Africa’s most powerful generals have gathered in Abuja for the first African Defence Chiefs Summit - a watershed moment to forge unity against terrorism, violent extremism, and insecurity.
Zig Diaries Defence
Date: Monday, 25 August 2025
Time: 15:45 WAT
Location: 📍 Abuja, Nigeria
The unprecedented meeting comes as jihadist insurgencies, coups, and transnational threats strain fragile states across the continent.
The summit is
designed to chart a new era of continental defence cooperation, with
discussions ranging from joint operations, intelligence fusion,
counterterrorism frameworks, and peace support missions.
Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, set the tone in his opening remarks, declaring that “Africa can no longer afford fragmented responses to a common threat.”
He called on his counterparts to commit to actionable
frameworks beyond communiqués, stressing that the success of the summit
would be measured not by speeches but by “boots on the ground, shared
intelligence, and collective resolve.”
“Africa cannot outsource its
security - we must take ownership of our destiny.”
“Terrorism has no borders;
our response must also know no borders.”
“United, our militaries are stronger than any
insurgent force seeking to divide us.”
“Every dollar spent on peace
saves ten dollars spent on rebuilding after war.”
“This summit is not just talk - it is a call to action for joint operations, intelligence sharing, and mutual trust.”
Also speaking, former UN Under-Secretary-General and senior Nigerian statesman, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, urged Defence Chiefs to look beyond national borders.
“No country is safe until every country is safe,” he warned, emphasising that insecurity in one corner of Africa destabilises the whole continent.
Gambari challenged the summit to deliver a continental roadmap for sustainable peace, anchored on African ownership rather than external dependency.
“Security is the foundation of development - without peace, there can be
no progress.”
“African unity must move from slogans to strategies, from declarations to
deployments.”
“The true test of leadership is not in speeches, but in the security our
people feel in their daily lives.”
“Terrorism feeds on poverty and bad governance; we must fight it with
both soldiers and social justice.”
“This summit must mark the beginning of an African security architecture owned, funded, and defended by Africans.” Stated Professor Gambari.
The meeting
is being attended by all 54 African Defence Chiefs, African Union leaders, and
representatives of regional blocs including ECOWAS, SADC, and IGAD. Resolutions
adopted in Abuja are expected to feed into AU security architecture and
influence ongoing debates on a permanent African Standby Force.
Fact-Check
& Background Context
Africa has become the global epicentre of terrorism, accounting for nearly
half of worldwide terror deaths in 2024 (Global Terrorism Index). Mali,
Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, and Somalia feature among the ten most affected
nations.
Peacekeeping remains overstretched: over 20,000 African troops are currently deployed under AU and UN missions, but funding shortfalls and weak coordination have limited impact.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country and largest military spender in West Africa, has positioned itself as a regional leader, hosting the inaugural summit to consolidate its influence while also pushing for African-led solutions to security crises.
🏷 Tags: Abuja, Nigeria, Defence Chiefs Summit, AU, Africa Security,
General Musa, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, Counterterrorism, Military Cooperation,
Sahel
#ZigDiariesDefence #Nigeria #Abuja #Africa #Security #DefenceSummit
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