US AFRICOM, the USA military command in charge of operations in Africa has reported a six-fold increase in security threats, including narcotics and human trafficking, across Africa over the past two years.
During the 2026 Africa Logistics and
Communications Symposium, Brigadier General Paul G. Filcek highlighted that these converging threats jeopardize mutual security and prosperity.
He noted: “We are now lacing those two together because of the critical importance and symbiotic relationship of those warfighting functions. We have a record of industry participation for an event of this scale, which enables us to come up with scalable solutions for effect across the entire continent.”
General Dagvin R.M. Anderson emphasized the strategic necessity of supply chains and communication lines to counter regional instability, stating: “No matter what weapons or future technology you buy, if you can’t sustain it and you can’t get it to the battlefield, it doesn’t matter.
The path to independence is sustainment and logistics.”
To strengthen regional resilience, the US introduced a technical assistance program for bankable infrastructure, naming Nigeria, Kenya, and Côte n as key partners to attract investment and foster stability. Additionally, the command utilizes its A3I program to assess partner readiness and capacity for regional interoperability.