Digital Press Briefing from the Africa Logistics and Communications Symposium, with the U.S. Department of Commerce and U.S. Department of War

MODERATOR: Good afternoon, and welcome, journalists from across Africa, to the U.S. Department of State's Africa Regional Media Hub. My name is Phillip Assis, and I'm the director of the hub. We are privileged to be joined today by Deputy Assistant Secretary Mark Mitchell from the Office of Middle East and Africa at the International Trade Administration within the U.S. Department of Commerce and by Brigadier General Paul G. Filcek, Director of Logistics at U.S. Africa Command. Please note that an earlier announcement for this call went out with Brigadier General Filcek's prior title; the correct title is Director of Logistics at U.S. Africa Command. Both of our guests are joining us from the Africa Logistics and Communications Symposium, which is currently taking place in Ethiopia.

Today's briefing is on the record, and you may quote our two guests by name and title. We will begin today's briefing with opening remarks by Deputy Assistant Secretary Mark Mitchell, and then by Brigadier General Paul G. Filcek, and then we will turn to your questions. And we'll try to get to as many of your questions as we can during the briefing.

With that, I am pleased to turn the floor over to Deputy Assistant Secretary Mark Mitchell.

MR MITCHELL: Thank you, and good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for having me here. My name is Mark Mitchell, and I serve as United States Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce overseeing the Middle East and Africa. I'm wrapping up four productive days in Addis Ababa where I joined the African Logistics and Communications Symposium, and held many valuable meetings with the Government of Ethiopia, with Ethiopian Airlines, and a number of private sector partners.

It was a pleasure to reconnect with General Anderson and to continue the strengthening of our relationship between the Department of Commerce and AFRICOM. It is a priority of mine since my first day in joining the Department of Commerce. With delegates from more than 40 countries in attendance, the African Logistics and Communications Symposium offered a truly continent-wide platform - a rare chance to put U.S. companies in front of nearly the entire whole of Africa at once. I had the chance to talk about how security underpins economic development and to meet with and promote those U.S. companies helping to deliver that security.

The Strategic Infrastructure Investment Working Group, launched earlier this year by Deputy Secretary of State Landau together with the African Union, reflects that commitment. And it's an initiative the Department of Commerce is well positioned to support going forward.

American companies, particularly in logistics and communications, offer some of the best technology and quality available anywhere. That technology helps African nations build the security and the stability that will let the projects under this working group succeed.

Being here in Ethiopia, I had the chance to see firsthand the opportunities this country holds for U.S. investors and companies. The timing of this visit was fortunate, coming just after the public-private dialogue the American Chamber of Commerce co-hosted with the Ethiopian Investment Commission last week - another step in the right direction for strengthening the business environment for U.S. companies here. By all accounts, that dialogue was a strong event, building on the reforms the Government of Ethiopia continues to advance - reforms that will open genuine opportunities for U.S. companies and further U.S.-Ethiopia development.

One personal highlight for me was my meeting with Ethiopian Airlines. My father actually flew for them many years ago. So making that connection carried special meaning. We were able to discuss the Bishoftu International Airport project, which is remarkable and very exciting as an undertaking for the company, and indeed the country.

Across agencies, the U.S. Government is committed to exploring ways to support the realization of this transformative project. And the Department of Commerce has closely engaged in pushing to secure strong United States participation.

To that end, the partnership between Boeing and Ethiopian Airlines remains a point of pride for the United States and Ethiopia. We're excited about what that airport's expansion portends for the airline's growth, meaning more Boeing aircraft powered by GE Aerospace engines in fact connecting Africa to the world further.

Finally, another highlight of my visit was Ethiopia's Artificial Intelligence Institute, where I can see real opportunity for U.S.-Ethiopia collaboration. The Department of Commerce has been tasked by the President with leading the United States Government's strategy to promote export of the American AI tech stack, and we look forward to building on our earlier conversations here, and in that regard to support Ethiopia's ambitious agenda in this space.

Altogether, my visit here has reaffirmed for me the range of concrete, growing business opportunities for U.S. companies in Ethiopia and across Africa. Events like the African Logistics and Communications Symposium are exactly the kind of platform we need to keep creating to turn these opportunities into consequential new partnerships, and the Department of Commerce is here and committed to working so closely with our colleagues at AFRICOM and other agencies across the United States Government on that mission. Thank you.

MODERATOR: Great. Thank you, Deputy Assistant Secretary Mark Mitchell. Brigadier General Paul G. Filcek, is there anything that you would like to add before we turn to our questions?

