Mogadishu (Dawan Africa) – General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, the new commander of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), held meetings in Mogadishu with Somali, U.S., and African Union officials, in what both AFRICOM and Villa Somalia described as efforts to strengthen military cooperation on Wednesday.
AFRICOM said in a social media post that this was Gen. Anderson’s first visit to Somalia since assuming command. The trip, according to the statement, aimed to “reaffirm U.S. commitment to security and regional stability.”
Villa Somalia also confirmed the meeting, stating that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud hosted Gen. Anderson and U.S. Ambassador Richard H. Riley at the presidential palace. According to the presidency, the discussions focused on enhancing bilateral security cooperation and what it described as “Somalia’s commitment to advancing regional stability with international partners.”
No joint communique was issued, and independent details on the substance of the discussions remain limited.
The visit comes at a critical moment for Somalia’s security landscape, as U.S. military involvement in the country continues through drone strikes, logistical support, and training of specialized Somali units such as the Danab Commandos.
In July, AFRICOM reported conducting nine airstrikes targeting Islamic State fighters in the Cal Miskaat mountains of Puntland. The United States has also continued aerial operations against Al-Shabaab in southern and central Somalia.
General Anderson replaced Gen. Michael Langley as head of AFRICOM earlier this year. His tenure begins as the United States maintains what analysts describe as a strategic footprint in the Horn of Africa.
