Military chaplains gather for West African Religious Affairs Symposium in Ghana

Military chaplains and religious affairs personnel from the United States and ten African nations have convened in Accra, Ghana, for the West African Religious Affairs Symposium (WARAS), which launched on July 14, 2026. Co-hosted by U.S. Africa Command and the Ghanaian Defense Force, the three-day event seeks to enhance regional alliances by prioritizing the spiritual readiness and emotional well-being of military service members.

Participants in this significant gathering include representatives from Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Togo. The U.S. military is also represented, with personnel from the State Partnership Programs of several states, including California, the District of Columbia, Michigan, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

“Spiritual resilience is a foundational pillar of overall force readiness,” said Chaplain (Col.) Kevin Forrester, command chaplain at AFRICOM. The symposium facilitates the exchange of crucial strategies among West African partners to navigate the unique challenges faced in military operations. Topics under discussion include moral injury, the complexities of theodicy, mutual religious support capacity, and leadership development.

Subject matter experts from partner nation chaplaincies are leading these strategic exchanges, focusing on areas such as post-traumatic stress disorder, ethics, ministry in combat, and family care.

Through initiatives like WARAS, AFRICOM emphasizes its dedication to strengthening relationships with African partners. By empowering military chaplains to promote ethical leadership and spiritual resilience, the U.S. and its allies aim to create a more unified front against shared threats and uphold regional stability across the continent.

Please note, this is a developing story and DefSec Wire will provide updated reporting as more information is obtained from our sources.