Abuja: The Defence Headquarters is set to host 53 Chiefs of Defence Staff (CDS) from 53 African countries, including Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger Republic, for the Maiden African Chiefs of Defence Staff Summit in Abuja. The summit, which will encourage Africa-led solutions to the continent’s security challenges, will be held from Aug. 25 to 27 in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the Chairman of the Summit Planning Committee, AVM Precious Amadi, made this known at a news conference on Wednesday in Abuja. Amadi stated that all the countries invited, including Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali, have indicated interest to attend the summit. He clarified that the strained political relationship between these countries and members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) does not affect the cooperation between the countries’ militaries.
Amadi emphasized that the premier platform is an avenue for the CDS across the African continent to engage in dialogue on shared defence and security mechanisms to enhance defence capabilities amongst African nations. He noted that in light of current realities, it has become imperative to seek African solutions to African problems, a notion recognized by President Bola Tinubu, who granted approval for the Defence Headquarters to host the summit.
The summit, themed ‘Combating Contemporary Threats to Regional Peace and Security in Africa: The Role of Strategic Defence Collaborations,’ will cover four thematic areas. These include initiating discussions on collective strategies for African security issues, facilitating collaborative responses to peace and security issues in Africa, developing mechanisms for integrating the private sector into Africa’s defence efforts, and establishing a roundtable for the initiation of homegrown solutions to Africa’s defence needs.
Amadi also mentioned that the event is expected to showcase Africa’s defence capabilities through a defence exhibition that will hold concurrently with the summit. Participants will include foreign partners, senior retired and serving military officers, heads of African Union and ECOWAS Commissions, government officers, and heads of various security agencies.
Mr. Dotun Ajayi, Executive Director of the African Business Roundtable and a consultant to the summit, highlighted the importance of private sector involvement in addressing insecurity. He stated that security matters have expanded beyond the military component alone and emphasized the need for a public-private sector partnership. Ajayi noted that proffering solutions to security challenges is a shared responsibility, requiring the engagement of the private sector in defence efforts.
