OBERA LLC ATTENDS 19TH ANNUAL AFRICAN ENDEAVOR

26 August 2019

Accra, Ghana

OBERA LLC ATTENDS 19THANNUAL AFRICAN ENDEAVOR

Obera LLC participated in the 19thAnnual Africa Endeavor Communications Symposium.

Africa Endeavor (AE) is the annual U.S. Africa Command hosted Defense Communications Symposium. The purpose of AE is to engage with African Partners & Leaders to help facilitate the development of their Defense Information Technology network at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels and promoting interoperability.  Additionally, AE addresses information security and defensive cyber operations in order to build the African partner’s capability in these areas.

AE19 was conducted in Accra, Ghana.  Fifty African nations participated in the symposium, along with the African Union, regional economic communities, the United Nations, Western Partners, and interagency subject matter experts.  Programming focus in 2019 was focused on training & workforce development and includes areas of cybersecurity, interoperability, Women Peace & Security, and Enlisted development.  AE provides the African, U.S., and WPN military communicators the opportunity to discuss capabilities, address interoperability gaps, and approach solutions as a fully integrated component of a multi-national force improving the training opportunity for an international audience.  The symposium has grown in size, scope and capacity given the significance of public /private /partnership integration.

Keith Dotts, Director of Africa Operations, who attended and participated in this year’s event, said “Our Obera LLC team has supported this event over the last 6 years.  We are honored to provide specialized and innovative services designed to enhance Information Management &  Communications Capabilities for the nations in which we operate.” Mr. Dotts went on to describe how Obera LLC designs, integrates, and supports operations of complex systems that support specific communications and information technology services. “Each mission has unique Communication & IT challenges, and our team of highly skilled & experienced staff truly understand the complex nature of support for all IT Management requirements for all global operations.”

AE19 built on ongoing military-to-military engagements and focused on Command priorities to build partner strengths and capabilities.  The theme for AE19 was Signal Training!  Install, Operate, Maintain, and Protect. With support of interagency partners, programming is being developed and subject matter experts are being identified/invited. AE has exposed more than 1,850 communications specialists and military planners in C4, tactics, techniques, and procedures. AE18 hosted participants from 42 African Nations, regional economic communities, Western Partner Nations (WPN), International Organizations, and each USAFRICOM Component, and the Prime Minister of the host nation.  This year Ghana is the events host nation. AE supports U.S. Africa Command’s decisive objectives by:

  • Increasing the capability of African nations to contribute to regional and international military activities aimed at preserving peace and combating transnational threats to security.
  • Supporting development of African partner national cyber strategy.
  • Improving military-to-military relationships among African nations and developing U.S. and key allies as preferred regional security partners.

Objectives of AE include enhancing partner capability to install, operate, maintain, and protect mission command systems as well as build partner networks, encouraging the sharing of interoperable procedures, and documenting standards and SOPs. The first AE was held in 2006 in South Africa, as a communications exercise that included senior communicator discussion.  In 2014, the USAFRICOM Commander approved separating the two efforts, with communications exercises taking place at the Component level and maintain the senior leader discussion at the headquarters, in the form of a senior leader symposium. This symposium has taken place in Botswana (2015), Madagascar (2016), Malawi (2017), and Cabo Verde (2018).  Recognizing the need to find solutions to interoperability issues, a technology exposition was added to the event, bringing vendors from across the spectrum of communications and supporting equipment.

 

 

 

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