The initial planning conference for Africa's largest communications interoperability exercise kicked off on January 12, 2010 in Kampala, Uganda , with nearly 30 nations in attendance.

Africa Endeavor (AE) 2010 is a U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM)-sponsored, multinational initiative intended to encourage interoperability and information exchange among African nations via communications networks and subsequent collaborative links with the United States, the African Union, and African nations with common stability, security and sustainment goals, and objectives.

"The combined joint 2010 exercise will assess, identify, test and document command, control, communications and information systems interoperability among strategic and tactical communications equipment fielded by more than 25 African nations," said U.S. Commander Britt Talbert, AE lead planner. "The overall objective is to establish a baseline for an interoperability guide that will assist deployment planning for regional peace support, peacekeeping, humanitarian, and disaster relief operations."

AE 2010 Guest of Honor Lieutenant General Ivan Koreta, Uganda Peoples' Defense Force deputy commander, welcomed country delegations comprising approximately 130 Communications and Information Security personnel from 29 African nations and U.S. Africa Command. He also highlighted the importance of Africa Endeavor 2010 to Uganda and other African nations.

"It is common knowledge today that effective communications is the key to military operational success. However, effective communications is the bane of African militaries," Koreta said. "Working within our inherent resources, it is important that we clearly understand our capabilities and shortcomings before we are called upon in real operational situations."

The conference (AE 2010) "offers us the opportunity to reflect on the achievements of previous AE exercises as we speak to experiment and document a comprehensive communication operation guide and standard for the militaries," added Koreta. "It's also important to note that the AE initiative was born at the opportune time when the African Standby Force and other regional forces are being put in place. This, no doubt, will enable the African Armed Forces to have a common communication platform for sharing information, which will enhance the security of African nations and partner states."

Africa Endeavor 2010 will take place in Accra, Ghana, August 2-12, 2010. Past exercises took place in Pretoria, South Africa (2006); Abuja, Nigeria (2008); and Libreville, Gabon (2009).