Africom Commander Says Continent at 'Crossroads' of Global Commerce, Security

Air Force Gen. Dagvin R.M. Anderson, commander of U.S. Africa Command, updated Congress on the security environment of the world's second largest continent during a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee in Washington today.

During his opening remarks, Anderson described Africa as a continent ascending on the world stage. However, he said it faces a precarious situation due to bad actors operating throughout the region.

"Africa sits at the crossroads of global commerce and security, bridging the strategic terrain between the Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific. It's the world's supplier of critical minerals for advanced defense systems, and home to 12 of the world's 20 fastest-growing economies," Anderson said, adding that Africa will account for a third of the global working-age population by 2050.

Despite progress across the continent, Anderson noted that terror networks throughout the region are also on the ascent.

"The epicenter of global terrorism is in Africa. ISIS leadership is African; al-Qaida's economic engine is in Africa - both of these groups share the will and intent to strike our homeland," Anderson said, adding that ISIS and al-Qaida's affiliates are now showing increased connectivity.

As an example, Anderson said a nexus has developed between al-Qaida's East African affiliate, al-Shabab, and the Iranian-sponsored Houthis - the terror group that spent two years attacking U.S. and British warships and commercial vessels in the Red Sea between October 2023 and October 2025.

As of late 2025, the State Department's foreign terrorist organization list recognizes at least 10 terror groups operating on the African continent, with six of them being ISIS affiliates.

To counter the terror threat, Anderson said Africom is prioritizing relationships with willing and capable partners throughout the region and supporting them with capabilities that only the U.S. military can provide.

"These efforts have driven ISIS leaders in Somalia underground, disrupting their command and control of the global ISIS network," he said.

However, Anderson noted that a 75% reduction in Africom's regional posture across the continent over the past decade - coupled with a drawdown of allies in the region - has led to an "intelligence black hole" for the command and its allies and partners.

"Africom's lack of expeditionary capabilities and diminished force posture compromise our crisis response. In a crisis, we can always surge assets, but you cannot surge trust," Anderson told the committee.

In addition to the terror threat Africa faces, Anderson also said that U.S. adversaries, like China and Russia, have also demonstrated malign intent toward Africa.

"China views Africa as a second continent, securing control over critical minerals and infrastructure [and] potentially boxing [the U.S.] out of resources that energize our industrial base," Anderson said.

He added that Africa currently serves as Russian President Vladimir Putin's "purse," where Russia exploits instability to extract resources - including human lives - to fuel the country's war against Ukraine.

Despite the challenges Africom currently faces - including the reduced geographical footprint in the region and funding that is a small fraction of the War Department's overall budget - Anderson said the command continues to think and operate differently, while maximizing every taxpayer dollar to deliver an outsized return on investment.

"Africom continues to leverage low-cost, high-yield activities to amplify our impact on the continent," he said.

He cited examples, such as Africom's International Military Education and Training program, which provides funds for international personnel to attend U.S. military professional training programs.

He also mentioned the success of the National Guard's State Partnership Program, which creates long-term, people-to-people ties between U.S. states, territories and the District of Columbia and partners - including African nations - supporting both military and civilian sectors.

In terms of materiel, Anderson said that Africom needs investment in nontraditional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and innovative force protection programs that enable willing and capable partners to conduct experimentation with emerging technologies, so as to be able to respond to crises at the time and point of need.

Anderson concluded his remarks on a positive note.

"Africa is a continent of opportunities, not only crises," he told the committee.

"With the continued support of this committee, I can assure you that every dollar you authorize for Africom will contribute directly to the security, safety and prosperity of the United States."