Accra, March 29, GNA - Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) will host the 2010 Africa Endeavour (AE), a US- Africa Command's annual communications exerc= ise that focuses on inter-operability and information sharing in Accra from August 2- August 12. The exercise between the US and African partners is to develop comma= nd, control and communication tactics, techniques and procedures that can be used by the African Union in support of humanitarian assistance, disaster=

relief and peacekeeping missions.

The first Africa Endeavour was held in South Africa in 2006, the sec= ond in Nigeria in 2008 and third in Gabon, 2009. This year's exercise to be attended by about 30 African countries wo= uld tackle networking fundamentals, server administration and management and core services of participating countries.

Addressing a press conference in Accra on Monday, Brigadier-General Joseph Searyoh, Director of Defence Communication and Information Systems= of GAF said this year's exercise sought to build upon the successes of previ= ous exercises, explaining that effective communications was the key to multi-national inter-operability.

"Information is the oxygen of the modern world and transcends the boundaries of every aspect of today's global society. "Our collective actions in improving the way we create, share, gain access to and use information are tearing down walls and building bridges= in fostering a greater understanding and furthering the goals we share in common," he added. Commander Britt Talbert, Director of Programmes for US Africa Comman= d said favourable testimonies from various countries had resulted in the increase in participation.

He noted that AE since its inception; had harmonised communications between nations, as well as sharing of technical expertise at minimal cos= t. Some of the participating countries are Benin, Botswana, Burkina Fas= o, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Gabon, and Gambi= a. The rest are Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Morocco, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Afri= ca, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.