Two Army officials take part in the conference on new 21st century challenges of the Conference of American Armies

Two Army officials from Spain have taken part in the conference on new 21st century challenges that the National Colombian Army in Bogotá organized within the framework of the Conference of American Armies (CAA) from Sept. 19th to Sept. 23rd.

The CAA is an international military organization founded in in 1960 as a forum to exchange ideas and experiences among American Armies. There are 20 Armies as members, 5 Armies as observes, and 2 military organizations as observers. This time, 14 Army-members’ delegations have participated, one observer Army, and the 2 observer military organizations besides the Spanish delegation that has been invited as a guest to take part in this conference.
 

Currently, the 2016-2017 CAA 32nd Series (chaired by the Chief of Staff of the US Army) are being put into practice with activities related to the contribution and role that the CAA Army-members play within agencies’ operations as a response to the emerging challenges to defend America. All the countries’ differences in terms of abilities, functions, and legal framework will be taken into account.

The CAA runs every 2 years during which different activities related to a specific matter (chosen by the Chiefs of Staff of the Army-members) take place: workshops, virtual or on-site meetings, technical conferences, exercises, etc. The conference in Bogotá was chaired by General Mejía, chief of the National Army. General Chinn, chief of US Army South and General Secretary of the CAA was also attending.

Outlined conferences: given by the US Army, Lt. Col. Anderson, on the threads to his country; given by Dr. Valdés on logic and dynamic of organized crime in Mexico; and given by Dr. Elis, Professor and researcher of the Army War College (Carlisle, Pennsylvania) on organized armed groups in the US. The attendees were divided into work groups to prioritize and analyze the main threats that the American continent faces.