Addis ababa: The Director General of Ethiopia’s National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS), Ambassador Redwan Hussien, emphasized the necessity of a unified pan-African defense force strategy during the first African Defense Ministers Conference in Addis Ababa, which commenced on October 15, 2024. He highlighted the urgency of this initiative in response to the current geopolitical challenges that threaten the continent’s security and autonomy.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, Ambassador Redwan presented a compelling discussion paper at the conference on the need for enhanced African Defense Forces Cooperation. He pointed out that the prevailing global dynamics, described as a context of “pray and predator,” could make Africa vulnerable if it does not consolidate its defense capabilities. He warned that without a robust self-reliant defense strategy, Africa could once again become a battleground for foreign interests, as it has in the past.
The Director General recalled the vision of Africa’s fore
fathers for a self-sufficient defense force capable of addressing all security threats independently. Decades later, he questioned whether Africa has lived up to this vision and stressed that the continent still faces numerous socio-political and economic challenges, including terrorism, extremism, piracy, and border conflicts. Furthermore, he noted the detrimental impact of foreign forces that have either directly or indirectly posed a security threat to the continent.
Ambassador Redwan argued that relying on external powers to resolve these issues could exacerbate existing conflicts within Africa. Instead, he advocated for a continental approach where African nations support one another to achieve collective security and prosperity. He emphasized the importance of trust, peaceful conflict resolution, and equitable resource utilization among African countries to prevent conflicts and foster a shared vision of prosperity and peace.
The Ambassador also underscored the critical need for a strong pan-African m
ilitary and security collaboration which would include the development of technology, military equipment production, capacity building in military training, peacekeeping missions, timely security information exchange, and naval cooperation. He highlighted Ethiopia’s ongoing efforts to bolster African military cooperation, including support in various military fields and training programs.
Moreover, Ambassador Redwan called on African nations to reduce their dependency on imported military technology by developing their own regional capabilities, citing Ethiopia’s initiatives in the Gafat and Homicho defense industries as exemplar moves towards this goal. He stressed the significance of regional cooperation in military technology research and development.
In summary, the establishment of a Pan-African Defense Forces Strategy was proposed as a vital roadmap to guide the continent’s security operations, urging member countries to align their policies with continental objectives. The proposed strategy aims to c
reate an institutional framework and strengthen pan-African socio-political relations as well as bilateral and multi-sectoral military relations across the continent.