The senior United States (US) military representative in Africa, Marine Corps General Michael Langley, underlined the continent’s strategic importance when he delivered the Africom (US Africa Command) 2025 posture statement to the Senate Armed Services Committee earlier in April.
“Everything we do has one overarching goal in mind: achieving peace through strength,” Langley said during his opening remarks. “This requires three things – a clear understanding of national security threats, a robust and dependable network of like-minded allies and partners and appropriate resourcing to match military requirements.”
In an assessment of the terrorist threat in and to Africa he told committee members there is a persistent and growing risk to regional and global security from violent extremists including ISIS, which according to him is directing global operations from Somalia and al-Shabaab.
“Left unchecked, they will have a direct effect on the [US] homeland.”
On the goals and intents of what he termed “strategic competitors” in Africa, Langley said the Chinese Communist Party seemed intent on using Africa to become the global hegemon while the Russian Federation is seizing the opportunity created by chaos and instability.
“To protect our homeland and United States interests we must deter these nations and their malign actors from their goals on the African continent.”
On tools the command needs to be effective, Langley said Africom “continues to leverage security co-operation as a primary tool to build operational independence among African partners”. Additionally, exercises such as Flintlock, African Lion and Obangame Express “enhance military readiness, promote interoperability and reinforce bilateral and multilateral relationships across all domains”.
“As a posture-limited theatre, we establish strength and work towards peace by enhancing the security capabilities of our African partners through a robust system of alliances. Exercises, training events, security co-operation and foreign military sales programmes are the backbone of our military activities on the continent,” Langley said.
He wrapped up his testimony stressing the importance of capabilities such as airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance as well as counter-unmanned aerial systems in counterterrorism efforts. The command, he said, “seeks to match these capabilities against current and emerging threats to ensure the security of our forces while advancing American interests.”
Africom is one of 11 US Department of Defence combatant commands with an area of responsibility covering 53 African states, more than 800 ethnic groups, over a thousand languages, vast natural resources, a land mass over three times the size of the continental US and nearly 19 000 miles (30 577 km) of coastline. Working alongside its partners, the command counters transnational threats and malign actors, strengthens security forces and responds to crises, Africom said.
