From DICON
Day 3 panels: secure borders, and private capital for defence innovation
Two more Strategic Conference panels looked at protecting borders and internal stability, and at bringing investors into African defence and dual-use technology.
Securing Borders and Internal Stability in a Volatile Era looked at the capabilities African armed forces need against changing border threats and internal security pressures. It was moderated by Lieutenant General Lamidi Adeosun, former Chief of Policy and Plans of the Nigerian Armed Forces, with Major General F.O. Nondo, Chief of Land Forces of the Tanzania People's Defence Force, and Dr Farouk U. Tarfa, Head of Cross Border Cooperation at Nigeria's National Boundary Commission. The stage screen also listed Major General Keith Katungi of the Uganda People's Defence Forces.
As AFRIDEX reported, the discussion covered responding to border threats, strengthening internal security and cross-border cooperation, and how buying and fielding the right equipment, training and systems can be speeded up.
Mobilising Private Capital for African Defence Innovation was moderated by Todd Stiefler, Commercial Director at Terra Industries, with Iyinoluwa "E" Aboyeji, Partner at Future Africa, and Lieutenant Colonel Giancarlo Newsome and Colonel (Rtd) Chris Lukasevich, defence economics specialists with the US Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF).
The panel discussed attracting investment into African defence and dual-use innovation, building investor confidence through good governance and widening early-stage funding, so that promising African technologies can reach operational use.
Read the full report on AFRIDEX on LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)
