Madar (Bamako) - Mali's transitional president, General Assimi Goita, on Tuesday 10 November 2026 received the commander of US Africa Command (AFRICOM), General Dagvin Anderson, at Koulouba palace, the Malian news agency AMAP reported on Wednesday.
The US general is in Mali for the International Defence and Security Exhibition (Bamex), which opened in Bamako on Monday, according to the agency. The talks covered the security situation in Mali and the Sahel and prospects for security cooperation between the two countries.
After the meeting, Anderson said he had held a "very good" meeting with the Malian leader and had understood what Goita sees as a threat. "We also have a good understanding of the overall situation and we want to pool our resources to confront this threat," he said.
Noting that the United States marked the 250th anniversary of its independence this year, the general said his country understands the meaning of independence and sovereignty. "We discussed that together," he said, adding that the US had been in the same situation, which "allowed us to have a common vision on the issue, and we will work to face common challenges".
Anderson reaffirmed US support to help Mali confront terrorism, saying his country has a good understanding of how terrorism works. "That is why the conversation with President Goita was very important, because it allowed us to see how we can bring our support to Mali in this fight," he said, adding that Washington also wants to help other Sahel states in the same way.
He added that Goita was the first head of state in the Sahel region that his team had met to address the terrorist threat, AMAP reported.
