Africa chiefs of defence forces conference begins, urges stronger collaboration on security challenges

Participants during the 2025 African Chiefs of Defence Conference in Nairobi. (Photo: PCS)

By Mary Wambui
Wednesday, May 28, 2025

Kenya's Chief of Defence Forces, General Charles Kahariri, noted that this year's meeting convenes at such a time when the regional and global security environment is becoming increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous.

The Africa Chiefs of Defence Forces Conference has begun in Nairobi, Kenya, with calls to boost cooperation in tackling the continent’s common security challenges.

The event, co-hosted by the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) and the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), has attracted top military delegates from 36 African states who have gathered in Nairobi to discuss ways to strengthen security on the continent.

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In his speech, AFRICOM Commander General Michael Langley said the meeting will seek to sustain unity of effort as the top military chiefs discuss counter-terrorism, future force development, inter-agency relations and civil-military relations.

"First, we cannot address the growing challenges alone. As I said earlier, threats aren't constrained by boundaries. On top of that, threats are changing in nature. We are seeing threats from displaced persons, economic hardships, local clan conflicts, and even all-out war, like we are seeing in Sudan. All these things stress the resources of our militaries and the resources of our governments. Forums like this show how important it is to work together, to maximise our collective capabilities toward shared objectives," Langley said.

Securing the continent

While he expressed the US's willingness to partner with member states to achieve shared goals, Langley reiterated that the burden of securing the continent falls on Africa's military chiefs.

"My mandate from the National Command Authority is clear: counter terrorism, with a specific focus on threats to the United States homeland. I can't promise to be everywhere, and I recognise the challenges you face with our equipping process. Our leadership is conducting a comprehensive review to improve alignment with US policy and streamline effectiveness," he added.

The conference is running under the theme "Strengthening African Security, Sustaining Unity of Efforts."

On his part, Kenya's Chief of Defence Forces, General Charles Kahariri, noted that this year's meeting convenes at such a time when the regional and global security environment is becoming increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous.

Proliferation of technology

As such, militaries today have to contend with both traditional and non-traditional threats, which are exacerbated by the proliferation of technology and the negative effects of climate change.

"The prevailing security environment and easy access to sophisticated weapons has bred emboldened non-state actors who actively challenge government forces through the application of asymmetric strategies and tactics. This has led to protracted conflicts making our region and the globe at large more insecure," he said.

Kahariri stressed that some of the emerging threats, including cyber threats and disinformation campaigns, are cross-cutting and transnational, hence the need for joint bilateral and multilateral security operations to secure the continent.

Towards this, he called for increased intelligence sharing, joint training and equipment enhancement to enhance that interoperability.

"I urge us to seize this opportunity to strengthen our shared resolve and elevate the role of our defence institutions in advancing peace, resilience and prosperity across Africa," the general said.