Air Force General C.Q. Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, informed reporters before arriving in Botswana on Monday for a meeting of African defence chiefs that he intends to engage with multiple regional partners during his trip, Reuters reported.
What the Air Force general said:
“I do see some opportunities. And there are countries that we’re already working within West Africa,” Brown told reporters travelling with him.
Building on those relationships may “provide opportunities for us to posture some of the capability we had in Niger in some other locations,” he added.
Brown declined to specify which countries were being considered. However, a U.S. official told Reuters that President Joe Biden’s administration has started discussions with countries such as Benin, Ivory Coast, and Ghana.
The U.S. military is unlikely to replicate its robust counter-terrorism presence in Niger soon. The loss of Air Base 201, built near Agadez in central Niger at a cost of over $100 million, is particularly significant.
Before Niger’s military coup last year, the base was crucial to the U.S. and Niger’s joint efforts against insurgents who have killed thousands and displaced millions. This base, one of two U.S. bases in the country, serves as a key drone operations centre.
A second U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that there should be no expectation of another large U.S. base or a wholesale relocation of U.S. troops from Niger to another location.
“We do not expect a large military construction announcement or a significant new base to appear anywhere,” the second official said.
Challenges amidst Africa’s political shifts
The shifting political landscape in West and Central Africa presents a significant challenge for the United States. The region has experienced eight coups over the past four years, including in Niger and its neighbours Burkina Faso and Mali.
The juntas now governing many of these countries are less inclined to collaborate with Western nations, including the United States.
U.S. law prohibits military support for governments that have come to power through coups. Consequently, these regimes are increasingly turning to Russia, which does not face similar legal restrictions.
