Côte d’Ivoire and the United States have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening security cooperation during high-level talks held on the sidelines of the 2026 edition of Flintlock, the annual special forces exercise organized by US AFRICOM.

Ivorian Vice President and Minister of Defense Téné Birahima Ouattara met on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, with U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for West Africa Richard Michaels during a working visit in Abidjan.

The Ivorian official, accompanied by Fidèle Sarassoro, placed shared security concerns at the center of discussions and reaffirmed Côte d’Ivoire’s commitment to maintaining strong bilateral relations with the United States.

Both sides expressed a common willingness to intensify cooperation in order to better anticipate and respond to emerging threats, including terrorism, maritime piracy, and various forms of transnational trafficking.

The Flintlock exercise, launched in 2005, is the largest annual special forces training initiative led by US AFRICOM. It aims to strengthen collaboration, counterterrorism capabilities, and regional security coordination among African and Western partner nations.

The 2026 edition is being hosted in Côte d’Ivoire for the second consecutive year, underscoring the country’s growing role in regional security efforts.