The United States is drawing back its military presence in Africa and is calling on Africans to take charge of their own security.
General Michael Langley, head of U.S. Africa Command, recently announced a strategic pivot toward building partner self-reliance, reducing direct U.S. involvement in regional security.
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This includes a planned withdrawal from key bases, such as the $100 million drone facility in Niger, completed on July 7, 2025, following the junta’s order to remove American troops.
“We need to be able to get our partners to the level of independent operations. There needs to be some burden sharing,” said General Michael Langley, the top U.S. military commander for Africa, in an interview with the Associated Press.
*We have our set priorities now-protecting the homeland we’re also looking for other countries to contribute to sor these global instability areas,’ Langley added.
Similarly, U.S. forces are exiting Chad, where a letter from the Chief of Air Staff hinted at ending security agreements, signaling a broader retreat from the continent.
This pullback comes amid growing Russian and Chinese engagement. Russia has expanded its presence through the Wagner Group, now known as the Africa Corps, providing security support and resource access in countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Sudan.
African nations are now increasingly turning to Moscow for rapid security assistance, often viewing it as less intrusive than Western demands for democratic reforms.
China, through its Belt and Road Initiative, has invested over $182 billion in loans across 53 African nations since 2001, focusing on infrastructure like ports and railways, and securing strategic minerals critical for its energy transition.