ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — U.S. Africa Command, in partnership with the Ethiopian National Defense Force, opened the inaugural African Logistics and Communications Symposium this week.
The event brings together delegates from 40 African nations, including senior military leaders, logistics experts, communications professionals, and industry representatives from across Africa and the United States. Participants will address critical logistics and communications challenges and explore innovative, scalable solutions through greater collaboration with industry and experts.
The ALCS merges two longstanding annual events — the West Africa Logistics Conference and Africa Endeavor — into a single, continent-wide initiative. This evolution strengthens strategic partnerships by unifying efforts to foster innovation, build capacity, and enhance collective security across Africa.
“This is the first time that we've combined both logistics and communications, but they are absolutely critical—as everyone knows—to military operations, and you can't conduct operations without them,” said Gen. Dagvin Anderson, commander, U.S. Africa Command. “We don't always invest in logistics and sustainment like we should. That is part of why we're here: to highlight the importance of that foundational investment.”
The ALCS is now AFRICOM’s premier forum for synchronizing logistics and communications efforts with African partners, allies, and international industry leaders. The symposium aims to translate strategic concepts into tangible, partner-led actions by emphasizing data-driven frameworks, technological innovation, and public-private partnerships.
“Previously we have separated a communications symposium and a logistics symposium. We are now lacing those two together because of the critical importance and symbiotic relationship of those warfighting functions,” said Brig. Gen. Paul Filcek, director of logistics, U.S. Africa Command. “We have a record of industry participation for an event of this scale, which enables us to come up with scalable solutions for effect across the entire continent.”
By bringing together representatives from the African Union, U.S. Department of State, and U.S. Department of Commerce, the event seeks to establish a self-sustaining network of professionals dedicated to advancing regional security, trade, and long-term economic prosperity across the continent.
The symposium opened with a formal ceremony featuring remarks from U.S. Air Force Gen. Dagvin Anderson, Commander, U.S. Africa Command; Ervin Massinga, U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia; Aisha Mohammed Mussa, Ethiopian Minister of Defense; and Ambassador Bankole Adeoye (Nigeria), African Union Commissioner
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Over the five-day event, participants will engage in networking sessions and expert panels covering operations in contested environments, integrated crisis response, and leveraging the defense industry,” said Aisha Mohammed Mussa, Ethiopian Minister of Defense. The symposium progresses daily from broad strategic discussions to more focused technical sessions. Communications and logistics professionals will take part in targeted breakout sessions designed to identify actionable initiatives that can be implemented throughout the year.
AFRICOM is one of seven U.S. geographic combatant commands, responsible for military engagement across 53 African nations. Working with partners and allies, the command counters malign actors and transnational threats, responds to crises, strengthens African security forces, and supports U.S. government efforts in Africa to advance U.S. national interests and promote regional security, stability, and prosperity.