Washington — The head of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), Gen. Dagvin Anderson, has concluded the first leg of a high-level tour of Ethiopia, Somaliland and Puntland -- administrations he described as part of the Federal Republic of Somalia -- in a visit aimed at strengthening security cooperation and counterterrorism efforts.
The trip, which AFRICOM said carried a clear message against extremist groups, underscored Washington's commitment to supporting regional partners in the fight against ISIS, Al-Shabaab and other militant organizations, in line with President Donald Trump's foreign-policy directives and guidance from U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
"We came here because we share a common enemy," Gen. Anderson said. "This is a region I know well, and we are here to empower our African partners to confront these threats collectively."
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During his tour, the U.S. commander met senior officials in all three locations, with talks focused on enhancing cooperation, burden-sharing on security, and aligning regional priorities in the face of rising threats.
In Ethiopia, Anderson held meetings with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the chief of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces, Field Marshal Birhanu Jula, discussing regional stability and bilateral security ties.
In Somaliland, he met President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi "Cirro" in Hargeisa, according to AFRICOM's statement, and held talks with military leaders before traveling to Berbera to assess the strategic importance of the port and its security environment.
In Puntland, he was received in Garowe by Vice President Ilyas Osman Lugatoor and security officials, praising Puntland's ongoing operations against militant cells hiding in the Golis Mountains.
"As we confront growing security threats -- including the rise of extremist activity in East Africa, the Sahel and West Africa's coastal states -- joint cooperation is more crucial than ever," Anderson said. "Working together, we can help build a safer and more prosperous future for the United States, for Africa and for generations to come."
Washington has described Africa as a region vital to global security and to the defense of U.S. interests, stressing that deeper security partnerships remain a cornerstone of its engagement on the continent.
