External Defence Engagement in Africa - Summary of the 2016 Tswalu Dialogue

Hosted by the Brenthurst Foundation in conjunction with the British Peace Support Team, the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung and the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, the 2016 Tswalu Dialogue examined external defence engagement in Africa. Various forms of 'engagement' - from training and logistical support to diplomacy, joint operations and external intervention - were discussed. Delegates included leading African security experts, officials, and former heads of state, along with high-level 'external' participants drawn primarily from the United States, France and the United Kingdom.

The wellsprings for the discussions were four major Papers circulated in advance of the meeting and briefly summarised by the authors during the Dialogue. The Papers - one each examining French, British and American defence engagement, and one on African security challenges - will not be reviewed here. Instead, this brief summary will focus on the main themes that emerged from the ensuing debates and identify key areas for further dialogue. All the various contributions reflected in his Paper are, as per the nature of the Tswalu Dialogue, unattributed.

About the Author:

Dr Terence McNamee is the Deputy Director of the Brenthurst Foundation.

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