BRIGADIER GENERAL FILCEK: Yes, thank you. Greetings to all and thank you for this opportunity to highlight an amazing week on the African continent. Assistant Secretary Mitchell and I will give you two different perspectives (inaudible) role as co-host, alongside the Ethiopian ministry of defense, of the 2026 Africa Logistics and Communications Symposium. I want to express how genuinely grateful we are to the people of Ethiopia and especially the Ethiopian ministry of defense for their willingness to partner with us for this event. Ethiopia clearly prioritizes logistics and communications and the fundamental interdependence of the two. We are honored (inaudible) communications form the foundation of everything we do in military operations, but more than that, they underpin the foundations of our modern societies.

That is why we have, for the first time, deliberately combined our logistics and communications endeavors into a single conference. No amount (inaudible) if we can't move them to points of need, effectively sustain them, or communicate quickly and effectively, the technology and the systems have no value. To put it more concisely, logistics and communications are the decisive edge because they set the limits of our operational capabilities. We are proud to have made history with the magnitude of this symposium. The 40 partner nations and 27 private industry attendees are both all-time records for a USAFRICOM-co-hosted functional event.

Across the African continent we face growing and converging threats on our mutual security, safety, and prosperity, including human trafficking and a dramatic rise in illegal narcotics trafficking - now more than six times what it was just two years ago. Meeting and defeating these grave threats require cooperation, coordination, effective and reliable communications, and the ability to rapidly move people, equipment, and supplies to points of need, often over great distances and challenging conditions.

History reminds us of how difficult World War 2 vast quantities of lend-lease equipment and supplies were transported across the continent to support allies, overcoming some of the harshest terrain and longest distances on Earth. That effort succeeded only because of deliberate investment in logistics nodes, air and land routes, and exceptional communications. The same fundamental requirements remain today. We must become ever smarter with our limited resources. We need greater interoperability and increasing (inaudible) partnerships. This symposium brings together these 40 partner nations and 27 companies precisely to foster this important dialogue - not just in the sessions but in the conversations outside the rooms.

It is important to note that a central theme of this event is the powerful intersection of security and commercial investment that is the AFRICOM strategic element enabled by investments, creates stability which attracts even greater investments and drives toward prosperity. When our partners succeed, we succeed.

The story of Ethiopian Airlines is a powerful example. Almost eight decades ago, those pioneers who dreamed of something great did so while recognizing up front that success depended on much more than airplanes and pilots. Sustained success could only be assured with significant investments in maintenance, repair, overhaul, depot operations, workforce training and development, and a robust supply chain. That foresight is why Ethiopian Airlines remains the leading carrier on the continent today.

We stand in the inflection point. The digital age of expanding satellite constellations, networked drones, globally enabled communications, and accelerating artificial intelligence is rapidly changing not just warfare but the foundational structures of society. Our job is to experiment, adapt, test, learn, and move quickly to bring logistics and communications technologies and sustainment programs that actually work in African conditions.

Logistics and communications, industry partnerships, regional cooperation and interoperability - these are not the exciting aspects of defense and security, but they are the elements that ultimately determine success or failure, victory or defeat. Our intent for this African Logistics and Communications Symposium is to strengthen our partnerships, share challenges that can generate shared solutions, and cultivate investments into capabilities that will keep our nation secure and our people protected.

Thank you, and I welcome your questions.

MODERATOR: Great, thank you. Thank you, Brigadier General Paul G. Filcek. We'll now begin the question-and-answer portion of today's briefing, but please be aware that it will not be possible to answer all of your questions in the short time that we have today.

With that, our first question today will go to Fishe Media from Nigeria, who asked about competing global influence. And his question is - this is directed to DAS Mitchell - "African nations are engaging with the United States, China, the European Union, Türkiye, and Gulf States all at once. What unique value does the United States believe it brings to African partners that sets it apart from these other players?"

MR MITCHELL: Thank you for the question. It's true, African nations today have more options for global partners than ever, and that is a good thing. Here's the value proposition that I think sets the United States apart.

First, the U.S. approach is rooted in long-term enterprise-driven partnership, not one-off transactions. Our private sector invests for the long term, helping to build durable commercial ecosystems that strengthen the local institutions, they're deep in the regulatory capacity, and that expand opportunities for African firms and workers. We see this in sectors like energy, digital infrastructure, critical minerals, and logistics, all areas where American companies deliver world-class technology, transparency, and high-standard operations that reinforce resilience and good governance.

Second, the United States brings high-quality finance, trusted standards, and risk mitigation tools that help move projects from concept to bankable reality. The Department of Commerce and State are working together right now on a program called Technical Assistance for Bankable Infrastructure in Africa, which is supporting African governments to develop bankable projects that can attract U.S. participation and deliver local value. It's a model designed to empower African partners rather than create dependency.

