Rear Adm. Heidi Berg, U.S. Africa Command, director of intelligence, addresses a crowd during a U.S. Embassy hosted Women, Peace and Security Reception in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso Feb. 19. 2019 / Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Douglas Parker U.S. Africa Command

 DIPLOMATIC TIMES STAFF REPORT

U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Heidi Berg, director of intelligence, U.S. Africa Command, concluded a multiday visit to Senegal and Mali Monday, highlighting U.S. Africa Command’s continued support to African and French partners and their efforts to enhance security in the Sahel, AFRICOM reported.  During the trip, Berg met with U.S. Ambassador to Senegal Tulinabo Mushingi, who praised the collaborative relationship among the militaries and highlighted their roles in ensuring regional stability.    According to AFRICOM,   West Africa continues to counter violent extremist organizations; top threats include Jama’at Nusr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), ISIS-Greater Sahara, ISIS-West Africa, and Boko Haram. Recently, U.S. Africa Command conducted a series of exercises to test the ability of U.S. forces to deploy and operate at various locations on short notice. 

“Enhancing security in Africa requires teamwork and in-depth collaboration across intelligence and operations with our partners. Violent extremist organizations act without regard to borders. Effective operations to contain and degrade terrorism require strong international partnerships. Senegal is committed to enhancing security in the region. We work closely with our partners to bolster peacekeeping initiatives, security efforts, training, and front-line deployments with MINUSMA to combat VEOs and encourage regional stability,” 

-Rear Adm. Heidi Berg, U.S. Africa Command, director of intelligence

Rear Adm. Heidi Berg, U.S. Africa Command and Col. Jean Dieme, Senegalese director of military intelligence, exchange gifts following a senior leader exchange in Dakar, Senegal, Apr. 30, 2021. 

While in Dakar, Senegal, Berg also met with members of the Éléments Français au Sénégal (EFS), French Armed Forces in Senegal, and Col. Jean Dieme, Senegalese director of military intelligence, to reinforce the importance of U.S. Africa Command’s bilateral partnership in Senegal and multinational support to countering violent extremism in the region.

Rear Adm. Heidi Berg, U.S. Africa Command tours the aviation unit and gets capability briefing on the French EC665 Tiger multi-role combat helicopter while at the French Platform Operational Desert in Gao, Mali May 01, 2021. (Credit: africom.mil)

Berg spent two days in the French Desert Operational Platform, Gao, Mali, where she engaged with French partners and received numerous briefings to observe first-hand the capabilities of French partners in enhancing regional security. Briefings focused on counter-IED efforts in the area, demonstrated the value of intelligence sharing, and highlighted the French aviation unit.

“We continue to demonstrate our support and partnership in the Sahel to both our African and European partners in the fight against violent extremism. Our collective security cooperation and intelligence sharing with the French help degrade VEO threats and advance security in the region,” said Berg.

‘The sudden death on April 19, 2021 of Chadian President Idriss Déby Itno is creating a very dangerous vacuum in Central Africa and the Sahel. Déby, who ruled Chad for 30 years, was killed while fighting rebels trying to overthrow his government’ -Alexandre Marc  writes in artilce for brookings.edu.

UN Photo/Cia Pak)     Idriss Deby Itno, President of the Republic of Chad, addresses the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly’s General Debate. (25 September 2019)

The late Chadian president had long been considered an ally of the U.S. and France in the fight against Islamist extremists in the region.