U.S. General Dagvin Anderson, Commander of AFRICOM, recently visited Benin and Cameroon to reinforce the need for stronger security partnerships in Africa.
During his trip, he warned that without increased vigilance and coordinated action, the continent could become the next “hotbed of a 9/11-like threat.”
From September 16 to 20, General Anderson met with high-ranking officials in both countries, including presidents and defense ministers. The discussions focused on shared challenges like terrorist threats from the Sahel, maritime piracy, and military capacity building.
According to Anderson, security cooperation with West African coastal nations is essential. AFRICOM aims to support regional solutions by providing training, equipment, and resources to strengthen local armed forces. He emphasized that the nature of terrorism has changed and requires a more unified response.
The general’s tour, his first since taking command, comes as the U.S. views Africa as the epicenter of a rapidly evolving terrorist threat. Both Benin and Cameroon face active security challenges: Cameroon is battling Boko Haram in the Lake Chad region, while northern Benin is regularly targeted by the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM).
AC/Sf/fss/abj/APA