Third, we proudly champion open, competitive, and transparent markets. Our work on commercial diplomacy, data governance, and investment partnerships with countries such as Kenya, Nigeria, Cote d'Ivoire reflect a commitment to fair regulatory environments that unlock innovation and protect sovereignty. When African nations choose U.S. partners, they gain collaborators who strengthen their capacity to negotiate effectively, diversify supply chains, and shape global standards.

And finally, the United States uniquely integrates economic, security, and technological cooperation from supporting secure digital systems - ecosystems, excuse me - to reinforcing logistics, like corridors in the Lobito, helping build the enabling environment that makes long-term commercial success possible. We don't just build projects; we build the conditions for sustainable growth. In short, our integrated approach to partnership based on mutual benefit, high standards, transparent governance, local value creation, and a long-term commitment is what distinguishes the United States in a crowded landscape of global actors.

MODERATOR: Great, thank you for that. Our next question is also from Nigeria. It goes to Brigadier General Filcek, who asks about readiness. "The symposium is all about boosting our collective readiness. How does USAFRICOM objectively assess whether African partners are genuinely becoming more operationally self-sufficient instead of just leaning more on U.S. logistical support?"

BRIGADIER GENERAL FILCEK: Thank you for that question. We are fostering lasting partnerships with significant progress acceleration through our A3I program. A3I is Assess, Advise, Advocate, and Integrate. This provides targeted and meaningful military engagement to identify and address their most urgent operational needs in order to expand their capacity to nurture independence.

This approach will increase regional interoperability and partner ties to better facilitate commercial industry investments across Africa (inaudible). Ultimately, our joint (inaudible) litmus tests, where our partners can showcase rapid improvements and we can gauge how well USAFRICOM is transitioning to supporting and advising roles.

MODERATOR: Okay, thank you for that. Thank you. Our third question goes back to DAS Mitchell, also from Nigeria, who asks: "With your extensive background in artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, how can African countries leverage AI to enhance logistics and supply chains while steering clear of over-reliance on foreign technologies and ensuring data sovereignty?"

MR MITCHELL: A very good question, thank you. The opportunity is real and fast returning. AI can transform African logistics through route optimization, through predictive fleet maintenance, demand forecasting, faster customs and border processing, all critical for a continent whose competitiveness depends on the cost and reliability of moving goods, and for knitting together the AfCFTA single market.

Sovereignty doesn't mean building the whole stack. Complete technological self-containment is unrealistic for any country, because the AI stack is too complex. Real AI sovereignty means owning and using best-in-class technology for the benefit of your people and nation, strategic autonomy alongside rapid adoption - not isolation while you try and ultimately fail to build self-sufficiency.

Keep your data yours. American companies can build large, independent AI infrastructure with secure and robust supply chains that minimize backdoor risk, plus cryptographically protect confidentiality, and world-leading security to keep sensitive logistics and trade data within your borders and under your control.

Build on the infrastructure you own, adapted to your context. When American companies build it, it's yours. Open-source models enable local training and fine tuning with linguistic and cultural adaptation, without embedded political orthodoxies. And logistics AI works to best build on local road networks, trade patterns, and local data sets and partners.

And in doing so, choose your ecosystem carefully and choose American. The real choice is not which chip or cloud to buy, but which ecosystem powers your growth for the next generation. Not every ecosystem offers the same performance, security, transparency, IP protection, commercial choice, or respect for national sovereignty. The American ecosystem does, and we win on the merits in open competition.

And finally, AI and the secure digital trade infrastructure go hand in hand. By establishing strong data governance norms, auditability, and interoperability standards, African governments can negotiate from a position of strength with the external vendors, ensuring that any AI used in ports and corridors' custom systems comply with national rules and support their long-term industrial development.

MODERATOR: Thank you. And DAS Mitchell, I understand that you need to depart for your next engagement right away in this busy symposium, so we want to thank you for joining us. We'll continue the call with Brigadier General Filcek, but we want to thank you for joining us today.

MR MITCHELL: Thank you.

MODERATOR: Sure thing. Thank you. Okay, moving right along then, we have another question for Brigadier General Filcek, which is: "What does AFRICOM gain by replacing the West Africa Logistics Conference with this broader symposium now?"

BRIGADIER GENERAL FILCEK: Thank you for that question. It's kind of an intuitive one to ask since we've done the conferences separately in the past. But in response, the easy answer is that in modern defense, logistics and communications can no longer be considered discretely. They share too many convergence points. National - or I'm sorry, natural progression would have us harmonize them as an enterprise so that they can best support each other.

