Brad Gutierrez, Ph.D., the Africa Center for Strategic Studies’ Chair of Security Studies, Ms. Emily Renard, Community Affairs Specialist, and Ms. Elisabeth Feleke, Program Manager for the Africa Center’s Regional Office West Africa in Dakar, Senegal, completed a successful visit to Southern Africa during Aug. 3-17. During this period, they conducted several capacity building workshops and Topical Outreach Program Symposiums (TOPS), renewed friendships and acquaintances with community members, and meeting with many U.S. and African officials in Lesotho, Botswana, and Swaziland.
Lesotho
During Dr. Gutierrez’s and Ms. Renard’s visit to Lesotho during Aug. 3-6, they reacquainted themselves with Lesotho chapter members. A mid-sized chapter representing approximately 50 community members, the Lesotho chapter was launched in 2009. The visit was an opportunity to strengthen the mission, vision, and goals for the chapter, which has a strong focus on peace, security, dialogue, and development.
The chapter elected a new Executive Committee in July 2010 and is an energized and organized group. Members clearly recognize their ability to support good governance and democracy in Lesotho. In the wake of the Africa Center visit, the Lesotho chapter also seeks to cooperate with other Africa Center chapters and communities in 2012 on security concerns in Southern Africa.
The Lesotho chapter, with 31 participants present, held a capacity building workshop on Aug. 4 during which the members discussed Africa Center-Lesotho chapter relations; vision, mission, and goals for the chapter; and a return TOPS visit in 2011.
“The chapter has invested substantial effort to clearly formulate its vision, mission, and goals,” Ms. Renard said. “The capacity building workshop was a working session for consensus-building around these three issues. The chapter has concrete goals for the upcoming year and has started to act on research initiatives and TOPS 2011 planning.”
The following day, Lesotho Chapter members came together again to hold a TOPS. Forty-three participants attended with Dr. Gutierrez speaking about the “Effective Implementation of Civilian Oversight of National Security Institutions and the Role of Professional Militaries.”
Additional speakers included U.S. Ambassador Robert Nolan, who provided opening remarks, stressing the partnership between the U.S. and Lesotho. Lesotho Chapter members also provided remarks that addressed the purpose of the chapter and the importance of open discussion about civil-military relations.
Botswana
Following their visit to Lesotho, Dr. Gutierrez and Ms. Renard traveled to Botswana to meet with members of the Botswana community chapter, which was officially launched in 2007.
The Africa Center team helped the 28 participants conduct a TOPS on Aug. 10, addressing the issues of Africa Center-chapter relations; vision, mission, and goals; online computer tools; and FY 2011 Planning for TOPS.
On Aug. 11, 52 people representing the news media, civil society, and defense forces attended a full-day TOPS. The topic was “Legislative Control of the Military in Botswana and the Role of Professional Militaries.” Speakers were Professor Mpho Molomo, Director of the Centre for Strategic Studies, University of Botswana, and Dr. Gutierrez.
U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission Scott Hamilton also made opening remarks, focusing on the partnership between the U.S., Botswana, and the Africa Center. He spoke to his experience as an Africa Center alumni and offered his support as a community member to the Botswana chapter. The chapter emphasized how it supports peace and democracy in Botswana and urged its members to renew their commitment to the chapter.
Concluding their visit to Botswana, Dr. Gutierrez on Aug. 12 spoke to an audience of 38 officers at the Botswana Defence Command and Staff College about crisis and conflict in Africa. He pointed to the importance of the civilian component of crisis resolution and peace building. Discussion questions focused on Somalia, international forces, civil-military relations, and sanctions.
Swaziland
The final stop of the Southern Africa TOPS program was Swaziland on Aug. 16-17. Joining Ms. Renard was Ms. Feleke. The Africa Center community in Swaziland boasts approximately 40 former Africa Center program participants. Over the years, a number of the participants have indicated their interest in beginning a chapter, with Ms. Renard’s and Ms. Feleke’s visit further improving the relationship with the community through face-to-face contact. Strong memory and an attachment to Africa Center programs exist within the community dating back to 1999.
Twenty people participated Aug. 17 in a community reunion meeting during which they were given an update on the Africa Center, reviewed TOPS and the chapter program, and discussed forming a chapter.
The community, which is embracing the chapter concept, moved to hold another meeting and to have a planning committee in place by the end of 2010.
Africa Center Community Member and Chapter Programs
Since the Africa Center was established in 1999, more than 4,000 African military and civilian leaders have attended its programs. The Africa Center refers to its alumni as community members.
In 24 African countries, community members have organized to form their own associations, called community chapters, in order to maintain their relationships with the Africa Center and to continue to promote peace and stability in their countries, sub-regions, and throughout Africa. There are currently 25 chapters: 24 national chapters and one international chapter in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Chapters provide members a venue to meet regularly and to share thoughts and ideas with U.S. officials and colleagues in their country or region.
TOPS is a capacity-building series designed to deepen Africa Center relationships with community chapters through annual visits and targeted topical programs in each chapter country; it fosters an open, frank, and informed dialogue within a community of African decision-makers, influential individuals, and institutional partners that share a long-term commitment to addressing the fundamental defense and security challenges facing Africa. TOPS helps develop a common understanding of the importance of those challenges to their respective national interests.
TOPS also supports the Africa Center’s goals of supporting the development of U.S. strategic policy towards Africa by fostering awareness of and dialogue about U.S. strategic priorities and African security issues; building networks of African, American, European, and international military and civilian leaders; assisting U.S. policymakers in formulating effective African policy; and articulating African perspectives to U.S. policymakers.
Under TOPS, Africa Center faculty and staff members travel to African countries to help build chapter capacity and to conduct topical programs for the chapters. The programs in each country can range in length from half- or full-day symposiums to multi-day programs based on the needs and interests of each chapter. Content of topical programs focuses on U.S. policy and contemporary African security issues.
Since the program’s inception in July 2007, ACSS has conducted 141 TOPS events in 30 countries in Africa (including seven potential new chapter countries). More than 6,000 community members and other officials have participated in TOPS events.
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