African Land Forces Summit 2026: Strengthening Security and Innovation in Rome, Italy

ROME, Italy — The U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) successfully organized the African Land Forces Summit 2026 from March 22 to 24 in Rome, Italy. This landmark event brought together land force commanders from nearly 40 African nations, partnered nations, industry representatives, and academic thought leaders to engage in critical discussions surrounding shared security challenges.

Focus on Shared Security Through Innovation

Sponsored by the U.S. Army Chief of Staff, this edition of the summit was themed “Empowering Shared Security Through Intelligence, Innovation, and Industry.” Notably, it marked the first instance in summit history where an Industry Technology Pavilion was integrated with military sessions. This unique setup allowed African defense leaders to connect directly with small technology firms and investors showcasing emerging dual-use solutions.

Significance of the Event

“The 2026 African Land Forces Summit in Rome represents a significant milestone as a U.S. Army-led forum intentionally designed to connect African senior leaders with global industry expertise,” stated Maj. Gen. Andrew C. Gainey, commanding general of SETAF-AF. He emphasized that the summit was the first to highlight dual-use technology integration along with capital investments tailored for African land forces, moving beyond traditional procurement models.

Key Discussions and Topics

Throughout the two-day summit, four plenary sessions were conducted, focusing on crucial topics such as:

• Defining the Threat in Africa (Moderated by Chidi Blyden)
• Intelligence-Driven Operations (Moderated by Dr. Daisy Muibu)
• Drone Use and Counter-Drone Use (Moderated by Dr. Nate Allen)
• Industrial Base Collaboration (Moderated by Mvemba Dizolele of the Center for Strategic and International Studies)

These sessions facilitated critical exchanges between land force commanders and subject-matter experts, covering a wide variety of topics including threats faced by African partners, strategies for intelligence sharing, tactics involving unmanned systems, and collaborative opportunities within the African defense industry.

Fostering Cooperation and Security

Maj. Gen. Gainey underscored the summit’s objective: “Our goal is to create an environment where meaningful exchanges between defense leaders, industry innovators, and investors lead to tangible cooperation, shared responsibility, and a more secure future for both America and the African continent.” This underscores the importance of international collaboration in achieving security goals.

Historic Leadership in Europe

This year marked the first time the summit was held in Europe, with previous host locations including Accra, Ghana (2025), Livingstone, Zambia (2024), and Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire (2023). SETAF-AF, headquartered in Vicenza, Italy, organized this 2026 edition on behalf of the U.S. Army Chief of Staff, highlighting the growing significance of European collaboration in African defense matters.

For more information about the African Land Forces Summit and related events, please reach out to setaf_mediarelations@army.mil or follow the conversation with #ALFS.