Politics
US seeks to rebuild ties with Sahel alliance as assistant secretary visits Mali, Nigeria, Côte d'Ivoire
July 15, 2026 at 12:57 PM
US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Frank Garcia has begun his first tour of Africa, visiting three countries including Mali, as Washington pursues renewed engagement with the Sahel states alliance.
- Garcia's visit includes stops in Nigeria, Côte d'Ivoire, and Mali to advance US security and economic interests, the State Department said.
- Garcia and Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau met with Sahel alliance ambassadors on July 1 to reaffirm US commitment to work with the alliance on the basis of mutual interests and respect for sovereignty.
- The US has been holding talks with Côte d'Ivoire to host American air equipment after losing its drone base in Niger, according to the article.
- The Export-Import Bank appointed former Pentagon official Brett Lambert as CEO of VoltCo on July 9 to lead the $12 billion "Project Volt" critical minerals storage initiative.