U.S.Africa meeting in Botswana highlights shifting geopolitical influence in Africa

U.S. Marine Corps General Michael Langley, Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff General Charles Brown, and head of NATO’s Military Committee Dutch Admiral Robert Bauer attended one of the largest meetings between Western and African military chiefs in Botswana in late June. The meeting marked a significant moment in the U.S.' strategy to reassert its influence in Africa, countering Russian and Chinese involvement on the continent.

In the last week of June, U.S. Marine Corps General Michael Langley, Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff General Charles Brown, and head of NATO's Military Committee Dutch Admiral Robert Bauer traveled to Botswana for one of the largest meetings between Western and African military chiefs.

As the high-profile meeting unfolded, U.S. service personnel began packing up one of the Pentagon's most important bases in Niger. By July 7, the U.S. Air Force confirmed the pullout was complete, and a second base would close by August. The region has seen a series of coups linked to Russian interests since 2021.

The meeting in Botswana's capital Gaborone included representatives from 34 African nations, targeting enhanced U.S.-Africa military relations amid escalating geopolitical competition from Russia and China. The U.S. aims to curb Russian and Chinese influence by rebuilding alliances and investing strategically across the continent.

(With inputs from agencies.)