United States Africa Command

The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) is a U.S. government military organization, established by President George W. Bush on February 6, 2007, with initial operations starting October 1, 2007, and full operational status on October 1, 2008. Headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, it is one of 11 unified combatant commands of the U.S. Department of Defense, responsible for military operations, exercises, security cooperation, crisis response, and countering transnational threats across 53 African nations (excluding Egypt) and surrounding islands. Key activities include building partner capacity, humanitarian assistance, and conducting airstrikes against groups like al-Shabaab and ISIS-Somalia, as seen in recent 2026 operations in Somalia. Notable achievements encompass harmonizing U.S. efforts in Africa previously split among multiple commands, fostering regional stability, and maintaining an active presence with components like U.S. Army Africa and U.S. Air Forces Africa. AFRICOM remains fully operational, advancing U.S. national interests through partnerships.