U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Michael Langley, commander of AFRICOM – U.S. Africa Command, went to Côte d’Ivoire on April 24-25, a visit viewed with increasing suspicion across parts of Africa. Particularly in neighbouring Burkina Faso where military leader Captain Ibrahim Traore has accused the United States of undermining his government.
The timing of Langley’s visit has raised eyebrows across the region, coming shortly after his controversial testimony before U.S. Congress where he identified Burkina Faso’s military government as a challenge to American interests in the region. These comments have fuelled speculation that the U.S. is taking sides in regional power struggles.
At the opening ceremony of Flintlock 25, AFRICOM’s annual combined special operations exercise, General Langley emphasised the importance of joint military exercises in “enhancing the readiness and lethality of participating forces.” He stated this increased capability is crucial for “deterring terror organisations and other malign actors operating from Africa” – language that some regional observers interpret as potentially including non-aligned military governments like Burkina Faso’s.
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The visit takes on additional significance following recent accusations from Burkina Faso’s government that a failed coup attempt against Captain Traore’s military administration was orchestrated from Côte d’Ivoire territory.
Burkinabe authorities have claimed foreign powers were involved in the plot, with some government supporters explicitly pointing to Western nations, including the United States.
During his stay, 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. Their discussions entered on “security cooperation opportunities to counter transnational threats” while emphasising Côte d’Ivoire’s position as a “security leader in the region” – language that contrasts sharply with U.S. rhetoric regarding Burkina Faso.
AFRICOM operates as one of seven U.S. geographic combatant commands and is responsible for military engagement across 53 African nations. The command’s stated mission involves countering what it terms “malign actors and transnational threats,” responding to crises, strengthening African security forces, and supporting U.S. government efforts to “advance U.S. national interests” in Africa.
Critics across the continent, particularly in countries that have recently pivoted away from traditional Western partnerships, view AFRICOM’s activities with increasing skepticism. They point to the growing divide between nations like Côte d’Ivoire that maintain close Western ties and those like Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger that have sought new security partnerships with powers like Russia.
This regional tension has been amplified by General Langley’s congressional testimony where he specifically named the military governments of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso as challenges to U.S. interests, further cementing perceptions that AFRICOM may be taking an adversarial stance toward Captain Traore’s government.
As the U.S. continues to emphasise security partnerships with countries like Côte d’Ivoire, the growing perception of American hostility toward neighbouring military-led governments threatens to deepen divisions in a region already struggling with complex security challenges.
