The US Department of Defense is working with the State Department to establish a US military presence in coastal West Africa to partner with countries there in a more significant way, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said on Wednesday.
“This is an important area [coastal West Africa], and we are working with State [Department] currently to address those places that you mentioned, and potentially develop the capability to have a presence there and partner in a more significant way with a couple of those countries, and that network is ongoing now,” Austin said during a Senate Committee on Appropriations hearing.
Washington and Niamey recently began discussions for the “orderly withdrawal” of US servicepeople based in Niger. The military pullout was initiated in March after a Nigerien military spokesperson said the country’s transitional government, which took power in a coup last July, had terminated the military agreement with the US with immediate effect, citing the interests of the Nigerien people.
Peoplesmind