The United States of America and African countries have synergised to deepen cooperation in logistics and trade to strengthen supply chains, expand commercial opportunities and support economic development across the continent.

U.S. officials made this known at the 2026 Africa Logistics and Communications Symposium (ALCS26), hosted by the U.S. Africa Command in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Wednesday.

The digital press briefing was titled, “Forging Partnerships, Driving Innovation and Enhancing Collective Readiness.”

The deputy assistant secretary of Commerce overseeing the Middle East and Africa, Mark Mitchell, said security underpinned economic development and created opportunities for U.S. companies helping to deliver security solutions.

“American companies, particularly in logistics and communications, offer some of the best technology and quality available anywhere.  

“That technology helps African nations build the security and the stability that will let the projects under this working group succeed,” he said.   

Mr Mitchell said the U.S. government was committed across agencies to explore ways to support the realisation of the “transformative project.”

He added that the Department of Commerce had closely engaged in securing strong U.S. participation.

“The partnership between Boeing and Ethiopian Airlines remains a point of pride for the United States and Ethiopia,” he said.  

Also, Director of Logistics at U.S. Africa Command, Brig.-Gen. Paul Filcek, spoke from his perspective as co-host of the 2026 Africa Logistics and Communications Symposium alongside Ethiopia’s Ministry of Defence.

“Ethiopia clearly prioritizes logistics and communications and the fundamental interdependence of the two. We are honored communications form the foundation of everything we do in military operations, but more than that, they underpin the foundations of our modern societies,” he said. 

He added that the organisers were proud to have made history with the scale of the symposium, noting that the participation of 40 partner nations and 27 private industry attendees were records for a U.S. Africa Command-co-hosted functional event.

Asked about U.S. Africa Command’s efforts to help African partners become more operationally self-sufficient, Mr Filcek said the continent faced growing and converging threats to its mutual security, safety and prosperity.

He added that it included human trafficking and a dramatic rise in illegal narcotics trafficking now more than six times what it was just two years ago.