AFRICOM says close cooperation with African partners essential for security

Written by Emsie Ferreira for African News Agency (ANA)

JOHANNESBURG, November 22 (ANA) – The US Africa Command has (AFRICOM) sayd that close cooperation with key bilateral partners in Africa  is essential in dealing with the security issues that continue to plague the continent.

US Air Force Brigadier General Leonard Kosinski, the director of logistics, said that the African continent is massive and the tyranny of distance is a real challenge when he met with senior African logisticians and American. troops during a multi-day trip to Djibouti, Kenya, and Ghana from November 16-21.

While in Djibouti, Kosinski accompanied several high ranking US military officials to meet with military logisticians assigned to Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa at Camp Lemonnier.

Camp Lemonnier is the only permanent and enduring forward operating site on the African continent, with approximately 4,000 US Department of Defence personnel who are engaged in security cooperation activities, contingency operations and logistics support to five combatant commands.

On the next leg of his journey to Kenya and Ghana, Kosinski discussed opportunities for streamlining combined logistics operations with senior African military counterparts, embassy leadership, and US troops in order to facilitate the distribution of equipment, personnel, and supplies to various support locations.

“Our ability to build and strengthen the logistics capacity of our African partners sets the US apart from other global powers,” said Kosinski.

“These face-to-face engagements underscore our commitment to our African partners in finding shared solutions to complex logistics issues.”