Having the opportunity to talk with so many partner-nation senior logistics leaders here, I've learned firsthand some examples of crucial interdependencies, one of which is a reliable infrastructure and supply support that wholly enables leading-edge interoperable communications suites. Without the logistics, the suites simply will not perform, and without the suite, operations would not exist.

So in that (inaudible) construct, the two are inseparable. If on the first day (inaudible) forces characterize logistics as the spine and communications as the nervous system. The two are inseparable, and I don't see a point in the future at which we would ever separate them (inaudible).

MODERATOR: Brigadier General Filcek, you cut out a little bit at the end. I believe that was - were you finished with your answer to that question?

BRIGADIER GENERAL FILCEK: It depends, sir, on where I cut out.

MODERATOR: Oh, okay.

BRIGADIER GENERAL FILCEK: Did you catch the part where I (inaudible) said that I've learned firsthand the (inaudible) -

MODERATOR: Okay. Ladies and gentlemen, we - this is - we seem to have a small technical difficulty, but we are - we are switching microphones so that you all can hear more clearly Brigadier General Paul Filcek. So please just give us one second here. Thank you.

BRIGADIER GENERAL FILCEK: Hey, thank you for that. Can you acknowledge that you can hear me?

MODERATOR: Now we hear you loud and clear. Thank you.

BRIGADIER GENERAL FILCEK: Beautiful. In the interest of clarity, I think I'm going to go through the entirety of the response.

MODERATOR: Sure thing. Thank you.

BRIGADIER GENERAL FILCEK: Okay. So in modern defense, logistics and communications can no longer be considered discretely, because they share too many convergence points and inseparable interdependencies. Natural progression would have us harmonize them as an enterprise so that they can best support each other. Having the opportunity to talk with so many partner-nation senior logistics leaders here, I've learned firsthand examples of crucial interdependencies, one of which is that reliable infrastructure and supply support wholly enables leading-edge interoperable communication suites, and you cannot have one without the other. Over.

MODERATOR: Thank you for that. Great, thank you.

Okay, another question on emerging technology, this one also from Nigeria. The question is: "Beyond drones, which emerging logistics technologies - like, for example, predictive maintenance, AI-assisted supply chains, autonomous transport, or additive manufacturing - do you think will have the most significant impact on African defense capabilities in the next decade?"

BRIGADIER GENERAL FILCEK: Yeah, I particularly appreciated this question, and the answer is that nobody can tell because it's moving so fast. But I have something set aside for this crowd. The African continent provides challenges truly unique among theaters. This complicates what can be done where to what economies of scale, what economies of scope, and to what effect. The most significant advances will come through modular expeditionary capabilities - those our partners can procure incrementally at the pace of their internal or external investments that provide rapid transportability and access over vast distances and challenging conditions.

Investments in local supply chains, infrastructure, and secure trade corridors, for examples, will provide the most profound impact. And of course, all options can and should have modern aspects like predictive maintenance and targeted AI. Coincidentally, AFRICOM's A3I program uses generative AI during the advise phase to supplement analysis and provide individual partner nations their own country logistics reports. Over.

MODERATOR: Thank you for that. Thank you. And we have time for one last question that comes from the Ghana News Agency, which is that: "Ghana has long been regarded as a reliable U.S. security partner in West Africa. Are there any new initiatives or areas of cooperation with Ghana expected to emerge from the ALCS26, particularly in logistics, air mobility, or military training?"

BRIGADIER GENERAL FILCEK: Thank you for that question. Yes, that's the easy answer, is yes. Ghana is a robust partner to USAFRICOM and has already completed its initial A3I program survey and entered into the program in the advise and advocacy phase, and USAFRICOM has continual military-to-military engagements that yields significant value continuously. Over.

MODERATOR: Okay. Great. I believe that is - that is all the time we have. I realize for those of you on the call, that we were not able to get to all of the questions, but we do appreciate those of you who posed questions and joined us today. I'd like to thank our guests today. Thank you, Deputy Assistant Secretary Mark Mitchell, and also thanks to Brigadier General Paul G. Filcek for taking time out of the Africa Logistics and Communications Symposium to brief us about it.

A recording and a transcript of today's briefing will be distributed to all registered journalists. If you have any questions about today's briefing, you may also contact us at the Africa Regional Media Hub, our address is [email protected]. If you publish any articles or broadcasts from today's briefing please do share a link with us at that same email address. And I'd also like to invite you all, invite everyone, to follow us on X at our handle, @AfricaMediaHub. For our French speaking participants, please also join us at the handle @USAenFrancais.

And thank you all. I wish you a very pleasant day, and thank you, and a great success for the rest of the symposium.

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