The US has brought together defence chiefs from 40 African countries.
A meeting is taking place in Germany at the headquarters of the United States Africa Command - or AFRICOM - which was set up 10 years ago.
Its mission is to foster "security, stablity and prosperity".
It says it wants to help in the fight against armed groups such as Boko Haram, al-Shabab and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS).
But critics are questioning Washington's motives.
Presenter: Laura Kyle
Guests:
Reuben Brigety - Dean of the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University and former US Ambassador to the African Union.
Martin Ewi - Senior researcher in the International Crime in Africa Programme at the Institute for Securtity Studies.
Rose Jackson - Senior policy adviser at the Secure Partnerships Initiative at Open Society.
