Five Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) officers and one Non Commissioned Officer (NCO) led by Col Charles KARAMBA have just returned home from Abuja, Nigeria where they participated in a military communications exercise code named Africa Endeavor (AE).

Africa Endeavour leads the way in preparing National Militaries for coalition operations. It is an African Union (AU) and United States European Command (USEUCOM) initiative with the intent of encouraging interoperability and information sharing among African nations via communication networks and subsequent collaborative communications links with the United States, NATO and other nations with common stability, security and sustainable goals/objectives for the African continent.

AE is the United States European Command’s initiative started in 2006. It enables the AU member states to assess and investigate Command Control Communication Information Systems (C3IS) solutions that focus on relevant and timely objectives for enhancing coalition interoperability and the African Union C3IS architecture.

Africa Endeavor assesses equipment and systems that will integrate into an operational environment in support of AU Peace Support Commission (PSC) missions such as humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and peace support operations. The event focuses on two key objectives: technical interoperability testing of communications and information systems (CIS) equipment and the development of tactics, techniques and procedures for integrating AU member states’ assets into an effective network architecture that facilitates command and control of coalition communications network.

The AE command and control exercise was co-sponsored by Nigeria and the United States. Over 24 AU member states took part in the exercise. Africa Endeavor is so far the largest communications exercise conducted in Africa and in the whole world.

The final moments of the exercise were presided over by General Owoye Andrew Azazi, Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff and General William E.”Kip” Ward the US AFRICOM Commander.