The largest joint military exercise organized by the United States Africa Command, code-named “Exercise Africa Lion” has been hosted by Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia.
The Ghanaian segment of the exercise took place at the Special Military Training School in Daboya, located in Ghana’s Savannah Region. The highly anticipated annual military exercise, aimed to promote collaboration among the armed forces of the United States, Europe, Africa, and South America to combat armed conflicts specifically in West and North African countries.
Commander, US Army Southeastern Europe Task Force – Africa, Major General Todd Wasmund, while speaking at the exercise, emphasized the need for increased collaboration among armed forces worldwide, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where the threat of extremism remains significant.
He pointed out that there are currently over two dozen armed conflicts across Africa, with coastal West African nations grappling with the threat posed by extremist organizations in the Sahel region. Major General Wasmund stressed the importance of well-trained armed forces to effectively combat these extremist threats and ensure peace and stability in the region.
He stressed that in today’s world, no nation can confront security challenges alone. Recognizing this, the African nations have made interoperability and relationship-building their cornerstone. According to him, the Africa Lion special exercise has significantly enhanced the collective ability of member states to address the growing threats of an increasingly dangerous and unpredictable world.
Major General Thomas Oppong Peprah, the Chief of Army Staff of Ghana, expressed his commendation for United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM) selecting Ghana as one of the four African countries to host the special training of African Lion this year.
He praised the USAFRICOM for its ongoing military support in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in combating armed conflicts and the operations of extremist groups.
Major General Peprah conveyed the readiness of the Ghana Armed Forces to host similar military operations within the country. According to him, such exercises promote collaboration among nations and empower military personnel with valuable training and experience.
Background of the Exercise African Lion 2023
The Exercise African Lion 2023 witnessed the deployment of around 4,000 service members from the United States Armed Forces.
These personnel worked alongside 4,000 service men and women from the host countries of Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia, as well as partners from 19 other countries spanning Africa, Europe, and South America.
The magnitude of participation and collaboration in Exercise African Lion 2023 made it the largest annual joint operation conducted by the USAFRICOM thus far in Africa.
The event garnered attendance from high-ranking military officers representing neighboring African countries, including Benin, Ivory Coast, and Togo.
Story By: Sulemana Zakaria |www.diamondfmonline.com |Ghana
