U.S. President George W. Bush's administration created the new military command for Africa (Africom) last year with the aim of bolstering security around the continent, already a major supplier of crude oil to the American market.

Since its creation, Africom has striven to correct what it says are misconceptions about its role, seeking to reassure Africans and outsiders that it will act as a stabilising partner rather than bringing the "war on terror" to new parts of Africa.

General William 'Kip' Ward said the aim of Africom went well beyond simply fighting terrorism.

"There are other threats such a piracy at sea, arms and drugs trafficking, which have a massive negative effect on populations," Ward said during a conference on conflict resolution and prevention in Mali's capital Bamako.

"Countries are asking for our assistance. It could be that that comes in the form of training, joint exercises, our logistics support," he told reporters on the sidelines of the meeting, organised by West African regional bloc ECOWAS.

U.S. officials initially talked of setting up the Africom headquarters in Africa, but local opposition to the idea of a bigger U.S. military presence led Washington to change course.

Bush said during a visit to Africa last week that the United States was not planning to build any new bases on the continent.

Some Africans feel uncomfortable about a U.S. presence they fear could lead to an increase in terrorist attacks. Others have voiced concern that Africom could be used to prop up authoritarian leaders and their governments.

Ward said U.S. military efforts to help secure the vast Sahel, a band of savannah stretching across the southern edge of the Sahara, would continue.

U.S. military experts have trained armies around the Sahel for several years as part of Washington's Trans-Sahara Counter-Terrorism Partnership.

The region is home to myriad armed groups, including nomadic Tuareg and Toubou rebels in northern Niger and Mali, members of al Qaeda's North African wing believed to be using the region for training, and cigarette, drugs and people traffickers.

"The United States and the nations of the Sahel will work hand in hand to try to control this vast region," Ward said.

"Efforts will continue as part of our training programme, to reinforce the capacity and professionalism of militaries to better control this territory. We will explore all options to improve security in the region," he said.

Speaking in Ghana last week during a five-nation Africa tour, Bush said "some kind of office" representing Africom could be located on the continent but said no decision had been taken.

A base for 1,800 U.S. troops already exists in Djibouti.