Led by the US Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), Exercise Justified Accord 2026 involving three East African countries and 12 other partner countries ended on Friday 13 March following weeks of intensive training and field exercises.
The exercise, rated the largest in the US Africa Command (Africom) roster, saw about 1 500 military personnel building readiness, deepening partnerships and strengthening regional security, a SETAF-AF statement has it. Headquartered in Kenya, Justified Accord stretched across borders into Djibouti and Tanzania.
The exercise is designed to strengthen co-operation and advance regional security by enabling partner-led security operations against shared counter-terrorism threats. It serves as a premier innovation hub in East Africa to validate new technologies in austere environments, SETAF-AF said.
“The true strength of Justified Accord lies in our partners taking the lead. This exercise embodies the principle of burden sharing, creating a powerful, partner-led security network capable of shouldering the responsibility for a stable and prosperous East Africa,” US Army Lieutenant Colonel Jason Fernandez, Justified Accord branch chief assigned to SETAF-AF, is reported as saying.
In Kenya, activities focussed on enhancing joint command and control, including a multinational live fire exercise, a command post exercise integrating special operations and conventional forces, air-to-ground integration and defensive cyber operations centred in Nairobi and Isiolo.
In Tanzania, the focus was on readiness, global force projection and joint readiness for crisis response. The exercise featured a bilateral field training exercise on jungle warfare and counter-improvised explosive devices (CIED), alongside a medical readiness exercise to support local communities and increase US medical readiness.
Justified Accord was also an opportunity for the US National Guard State Partnership Programme to show its worth. This saw the Massachusetts National Guard continue its decade-long partnership with Kenya, leading complex kinetic training, while the Nebraska National Guard built on its new partnership with Tanzania, focusing on expeditionary medical and ground force readiness.
Kenya Defence Forces reports Justified Accord 2026 as an exercise to strengthen inter-operability among partner nations, prepare forces to address complex security challenges as well as foster collaboration in peace support and crisis response operations.
Participation in academic planning sessions, simulated operational environments and co-ordinated field exercises strengthened communication and tactical cohesion among multinational partners according to the East African defence force.
Field exercises in Isiolo focused on tactical skills, demolition procedures and safe handling of unexploded ordnance. Emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, were incorporated into operational planning and decision-making processes.
Beyond military training, Justified Accord 2026 was part of socio-economic development through humanitarian civic assistance initiatives. Activities including free animal healthcare services and a medical camp at Larisoro Centre reinforced civil military co-operation (CIMIC) and strengthened trust between participating forces and local communities.
Justified Accord is the largest annual multinational training exercise in East Africa.
