The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) has said strengthening military chaplaincy and religious partnerships across West Africa is aimed at improving troop resilience, fostering regional cooperation and supporting stability in increasingly complex security environments.

Speaking during a digital press briefing from the West Africa Religious Affairs Symposium (WARAS) in Accra, Ghana, AFRICOM Command Chaplain, Colonel Kevin Forrester, said the three-day gathering brought together military religious leaders from 10 West African countries to deepen cooperation and promote religion as a force for peace and stability.

According to him, the symposium comes at a time when partner militaries across the region are confronting growing security challenges that require not only operational readiness but also attention to the spiritual and moral well-being of service members.

Forrester said religion remained a significant influence across African societies and that military chaplains were uniquely positioned to foster ethical leadership, resilience and trust within armed forces.

“This symposium simply brings these religious leaders together to broaden their cooperation and commitment to use religion as a unifying force for peace and stability,” he said.

He stressed that the initiative was not intended to export an American model of military chaplaincy but to encourage collaboration while respecting the diverse religious traditions represented across participating countries.

“The symposium is pluralism in action. We aren’t here to impose the United States model. We are here because we deeply respect the diverse, pluralistic nature of these nations,” Forrester added.

He noted that one of the major outcomes expected from the symposium was stronger institutional cooperation among military chaplaincies, which would enhance interoperability and improve support for troops across the region.

AFRICOM Religious Affairs Senior Enlisted Leader, Sergeant Major Herinah Asaah, said military chaplaincy was evolving beyond its traditional role.

According to her, participants agreed that the most effective approach was to “meet service members where they are,” including through responsible use of technology and digital platforms without sacrificing face-to-face engagement.

“The chaplaincy is rapidly evolving from a traditional, reactive, desk-bound role to an active, mobile presence in both physical and digital spaces,” Asaah said.

She explained that several participating countries shared experiences of using technology and social media to maintain contact with personnel deployed in remote locations, while continuing to prioritise personal interaction.

Asaah, who was born in Cameroon, said understanding the religious and cultural realities of West African societies was essential to building resilient military forces.

She also highlighted the importance of reducing the stigma surrounding requests for emotional and spiritual support, saying military leaders were increasingly encouraging personnel to seek assistance before routine stress developed into a crisis.

Forrester added that African partner nations were demonstrating innovation in overcoming geographical and infrastructure challenges by developing secure digital applications that enable confidential communication between chaplains and deployed troops.

“They are actually teaching us something about the value of how to reach your formation when you can’t easily get to them when it’s most needed,” he said.