LUANDA, Angola
The United States will continue to support “civilian-led” militaries in Africa, its defence chief said on Wednesday, censuring a series of recent coups as he outlined Washington’s security strategy in the continent.
During a trip to Angola,
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Africa needs militaries that serve their
citizens and not the other way round.
“That will remain a core
principle of America’s engagement with our African partners,” Austin said in a
speech in the capital, Luanda.
“So we will continue to invest
in professional, civilian-led militaries… And we’ll be candid with our partners
when their security institutions fall short of those universal standards.”
Austin did not name any
country, but his comments appeared to be a clear reference to Niger, where
military leaders overthrew a democratically elected president in July and the
US has about 1,100 military personnel.
“When generals overturn the
will of the people and put their own ambitions above the rule of law, security
suffers,” he said, decrying “autocrats” who “undermine free and fair
elections”.
Earlier this week, Austin said
the US would “evaluate” its next steps on the Niger crisis after France
announced a full troop withdrawal as demanded by the military leaders.
Austin was in Angola on the
last leg of a three-country tour, including stops in Djibouti and Kenya, aimed
at “strengthening partnerships” on the continent, where China and Russia have
enjoyed rising clout.
Niger is among several nations
to have undergone coups since 2020, along Burkina Faso, Guinea, Gabon and Mali.
The latter has since pivoted
towards Moscow, bringing in mercenaries from the Wagner group.
“Africa deserves better than
autocrats selling cheap guns, pushing mercenary forces like the Wagner Group,
or depriving grain from hungry people all around the world,” Austin said, in a
reference to the Kremlin.
In Luanda, he met President
Joao Lourenco and said Washington would deepen cooperation with the country “on
military modernization, training, maritime security, and medical readiness.”
The visit, the first by a US
Secretary of Defense, underscored Angola’s diplomatic shift towards the west
under Lourenco.
One of the largest oil
exporters in Sub-Saharan Africa, the country long held close ties to China and
Russia.
Its ruling party was supported
by the Soviet Union in the civil war against US-backed rebels.
“Over the past few years,
America’s relationship with Angola has taken huge strides forward,” Austin
said.
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