U.S. and Botswana to Co-Host African Chiefs of Defense Conference



By U.S. Embassy Gaborone United States Africa Command Stuttgart, Germany Jun 13, 2024
View Gallery
fallback
Gallery contains 1 image

The United States and Botswana will co-host the 2024 African Chiefs of Defense Conference in Gaborone the last week of June, bringing together top military leaders from across Africa to exchange knowledge, encourage partnerships, and foster collaboration toward addressing shared security and stability challenges.

This year will mark the first time the U.S. has co-hosted the African Chiefs of Defense Conference (ACHOD) with an African nation, and the first time the conference will take place within Africa. Keynote speakers and panelists will include high-level civilian and military officials, including key leaders from U.S. Embassy Gaborone and U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM).

Since 2017, the African Chiefs of Defense Conference has served as a premier forum for senior military leaders across the continent to convene and collaborate in advancing shared goals for a safer, more prosperous Africa. Last year’s conference took place in Rome, Italy.

The following quotes about the conference are attributable to the U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs Office:

  • Building upon the successes of previous conferences, the 2024 event promises to foster an environment conducive to knowledge exchange, collaboration, and innovation. Through panel discussions, keynote addresses, and networking opportunities, participants will have the opportunity to glean insights from esteemed experts, share best practices, and forge enduring partnerships.
  • As military leaders from across the African continent prepare to converge in Botswana, the stage is set for a dynamic and productive exchange of ideas. Through collaboration, dialogue, and shared commitment, the 2024 conference aims to advance the shared goal of a safer, more prosperous Africa.
  • The African Chiefs of Defense Conference serves as a premier forum for military leaders from across the African continent to convene, collaborate, and address pressing security challenges. Through dialogue, knowledge exchange, and partnership-building, the conference aims to foster regional stability and enhance collective security efforts.

For media inquiries or further information, please contact Botswana Defence Force POC Lt. Col. Fana Maswabi at fmaswabi@gov.bw, U.S. Africa Command POC LCDR Bobby Dixon at africom-pao@mail.mil, and U.S. Embassy Gaborone Public Affairs POC Dominick Tao at PDSGaborone@state.gov

More in Partnerships
Winning the Peace through Religious Collaboration
U.S. chaplain delegation led by U.S. Africa Command Chaplain Colonel Karen Meeker conducted collaborative meetings to bring stability through faith and new avenues of collaboration in support of the warfighter while in Cairo, Egypt, March 17, 2025.
Read more
General Langley Engages with Leaders in Côte d’Ivoire
U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Michael Langley, commander of U.S. Africa Command, traveled to Côte d’Ivoire, April 24-25, to meet with Ivorian leaders and deliver remarks at the opening ceremony of Flintlock 25, the command's annual combined special operations exercise.
Read more
Army lawyers provide training on rules for armed conflict at exercise Justified Accord
NAIROBI, Kenya – Among the flurry of tactical live fires and squad movement drills, air ground integration and even the humanitarian initiatives at exercise Justified Accord 2025 (JA25), lies the one thing those who serve in any armed force must follow: The Law. The Law of Armed Conflict, or LOAC, is a key aspect of training for any military. JA25’s academics course aimed at learning from the international legal lessons of previous wars in an effort to reduce the amount of human suffering in future conflicts. “The soldier’s rules are a broad set of rules that we have pulled from the large breadth of international law,” said U.S. Army Maj. Tim Olliges, an operational law attorney assigned to U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), the lead U.S. Army command and planner of JA25. “The LOAC is extensive and can be complex, so we pull out the ten most critical concepts that every soldier, right down to the private, should know before they go into combat.”
Read more
More in Partnerships
Winning the Peace through Religious Collaboration
U.S. chaplain delegation led by U.S. Africa Command Chaplain Colonel Karen Meeker conducted collaborative meetings to bring stability through faith and new avenues of collaboration in support of the warfighter while in Cairo, Egypt, March 17, 2025.
Read more
General Langley Engages with Leaders in Côte d’Ivoire
U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Michael Langley, commander of U.S. Africa Command, traveled to Côte d’Ivoire, April 24-25, to meet with Ivorian leaders and deliver remarks at the opening ceremony of Flintlock 25, the command's annual combined special operations exercise.
Read more
Army lawyers provide training on rules for armed conflict at exercise Justified Accord
NAIROBI, Kenya – Among the flurry of tactical live fires and squad movement drills, air ground integration and even the humanitarian initiatives at exercise Justified Accord 2025 (JA25), lies the one thing those who serve in any armed force must follow: The Law. The Law of Armed Conflict, or LOAC, is a key aspect of training for any military. JA25’s academics course aimed at learning from the international legal lessons of previous wars in an effort to reduce the amount of human suffering in future conflicts. “The soldier’s rules are a broad set of rules that we have pulled from the large breadth of international law,” said U.S. Army Maj. Tim Olliges, an operational law attorney assigned to U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), the lead U.S. Army command and planner of JA25. “The LOAC is extensive and can be complex, so we pull out the ten most critical concepts that every soldier, right down to the private, should know before they go into combat.”
Read more
More in Partnerships
Winning the Peace through Religious Collaboration
U.S. chaplain delegation led by U.S. Africa Command Chaplain Colonel Karen Meeker conducted collaborative meetings to bring stability through faith and new avenues of collaboration in support of the warfighter while in Cairo, Egypt, March 17, 2025.
Read more
General Langley Engages with Leaders in Côte d’Ivoire
U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Michael Langley, commander of U.S. Africa Command, traveled to Côte d’Ivoire, April 24-25, to meet with Ivorian leaders and deliver remarks at the opening ceremony of Flintlock 25, the command's annual combined special operations exercise.
Read more
Army lawyers provide training on rules for armed conflict at exercise Justified Accord
NAIROBI, Kenya – Among the flurry of tactical live fires and squad movement drills, air ground integration and even the humanitarian initiatives at exercise Justified Accord 2025 (JA25), lies the one thing those who serve in any armed force must follow: The Law. The Law of Armed Conflict, or LOAC, is a key aspect of training for any military. JA25’s academics course aimed at learning from the international legal lessons of previous wars in an effort to reduce the amount of human suffering in future conflicts. “The soldier’s rules are a broad set of rules that we have pulled from the large breadth of international law,” said U.S. Army Maj. Tim Olliges, an operational law attorney assigned to U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), the lead U.S. Army command and planner of JA25. “The LOAC is extensive and can be complex, so we pull out the ten most critical concepts that every soldier, right down to the private, should know before they go into combat.”
Read more