The Africa Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS) is self-described as "a U.S. Department of Defense institution established and funded by Congress for the study of security issues relating to Africa and serving as a forum for bilateral and multilateral research, communication, and exchange of ideas involving military and civilian participants.

"[1] It is a Regional Center of the National Defense University, which describes it as "[supporting] United States foreign and security policies by strengthening the strategic capacity of African states to identify and resolve security challenges in ways that promote civil-military cooperation, respect for democratic values, and safeguard human rights.

It is the site of the Lincoln assassination conspirators trial, which took place in a makeshift courtroom on the third floor...which had held the penitentiary laundry.

However, engagement with Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia is shared with the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies.

In addition, the Regional Offices fostered strong working ties with African defense, military, and civic leaders to advance common policy objectives.

Their outreach mission was transferred to the main campus in Washington, D.C. Based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, EARO promoted bilateral dialogue through continuous engagement with the African Union (AU), the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD), the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), Ethiopian International Institute for Peace and Development, the European Union, African Military Attachés Association, EASBRIG, African Standby Forces, and the U.S. Mission to the AU.

Based in Dakar, Senegal, ROWA developed outreach strategies and proposals to address issues such as security sector governance and civil-military relations both at national and regional levels.