African defence chiefs unite against terrorism, cyber threats, others

African Chiefs of Defence Staff have agreed to forge a united front against terrorism, violent extremism, cyber threats, and maritime security threats across the continent.

Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, announced this at the closing ceremony of the inaugural African Chiefs of Defence Staff Summit in Abuja on Wednesday.

Musa stated that the gathering reinforced the notion that Africa’s collective security relies not on the strength of one nation alone, but on the synergy of collective efforts, noting that it provided an opportunity for them to connect personally beyond formal interactions.

He said: “We have recognised that our strongest defense is strategic collaboration. This Summit is a declaration of Africa’s determination to take ownership of its peace, stability, and future. We explored key areas, including defense collaboration, intelligence sharing, joint training, investing in indigenous technologies, and youth engagement.

“Through our discussions, we reaffirmed our collective strengths in the face of complex challenges like terrorism, autonomy, criminal Power Conflict, Criticism, terrorism piracy and cyber warfare.

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“In the first plenary of this summit discussed the need for more effective border management and regional security cooperation. During this discussion we recognize that porous borders fuel terrorism trafficking and armed banditry and we stress the need for integrated security frameworks to address these challenges. 

“It was evident that sharing intelligence, conducting joint operations and conducting and coordinating counter-radicalization efforts remain non-negotiable as terrorism anywhere on our continent is a threat to peace everywhere in Africa.”

The CDS said their discussion also centered on how they could exploit artificial intelligence and emerging technologies in bolstering early warning systems, improving institutional awareness and disrupting hostile networks.

The CDS stated that they also agreed on ways to improve Africa’s defence system by leveraging public-private partnerships to ensure adequate defence capabilities while developing indigenous defence industries.

He expressed optimism that the adoption of the summit’s communiqué would prompt proactive steps to elevate the African continent to greatness.

Musa announced Nigeria’s readiness to host an international defense exhibition in Lagos next year.

“I urge us all not to let these rich discussions remain within these conference halls. Let us effectively translate our recommendations into policies, strategies and joint actions. 

“Let this summit be a turning point for decisive and collective actions as we plan towards the next summit,” the CDS said.