AFRICOM Raises Alarm Over Sixfold Surge in African Drug Trafficking

The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) has alerted international stakeholders to a rapid rise in illicit narcotics trafficking across the African continent, reporting that drug movement has increased more than sixfold over the past two years.

Speaking during a virtual media briefing at the 2026 Africa Logistics and Communications Symposium in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, AFRICOM Director of Logistics Brig. Gen. Paul Filcek highlighted the threat alongside other transnational crimes, including human trafficking. Filcek emphasized that countering these challenges requires enhanced regional cooperation, modern communications, and robust logistics systems to rapidly deploy security personnel across vast distances.

The symposium, co-hosted by AFRICOM and Ethiopia’s Ministry of Defence, brought together representatives from 40 African partner nations and 27 private enterprises. Discussions focused on integrating artificial intelligence, networked drone systems, and satellite networks into defense operations to optimize route planning, predictive maintenance, and border security across the continent.