U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Michael Langley, commander of U.S. Africa Command, traveled to Côte d’Ivoire, April 24-25, to meet with Ivorian leaders and deliver remarks at the opening ceremony of Flintlock 25, the command's annual combined special operations exercise.
At the opening ceremony, General Langley highlighted the importance of joint exercises like Flintlock in enhancing the readiness and lethality of participating forces. He emphasized that this increased capability is crucial for deterring terror organizations and other malign actors operating from Africa.
Later, Langley and U.S. Ambassador Jessica Davis Ba met with Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Defence Téné Birahima Ouattara and Chief of Defence Staff Lt. Gen. Lassina Doumbia. The leaders discussed security cooperation opportunities to counter transnational threats and emphasized Côte d’Ivoire’s role as a security leader in the region.
AFRICOM is one of seven U.S. geographic combatant commands, responsible for military engagement across 53 African nations. Working with partners and allies, the command counters malign actors and transnational threats, responds to crises, strengthens African security forces, and supports U.S. government efforts in Africa to advance U.S. national interests and promote regional security, stability, and prosperity.