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USS Hershel “Woody” Williams crew hosts Women, Peace, and Security event in Djibouti

Djibouti Armed Forces Lt. Col. Amina Mohamed Moussa, commander of the Army Female Battalion, addresses a gathering of Djiboutian, French, Italian, Kenyan, and U.S. military personnel as the master of ceremonies during a Women, Peace, and Security conference held aboard the Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel "Woody" Williams, Nov. 15, 2021. WPS events are designed to engage with local communities and partner nations to build relationships and gain local insight and knowledge.

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Photo by: U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs 

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USS Hershel “Woody” Williams crew hosts Women, Peace, and Security event in Djibouti

Maj. Cynthia Abraham, left, addresses a gathering of Djiboutian, French, Italian, Kenyan, and U.S. military personnel as the master of ceremonies during a Women, Peace, and Security conference held aboard the Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel "Woody" Williams, Nov. 15, 2021. WPS events are designed to engage with local communities and partner nations to build relationships and gain local insight and knowledge.

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Photo by: PO3 Malachi  

Maj. Gen. William Zana, commanding general, Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, and guests from Djibouti, France, Italy, Kenya, Spain and the U. S. participated in a Women, Peace, and Security conference Nov. 15, 2021.

The conference coincided with the Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel “Woody” Williams’ regularly-scheduled port visit to Djibouti as part of the ship’s deployment circumnavigating Africa. Guest speakers included Zana; Cmdr. Ernique Sesler, executive officer, USS Hershel “Woody” Williams; and Djibouti Armed Forces Lt. Col. Amina Mohamed Moussa, commander of the Army Female Battalion.

"We are proud to be hosting the second Women, Peace, and Security conference of this deployment," said Sesler. "These events are opportunities to show the United States Navy's commitment to encouraging women leaders in the security sector and to making sure they are included in global peace processes."

The conference supports a larger mission led by U.S. Africa Command and U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa to facilitate meaningful participation of women within the security sector. WPS events are designed to engage with local communities and partner nations to build relationships and gain local insight and knowledge.

“The WPS training the ship’s leadership received in July was instrumental in the crew being able to participate in such engagements instead of being spectators,” said Lt. Cmdr. Shanece Kendall, NAVAF gender focal point. “As our efforts mature, we will continue to foster this approach in order to garnish more support from service members and government civilians in furthering the WPS agenda.”

WPS engagements focus on integrating WPS-related issues into education, military operations, and military and civilian institutions through meaningful discussions and peacekeeping capability building activities and exercises.

For over 70 years, U.S. Sixth Fleet forces have forged strategic relationships with our allies and partners and solidified a foundation of shared values, experiences, and vision aimed at preserving security and stability.