The 2024 Africa Senior Enlisted Leaders Conference has been convened to enhance capabilities, competences and credibility to address the volatile, uncertain complex and ambiguous challenges in the defence and security sectors.
Senior Enlisted Leaders play a crucial role in strengthening collaborative ties and are essential in facing current conflicts while preparing for an uncertain future.
Among others, the meeting aims to improve their understanding of challenges and to emphasise the importance of being capable, competent and credible in providing experience, expertise and mentorship for maintaining a ready, capable and disciplined force.
US AFRICOM Command Senior Enlisted Leader, Sergeant Major Michael Woods said the gathering will help them collaborate, learn and give us much as one takes to enable the officers go back to their respective countries and formations and turn Non Commissioned Officers’ (NCO) s into better, more reliable, resilient and trusted ones.
He clarified this does not mean African parties had neglected the development of their NCO’s throughout the years, but that each country is developing in different ways and US is not interested in making its way anyone else’ way.
Woods further indicated the interface will enable them learn from the different partners best practices, lessons learnt so that when they return they can talk to their officers because this is the only way change can be implemented
“It’s not gonna be consistent; it’s not gonna be the same across the board but we’re helping each other think differently, act differently and operate differently. Obviously violent extremism is a huge concern to many of our African partners and anything that we can do to help better train them, to equip them, to evaluate them, to certify them we’re very interested in that.
“But we understand that there’s got to be resilient and capable African forces who can take on these violent extremists enabled by US efforts. I would also say climate change is a huge concern because at USAFRICOM, we take the 3D approach because we understand that you’re not gonna get stability only through the arm of defence.
“You have to think just as much and if not more about diplomacy and development and those two things are very important especially as we’ve got lots of displaced people because of climate change. We need somewhere to go and so that humanitarian assistance are gonna be something that we’re gonna be involved with as long as our partners want us to be”
The Conference is executed for the first time on the African continent.
Since 2014, Malawi has trained over 94 Sergeants Majors from outside Malawi from 15 different countries using as a baseline the US Sergeant Major doctrine.
Woods said Malawi is truly exporting good security values to African partners throughout the entire continent which needs to be highlighted and celebrated as Malawi has invested NCOs at tactical, operational and strategic levels.
According to Malawi Defence Force (MDF) Commander General Paul Phiri, these leaders are a backbone of any military and it’s unfortunate that traditionally, the cadre had limited roles focusing on advising commanders and training troops in basic skills like weapons and drills.
He described the conference as a historic milestone not only for the country’s defence force, but for all esteemed senior enlisted leaders from across the continent.
For Malawi to be hosting the first ever African Senior Enlisted Leaders’ Summit, Phiri viewed it as a great testament to shared commitment and unwavering resolve.
“Therefore as we commence our discussions this morning, let us use this opportunity to exchange insights, share best practices, and develop strategies that will enhance our collective security efforts.
“It is my sincere hope that that we recognize the importance of open and constructive dialogue as a means to strengthen our partnership, build trust and forge enduring bonds of friendship. Let us therefore exchange ideas freely and challenge and challenge assumptions in a non-retribution manner, and build bridges that span continents”.
He bemoaned the lack of exposure to mission oriented thinking which he said has led to a gap in leadership development between Senior Enlisted Leaders and Commissioned officers.
The initiative is aimed at enhancing the understanding of command roles among Senior Enlisted Leaders and improve their effectiveness in command responsibilities.
