The largest joint military exercise in Africa by the United States, known as "African Lion," concluded on the 23rd. In his closing speech, General Langley, the commander of the US Africa Command, called on African allies to enhance their self-defense capabilities and take on more counter-terrorism responsibilities, reflecting the US's position that allies should assume greater security responsibilities.

According to the US newspaper Stars and Stripes, this year's "African Lion" exercise brought together forces from over 40 countries, training to respond to various land, sea, and air threats, as well as operating drones and mastering close combat. While it maintained the format of previous exercises, the overall message shifted to emphasize the importance of allies' self-defense capabilities.

In his closing address, Langley urged allies to actively strengthen their defense and operational capabilities with American assistance. In interviews, he acknowledged that the Pentagon's priority is to ensure the security of the US homeland, while also supporting global allies in enhancing their security defense capabilities to share the responsibility of safeguarding regional and global peace and stability.

Just a year ago, Langley had emphasized the US's "whole-of-government approach," stating that the fight against terrorism in Africa cannot rely solely on military means but requires strengthening partner nations' governance and cooperating to address worsening climate change issues.

This strategic shift aligns with the overall foreign and security policies of the Trump administration, which has repeatedly urged the international community to take on more security responsibilities and has not ruled out reducing defense spending in certain regions. The US has invested significant resources and personnel over the years to ensure the safety of the African continent against threats such as the expanding Chinese military training programs, increasing Russian mercenary forces, and terrorism.

As the US potentially cuts defense spending in certain areas, there are concerns that terrorism may take advantage of the lack of sufficient operational capabilities among many African allies, further raising the region's security risks.