Neal Kringel, Director of the Africa Operations Team within the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, U.S. Department of State

Neal Kringel, Director of the Africa Operations Team within the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, U.S. Department of State, addressed IED Program students on the evolution of challenges in Africa. Mr. Kringel, who joined the Department of State in 2011 after a distinguished 27-year career in the U.S. Air Force as a Navigator and Africa foreign area officer, discussed U.S. policy objectives in Africa and cited examples patterns of violence, specifically the larger trend of armed groups exploiting disenfranchised populations in border areas neglected by central governments. He identified several practical approaches for addressing the violence: building new alliances, bridging borders, focusing attention and resources on conflict, and amplifying voices of change. Finally, he concluded with specific examples of work currently being carried out in several African countries and discussed the possibilities for future developments.