The Africa Center, with the support of the National Defence College Nigeria, U.S. Africa Command, and the U.S. State Department, hosted a weeklong Streamlining Interagency in Maritime Security Workshop in Abuja, Nigeria, on 16-20 May. The workshop assembled approximately 55 participants hailing from a wide variety of ministries and military organizations devoted to maritime security. Sixteen countries were represented at the workshop.

Participants spent the week hearing from outside experts and even fellow participants on the key obstacles to an integrated whole-of-government approach to maritime security. By the end of the week, they developed frameworks for such an approach in their own countries.

On the sidelines of the workshop, the Africa Center gathered its alumni community in Abuja for a briefing with ACSS Director Kate Almquist Knopf. With approximately 20 alumni in attendance, the Director provided updates from the Africa Center including the launch of the center’s new website and logo, upcoming academic and research activities, the upcoming Community Chapter Leaders Forum in Washington, D.C., and future possibilities for a bilateral engagement in Nigeria.

Also present at the gathering were Colonel Patrick Doyle, U.S. Defense Attaché, who has been organizing gatherings of the Nigerian alumni community to hear from speakers on a variety of security issues, as well as the Commandant of the National Defence College, RADM Samuel Ilesanmi Alade.

Photos of the event may be accessed on the ACSS Flickr page.