Vicenza, Italy – The U.S. Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) continues to advance its Theater Security Cooperation (TSC), an initiative at the forefront of its efforts to strengthen partnerships and promote regional security and stability on the African continent. TSC is a strategic approach to building defense relationships, fostering military-to-military interactions, and enhancing partner nations' security capabilities.
Through these initiatives, SETAF-AF supports U.S. Africa Command’s (AFRICOM) mission to deter and defeat transnational threats and to provide a security environment conducive to good governance and development. In their efforts to bolster these cooperative efforts, SETAF-AF’s civil-military operations division, known as the G5, hosted a TSC Workshop January 29-31 at their headquarters in Vicenza, Italy.
The workshop brought together security cooperation professionals from U.S. military entities across Europe, Africa and the Pentagon. The goal was to review past TSC activities, identify best practices, then strategize and refine future operations that align with AFRICOM’s command and policy priorities.
"Security cooperation is vital to our mission and is the most prominent feature in our campaign support plan,” said Hap Harlow, SETAF-AF security cooperation division chief. “It enables us to work closely with our African partners in our efforts to build capacity and address shared security challenges."
Theater Security Cooperation encompass a broad range of military activities that support U.S. and partner nation defense and security goals. These include, among others, boarder security, maritime security, land force enabling engagements, civil-military affairs, joint exercise training, advisory missions, and strategic planning sessions.
"Building capacity is what we aim to do through all our security cooperation tools so we have a lasting partnership and a lasting capability for our partners,” said Harlow. “It’s not just about giving equipment away or providing training. It’s about building a complete capacity that enables our partners to do things that we are not able to do [in their country], but are in our mutual interests to do.”
SETAF-AF's TSC initiatives have led to increased interoperability between U.S. forces and African militaries, promoting peace and stability in many African regions. "Africa is a challenging theater with a significant geography,” said Patrick Mason, deputy assistant secretary of the Army for defense exports and cooperation.
“By enhancing the capabilities of African militaries, we are not only supporting U.S. strategic interests but also enabling African nations to take charge of their security.” Mason, who served as the workshop’s keynote speaker, works in the Pentagon for the Honorable Doug Bush, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology. Their office oversees all of the U.S. Army’s acquisition programs and has responsibility for the Army’s security cooperation and security assistance programs.
The outcome of the workshop will help to refine SETAF-AF's approach to security cooperation, ensuring that it remains a key enabler of AFRICOM's strategic goals in Africa.
"The TSC Workshop is a critical platform for these security cooperation professionals to collaborate and network and work together to align command priorities with the needs of our African partners," explained Mason. "Through these discussions, they are able to make decisions and tailor their approaches to be more effective and responsive to the dynamic and complex security landscape in Africa."
Maj. Gen. Todd Wasmund, SETAF-AF commander, attended the workshop and shared his vision and priorities with the TSC workshop attendees.
"Security cooperation is a critical piece of the puzzle and part of a broader U.S. strategy that combines defense with diplomacy and development in our efforts to achieve a more prosperous and stable Africa,” said Wasmund. “What you all are doing, day in and day out…this tremendous body of work matters! It matters to our partners, it makes a difference and it’s appreciated.”
U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa provides U.S. Africa Command and U.S. Army Europe and Africa a dedicated headquarters to synchronize Army activities in Africa and scalable crisis response options in Africa and Europe.
