WASHINGTON, D.C. –
Vice Chairman Spokesperson Major Joshua J. Pena provided the following readout:
U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Christopher J. Mahoney, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, delivered a virtual keynote address from the Pentagon to launch the 2026 African Chiefs of Defense Conference (ACHOD) in Luanda, Angola. Mirroring the opening charge from Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Gen. Mahoney urged the gathered senior military leaders to engage in frank, direct dialogue to address the highly interconnected, multi-domain, and transnational threats facing the continent. He emphasized that because modern adversaries—including violent extremist organizations and trans-national criminal organizations—operate across fluid borders, partner nations must move beyond polite formalities and actively build unified, connected response networks to safeguard regional stability and enable long-term economic prosperity.
To effectively counter these evolving threats, Gen. Mahoney outlined a strategic framework for future defense investments centered on three critical pillars: shared awareness, trusted information, and practical innovation. He highlighted the power of shared awareness by commending the Kenyan maritime forces for their successful execution of Operation Bahari Safi, which intercepted over 1,000 kilograms of methamphetamine through seamless regional and international coordination. Addressing the digital battlefield, the Vice Chairman identified the information domain as "key terrain," warning that foreign-linked disinformation networks are actively exploiting local grievances to destabilize governments. He argued that military leaders must defend the truth as fiercely as physical borders, which requires treating information operations as a core warfighting capability rather than a secondary public affairs concern.
Cautioning against the pitfall of pursuing hardware-centric innovation without the necessary human integration, Gen. Mahoney defined "practical innovation" as the deliberate pairing of technology with empowered field operators and robust logistics. He cited joint and combined exercises like African Lion as the ideal venues to test, maintain, and refine these capabilities before deployment. Gen. Mahoney reaffirmed the United States' unwavering commitment to an "African-led, partner-enabled" security framework built on mutual respect and shared benefit. Reminding the delegation that enduring economic growth is impossible without stable ground, he called on every commander in attendance to collaborate closely over the three-day conference to hold that ground together.