Tamale: The African Lion 2025 exercise held in Tamale has ended with a call to improve skills in security across the country. Colonel Frank Gyabi-Abrokwah, the Northern Command Operations Officer at Ghana Armed Forces, emphasized the significance of African Lion 2025 as the United States Africa Command's largest annual exercise. The exercise aimed at enhancing interoperability with partner nations and supporting US military strategic readiness to respond to crises and contingencies in Africa.
According to Ghana News Agency, the exercise was replicated in Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia from May 5 to May 16, 2025. Its objectives included enhancing the capacity, lethality, and readiness of multinational partners and strengthening cooperation to execute regional security initiatives effectively. This year's exercise in Ghana focused on academics, staff planning, intelligence training, and the Medical Civic Action Programme (MEDCAP). It aimed to train staff on the Military Decision Making Process, Joint Planning Process, Intelligence Surveillance, and Reconnaissance.
Colonel Gyabi-Abrokwah highlighted that the exercise aligned with the objectives of the Accra Initiative and operation enhance Koudanlgou. It also contributed to strengthening shared defense capabilities to address transnational threats and violent extremist groups, benefiting Ghana, African partners, and the US. He noted the imminent threat to the Sahel region and stressed the need for continued partnerships to enhance training activities for securing the northern frontiers of the country. He expressed confidence that the exercise was beneficial to all participants, anticipating mutual benefits for the Ghana Armed Forces and the United States Army.
Lt Col Obadiah Brians from the US Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, stated that African Lion 2025 involved over 50 nations and 10,000 troops conducting dynamic and collaborative training across Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia, and Ghana. The focus was on intelligence training and the Joint Planning Process, enhancing participants' understanding of planning methodologies and War fighting functions.
