US reviewing future of military command in Africa
Washington's Africa military command (AFRICOM) has announced plans to reassess its presence on the continent, as countries increasingly rethink defense ties with the West and shift alliances.
AFRICOM commander General Michael Langley told reporters in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, on Tuesday, that he had already discussed the matter with several African defense ministers and heads of state.
'I've talked to a number of ministers of defense and a few presidents and told them we were assessing,' Langley said, according to Reuters.
'That's what I tell them… if we're that important to [you], you need to communicate that and we'll see,' he added.
The move follows reports in the US media that President Donald Trump's administration is considering merging AFRICOM with Washington's European Command in Stuttgart, Germany, citing potential efficiencies.
AFRICOM was established in 2008, ostensibly to consolidate US military efforts on the continent and offer a response to growing security concerns, including Islamist insurgencies. However, its influence has declined in parts of Africa.
Washington had previously insisted on finding a way to maintain its military presence in the region despite being ordered to remove its forces from significant areas, including key Sahel states – Niger and Chad.
Last September, the Pentagon completed the withdrawal of assets and approximately 1,000 troops from a $100 million base in Niger, following a request by the West African country's government, whose military leadership cited the contingent's failure to curb jihadist militants in the Sahel.
The US Department of Defense also withdrew around 70 personnel from an air base near N'Djamena, the capital of Chad – America's only military site in the country – after receiving a similar request from Chadian authorities.
Despite recent setbacks, Reuters quoted Langley as saying that the US continues to maintain some intelligence-sharing arrangements with military regimes in the Sahel and is exploring 'other ways to continue to stay engaged.'
France has also been forced to withdraw from Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali, as the governments in those countries pursue alternative alliances, including closer ties with Russia.
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