RALEIGH, N.C. – The North Carolina National Guard hosted the African Military Law Forum Advisory Council at the NCNG Joint Force Headquarters April 26-28.
The conference, created by the U.S. Africa Command, brought African military legal advisers from several nations, including Botswana, one of the NCNG State Partnership Program peers, and Nigeria, Cameroon, Namibia, Burkina Faso, Uganda, Tunisia, Niger, Malawi and Burundi. NCNG attendees included U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Jeffery Copeland, the NCNG director of Joint Staff, and retired Col. Rick Fay, NCNG chief counsel.
“We are honored to have you here,” said Copeland.
The forum gave all a chance to share their expertise in international, operational, administrative and civil law.
“The forum is very important. We see how each one (national legal experts) acts,” said Maj. Gen. MPho Churchill Mophuting, Botswana Defense Force deputy commander.
These events help military legal professionals promote adherence to the rule of law, systems of accountability, adherence to the Law of Armed Conflict, observance, respect, and protection of human rights, and the importance of military subordination to civilian authority.
At the gathering, the formation of the Women’s Peace and Security component was also announced as part of the ongoing forum.
The AMLF includes dedicated African legal professionals serving in the military or working in the Ministry of Defense or Ministry of Justice.
Its goal is to bring together military legal advisers from 54 African nations to discuss legal topics of interest, propose model solutions, and exchange ideas on improving military operational adherence to the rule of law.