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Africa Logistics Symposium 2018 hosted in Addis Ababa

Ambassador Alexander Laskaris, U.S. Africa Command deputy to the commander for civil-military engagement, addresses attendees of the Africa Logistics Symposium 2018, African Union Compound, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, April 11, 2018, during the opening ceremony. (Photos by Staff Sgt. Grady Jones, AFRICOM Public Affairs)

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Photo by: U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Grady Jones 

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Africa Logistics Symposium 2018 hosted in Addis Ababa

Ambassador Mary Beth Leonard, U.S. Ambassador to the African Union, addresses attendees of the Africa Logistics Symposium 2018, African Union Compound, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, April 11, 2018, during the opening ceremony. (Photos by Staff Sgt. Grady Jones, AFRICOM Public Affairs)

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Photo by: U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Grady Jones 

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Africa Logistics Symposium 2018 hosted in Addis Ababa

Col. (ret.) Mor Ndiandame Mbow, chief of mission support operations, Peace and Support Operations Division, African Union, addresses attendees of the Africa Logistics Symposium 2018, African Union Compound, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, April 11, 2018, during the opening ceremony. (Photos by Staff Sgt. Grady Jones, AFRICOM Public Affairs)

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Photo by: U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Grady Jones 

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Africa Logistics Symposium 2018 hosted in Addis Ababa

Senegalese Group Captain David Akrong, Movement Coordination Center Chief, African Union, addresses attendees of the Africa Logistics Symposium 2018, African Union Compound, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, April 11, 2018, during the opening ceremony. (Photos by Staff Sgt. Grady Jones, AFRICOM Public Affairs)

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Photo by: U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Grady Jones 

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – Africa Logistics Symposium 2018, formerly known as Africa Logistics Forum, kicked off April 11, 2018, at that African Union (AU) compound, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Sponsored by the AU, in conjunction with U.S. Africa Command, the forum hosted more than 80 attendees, which included logistical professionals from across 21 African countries, four European countries, Japan, and Brazil.

“I am very pleased with our enduring Africa Logistics Symposium partnership,” said U.S. Ambassador to the AU, Mary Beth Leonard. “We laud the African Union Peace and Security Department’s leadership in driving the symposium’s planning process in coordination with U.S. Africa Command.”

Keynote speaker, Ambassador Alexander Laskaris, AFRICOM deputy to the commander for civil-military engagement, said that Africa has a long and proud military tradition of great empires, great armies, and great logistics.

Laskaris mentioned the logistical successes of historical African military leaders during his speech.

“We know a lot about King Menelek II’s commanders and soldiers, but we should probably try to figure out how he fed, supplied and moved his forces,” Laskaris said. “For every great African leader whose name we speak with respect, there are anonymous logisticians who sustained their visions.”

The first Africa Logistics Forum convened in 2013. Last year’s focus was about increasing the capacity of the Africa Standby Force (ASF) by enhancing the working relationships between the Regional Logistics Depots, and the Continental Logistics Base, which was inaugurated this year on Jan. 5, in Douala, Cameroon. This year’s focus is on strategic airlift.

“This symposium is a major milestone as we are implementing the ASF Maputo Strategic Five Year Work Plan 2016-2020, to strengthen the operational readiness of the ASF,” said Dr. Admore Kambudzi, agriculture Director of Peace and Security, AU.