lineup of African Service Chiefs at The Summit

By Sainey MK Marenah

The United States through US Ground Forces for Africa command is currently seeking a closer security partnership with African states amid growing insecurity threatening the Africa region as African security chiefs storm Dakar for a three-day high level African land forces summit.

The high-level military summit open today in the Senegalese city of Dakar holding under the theme: ‘train strength to a broad spectrum of Military operations,’ brought together over 40 military delegations from across Africa.

Addressing the delegates, The US Ambassador to Dakar, Jim Zumwalt said: “As soldiers and diplomats, we stand on common ground to carry out instructions of our leaders to build security and peace. Soldiers and diplomats are partners just as Africans and Americans are partners. We share a common goal of achieving peace, security, and economic prosperity in our societies.”

The chief US Diplomat in Senegal told the summit that: ‘Today we will focus discussions on peace and security, but we all understand that enduring peace and stability are essential prerequisites for economic growth.’

The diplomat resolves the US Commitment in collaborating with Africa saying that ‘the United States wants to work together with you to create the environment for our farmers, entrepreneurs, government officials, soldiers, scientists, teachers, workers to promote economic prosperity on the African continent.’

Lt General David Parkins from US Ground Forces for Africa command also used the summit to call for greater US-African security partnership describing the summit as ‘important’

What we do is to institutionalize the army to be more professionals, the senior US Army said, adding ‘we need security for peace and stability to grow.’

 Brigadier General Chiekh Gueye, Chief of Staff of Senegalese Army and Minister of Armed Force of Senegal, Augustus Tine both applauded the US for seeking a closer security partnership with Africa.

The top Senegalese security leaders dilated on the current security threats confronting the region while calling for concerted efforts to solve Africa’s security issues.