African Military Leaders Meet In Rwanda To Bridge Digital Divide In Defense Education

KIGALI, Xinhua: The 19th African Conference of Commandants has kicked off in the Rwandan capital of Kigali, under the theme “The Future of African Military Training and Education: Bridging the Digital Divide.”

The three-day conference brings together Africa’s leading military education institutions to shape the continent’s defense future through innovation, digital integration, and collaboration. It serves as a platform for dialogue on modernizing military training and education across Africa.

Speaking at the opening ceremony on Monday, Rwanda’s Minister of Defense Juvenal Marizamunda underscored the need for well-educated officers equipped to address Africa’s evolving security challenges.

“The threats facing Africa are multifaceted — from terrorism and cyber warfare to illegal migration, transnational crime, and climate-related insecurity,” he said. “Addressing these requires a generation of officers who are not only tactically proficient but also digitally literate, ethically grounded, and strategically agile.”

Marizamunda commended the conference for fostering unity of purpose among Africa’s command and staff colleges, noting that the forum enables institutions to share best practices, align curricula, and reinforce the continent’s security architecture within the frameworks of the African Union and the African Standby Force.

“This forum is a convergence of Africa’s intellectual and professional military leadership. It is where ideas are exchanged, doctrines refined, and partnerships strengthened in pursuit of interoperable regional and continental forces for a more secure, resilient, and self-reliant Africa,” said Andrew Nyamvumba, commandant of the Rwanda Defense Force Command and Staff College, at the forum.

He added that over the next days, participants will discuss critical issues affecting military education systems across the continent, including curriculum standardization, exchange programs, integration of technology, and digital learning platforms.

The conference, which runs through Wednesday, has attracted commandants and senior representatives from African command and staff colleges, the African Union Peace and Security Council, defense experts, strategic partners, and regional security practitioners from 24 countries.