U.S. Department of Defense

06/05/2025 | News release | Distributed by Public on 06/05/2025 14:09

Africom Strategy Focuses on Burden Sharing, Protecting U.S. Homeland

U.S. Africa Command's approach aligns with the National Defense Strategy and guidance from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, said Africom's commander, Marine Corps Gen. Michael Langley, during an interview yesterday at the Pentagon.

Africom
Marines conduct communication checks during Exercise African Lion 25 in Tan Tan, Morocco, May 23, 2025. African Lion is the largest annual military exercise in Africa, bringing together more than 50 nations, including seven NATO allies and 10,000 troops, to conduct realistic, dynamic and collaborative training in an austere environment that spans multiple geographic and functional combatant commands.
Share:
×
Share
Copy Link
Email Facebook X LinkedIn WhatsApp
Download: Full Size (1.53 MB)
Credit: Libby Weiler, Army
VIRIN: 250523-A-KU938-3666K

That approach, he said, prioritizes counterterrorism, and in particular, terrorists who have a propensity to attack the U.S. homeland.

His second priority is countering China's military encroachment on the continent, noting that there are many shared interests globally on the continent of Africa, with like-minded nations having mutual goals with the United States.

Africom
A Utah National Guard soldier examines a boy's eyesight with equipment during the medical readiness Exercise African Lion 2025 in Anzi, Morocco, May 21, 2025. African Lion is the largest annual military exercise in Africa, bringing together more than 50 nations, including seven NATO allies and 10,000 troops, to conduct realistic, dynamic and collaborative training in an austere environment that spans multiple geographic and functional combatant commands.
Share:
×
Share
Copy Link
Email Facebook X LinkedIn WhatsApp
Download: Full Size (1.83 MB)
Credit: Libby Weiler, Army
VIRIN: 250521-A-KU938-9360K

Langley said that while the security and stability mission will be African-led and, to a degree, U.S.-enabled, "We need to do a sharing of the burden in providing stability and security on the African continent with our African partners as well as allies."

The commander encourages African nations to assist one another, both bilaterally and multilaterally, in combating the growing terrorist threat. Nations across the Maghreb in northern Africa are of particular concern to allies and partners due to mass migration and terrorism.

Africom
Senegalese marine commandos board a Dutch-flagged cargo ship during Exercise Obangame Express 2025, May 15, 2025. Obangame Express is one of three regional maritime exercises led by U.S. 6th Fleet as part of a comprehensive strategy to provide collaborative opportunities to African forces and international partners to address maritime security concerns.
Share:
×
Share
Copy Link
Email Facebook X LinkedIn WhatsApp
Download: Full Size (1.63 MB)
Credit: Navy Chief Petty Officer John Pearl
VIRIN: 250515-N-YS140-1028K

Protecting strategic choke points is vital for global trade and freedom of navigation, Langley said. These include the Strait of Gibraltar, the Mediterranean Sea area between Sicily, Tunisia and Libya, the Suez Canal and the Bab el-Mandab Strait.

He said the National Guard State Partnership Program is especially helpful to Africom. The program, which began in 1993, aligns U.S. states with African nations. Globally, the guard partners with 60% of the world's nations to foster trust, build capacity and increase resilience, thereby strengthening national security and U.S. interests abroad.

"There's nothing that compares to the State Partnership Program," he said. "They're building institutional capacity across African countries and deepening partnerships through training and exercises. Competitors can't match that."

Africom
A Senegalese special forces sailor leaps from a Senegalese air force Mi-17 helicopter into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Senegal during Exercise Obangame Express 2025, May 15, 2025. Obangame Express is one of three regional maritime exercises led by U.S. 6th Fleet as part of a comprehensive strategy to provide collaborative opportunities to African forces and international partners to address maritime security concerns.
Share:
×
Share
Copy Link
Email Facebook X LinkedIn WhatsApp
Download: Full Size (1.02 MB)
Credit: Navy Chief Petty Officer John Pearl
VIRIN: 250512-N-YS140-3035K

Langley added that there are nations not in that program who want to be, so he expects it to expand.

Despite successes in some parts of Africa, he said other parts are concerning, noting the conflicts and terrorist activities in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, Somalia and other nations across the Sahel.

Langley stated that diplomacy is key in resolving these issues, and the Southern African Development Community, along with other African entities, is actively participating in these efforts.

Spotlight:U.S. Africa Command
Spotlight:African Lion
Spotlight:Bull Shark
U.S. Department of Defense published this content on June 05, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on June 05, 2025 at 20:10 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at support@pubt.io