Maritime Safety and Security Toward Economic Prosperity Conference Welcome Message by Gen. Ward

Over the next few days I will be publishing my personal summary on much of the MSS conference.  All information I mention is available open source on AFRICOM's website, but hopefully these summaries will give readers a quick and easy way to digest the information covered in the conference. 

WELCOME MESSAGE by an enthusiastic General Ward

“Our programs in Africa exist where our capabilities and our partners’ desires intersect.”

General Ward highlighted APS and AMLEP as a banner example of our involvement in Africa and stressed the importance of “African solutions for African problems.” The work being done by the African Union (AU) in achieving an Africa-wide Maritime Security Strategy was touted as an ideal approach to the existing maritime challenges.

He ended his speech with a call to work to “preserve resources, protect and develop infrastructure, and set the conditions for economic prosperity.”