- US abandons governance-focused messaging for military independence push
- African Lion 2024 involved 40+ nations in largest security exercise
- Sahel accounted for 55% of global terrorism deaths in 2024
- Russia/China expand training programs while US reduces footprint
- Somalia’s army remains dependent despite sustained US air support
The United States has radically redesigned its African security partnerships through a new doctrine of military burden-sharing. During the 25th African Lion exercises in Morocco – the Pentagon’s largest training operation on the continent – General Michael Langley emphasized that regional allies must develop autonomous counterterrorism capabilities. This strategic shift replaces previous emphasis on democratic governance and economic development as antidotes to extremism.
Industry analysts note three critical drivers behind this policy change: Rising great power competition with Moscow and Beijing, congressional pressure to reduce overseas deployments, and the failure of development-focused approaches in the Sahel. Security consulting firm Control Risks reports African militaries currently receive 38% less US equipment financing than during peak engagement periods in 2018-2020.
Nowhere is the urgency clearer than in West Africa’s Sahel region, where military juntas governing Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger face expanding Islamic State affiliates. Despite hosting 73% of Africa Command’s personnel, these nations witnessed a 22% year-over-year increase in extremist attacks according to Institute for Economics and Peace data. Russian Wagner Group contractors have filled the vacuum left by departing French forces, securing mining concessions in exchange for counterterrorism support.
Somalia exemplifies the challenges of Washington’s new approach. Although US airstrikes eliminated 148 al-Shabab operatives in 2023, the Somali National Army remains critically dependent on African Union peacekeepers. “They’re improving battlefield mobility but still lack night vision gear and medical evacuation systems,” Langley acknowledged during the exercise’s closing ceremonies.
The geopolitical ramifications extend beyond counterterrorism. China has trained over 12,000 African personnel through its expansive Military Cooperation Program since 2022, often providing discounted surveillance drones. Meanwhile, Russia’s Africa Corps (Wagner’s successor) now operates in 9 nations – double its 2021 footprint. This dual pressure forces Washington to balance security disengagement with preserving intelligence-sharing networks.
Critics argue the burden-sharing model overlooks structural barriers. Most Sahelian armies field Vietnam-era armored vehicles and lack encrypted communications. “You can’t monitor militant movements across 10,000 square miles of desert with binoculars and pickup trucks,” said Beverly Ochieng, a Sahel security specialist at Control Risks. Her team’s 2024 readiness assessment found only Ivory Coast and Kenya currently meet minimum standards for autonomous counterterrorism operations.
Langley maintains the strategy acknowledges reality: “When Sudan’s civil war displaced 8 million people last year, regional partners stabilized refugee flows without US ground troops.” The general cites this as evidence that capacity-building works, though experts note Sudan received $300 million in emergency EU funding – resources unavailable to poorer Sahel states.
The Pentagon’s leaner footprint carries economic implications. Since 2022, US defense contractors have lost $1.4 billion in African revenue to Russian and Chinese firms according to Military Analytics Workshop data. However, officials argue preserving strategic influence matters more than arms sales: “We’re prioritizing drone maintenance training over selling Predators they can’t afford to operate,” a senior Africa Command advisor revealed anonymously.
