Egyptian army chief of staff urges military cooperation among African states in Rome conference

CAIRO – 4 February 2022: Egypt’s Armed Forces Chief of Staff Osama Askar highlighted the need to boost military cooperation among African countries during the 2022 African Chiefs of Defense Conference that was held in Rome, a statement by the Egyptian military spokesman said on Friday.

Askar highlighted consensus about a strategy to achieve interests of all states in Africa during the conference, the spokesman said, adding that Askar returned home on Friday after his visit to Italy at an invitation by the commander of the US Africa Command.

The conference touched on efforts to confront traditional and non-traditional threats and challenges related to organizations and groups that seek to undermine security in Africa.

The participants also discussed a number of files of common interest, means of supporting military cooperation, as well as the transfer and exchange of military expertise among African states.

A number of Africa’s military chiefs of staff attended the conference.

In October, President Abdel Fatah El-Sisi appointed Lieutenant General Askar chief of staff of the Egyptian Armed Forces.

Askar was born in Daqahlia governorate in 1957, and graduated from the Military Academy in 1970, according to Al Ahram. He had begun his career in the infantry branch rising through the ranks until he became Commander of the Third Field Army, headquartered in Suez.

In 2015, Askar was appointed commander of the forces in Sinai, assigned as main mission combating terrorism northern the peninsula, which came into existence in tandem with January 25, 2011 Revolution. The commander is married with three children.  

MENA contributed to the reporting.