defenceWeb
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Africom commander Stephen Townsend.
General Stephen Townsend, Commander of the US military’s Africa Command (Africom) briefed Congress on future threats and opportunities in Africa as well as the importance of US engagement as part of the command’s annual Posture Statement.
Testifying before the House Armed Services Committee on 20 April, Townsend spoke alongside Acting Under Secretary of Defence for Policy Amanda Dory and the US Central Command commander, US Marine Corps General Frank McKenzie, Jr.
“Historically, America has not been penalized for underestimating the importance of Africa,” Townsend said during his opening remarks. “Today, we can no longer afford to underestimate the economic opportunity and strategic consequence Africa embodies, and which competitors like China and Russia recognize.”