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AFRICOM’S STILL UNDEFINED FUTURE
DEC 6, 2011 - 9:39PM PST
by Philip Seib
When the United States Africa Command – AFRICOM – was created in 2007 and was formally activated the following year, many considered it to be the epitome of “smart power” – a carefully blended mix of hard and soft power. Like other U.S. military commands, it would possess formidable combat capability, but its signature ingredient was a soft power component. To the dismay of some civilian officials who saw their role being usurped, AFRICOM was defining itself in terms of conducting diplomacy and development as well as traditional military duties. A career diplomat was appointed deputy to the commander for civil-military activities, and the commander, General William “Kip” Ward said, “AFRICOM recognizes the essential interrelationship between security, stability, economic development, political advancement, [and] things that address the basic needs of the peoples of a region….” The structure and goals of AFRICOM reflected the mandate issued by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, who said that “the overall posture and thinking of the United States armed forces has shifted away from solely focusing on direct American military action, and toward new capabilities to shape the security environment in ways that obviate the need for military intervention in the future.” That this new role was to be tested in Africa seemed to make sense. With Africa’s strategic importance increasing and with little apparent need for a significant U.S. combat presence there, AFRICOM could presumably display its softer side and enhance relations between the United States and Africa. As it turned out, that was not to be. Africans were suspicious of U.S. intentions, as a survey of English-language African press quickly found. The dominant view was that AFRICOM was just a manifestation of neo-colonialism – a heavy-handed attempt to stake a claim to Africa’s increasingly sought-after natural resources – and so was decidedly unwelcome. Given this reaction, AFRICOM headquarters remained in Stuttgart, Germany and the command kept a low profile on the continent. U.S. military activity in the region was at first limited, emanating mainly from a base in Djibouti that concerned itself primarily with terrorist threats emanating from nearby Yemen. But although “soft” operations such as providing medical assistance moved forward, demands for pure military muscle also increased. In 2011, American troops were dispatched to Uganda to assist the fight against the Lord’s Resistance Army. More significantly, AFRICOM led the initial stages of the intervention in Libya that contributed to Muammar Qaddafi’s downfall. There was nothing soft about these ventures: in Uganda, U.S. Special Operations troops on the prowl; in Libya, air strikes, cruise missiles, and enforcement of a no-fly zone. So, what happened to the soft side of AFRICOM? Abiodun Williams1 observed that “public diplomacy is too important to be left entirely to civilian agencies, particularly as the actions of the U.S. military critically affect the way other countries and their citizens view the United States.” Could the military not handle public diplomacy tasks? Long-term answers to such questions are yet to be formulated, and these matters need to be addressed at…... FULL TEXT
AFRICOM - African Coverage
Africa: Critics Target U.S. Military Command
(African Path, 3 Jun 2008)
Streamlining the image of the command is proving every bit as demanding as putting personnel and equipment in place, however. Controversy has surrounded AFRICOM on both sides of the Atlantic since the start of the initiative, and appears unlikely to fade any time soon.
TPDF Officers Participate in Military to Military Peace Keeping Operations Lessons Learned Workshop
(Embassy of the United States in Tanzania, 28 Apr 2008)
Two military officers of the Tanzania Peoples Defence Forces (TPDF) are in Ghana for a U.S. Department of Defense sponsored workshop.
Africa: What is Africom Really About?
(Fahamu (via allAfrica.com), 28 Mar 2008)
One participant provides notes and commentary of the "Transforming National Security: Africom--An Emerging Command" conference organized by the Center for Technology and National Security Policy at the National Defense University in Virginia, February 19-20, 2008.
Nigeria: In Guns They Trust
(Vanguard (via allAfrica.com), 7 Mar 2008)
One Nigerian writer questions Foreign Minister Ojo Maduekwe's statement that Nigerians are in far greater danger rejecting AFRICOM than accepting it.
Stars and Stripes
(http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=58842, 16 Nov 2008)
Those are some of the same places where many Africans have been leery of the United States and its heightened strategic interest in the continent, exemplified by its new military command, the U.S. Africa Command. In Africa, apprehension abounds about what America seeks to accomplish with AFRICOM. That it’s all about oil and military domination are among the suspicions...Could the good will from Obama’s election rub off on the military? And will a new administration mean new missions for AFRICOM in hot spots, such as Darfur?
War on terror's hidden front
(Chicago Tribune, 18 Nov 2008)
AFRICOM represents a stunning shift in U.S. military doctrine, despite its relatively modest start-up cost of nearly $400 million. It reflects mounting concerns like those outlined just last week by the director of the CIA, Michael Hayden, who warned that North Africa and Somalia are now second only to Pakistan's tribal areas as growing Al Qaeda threats...Many African governments complain that their own security worries aren't linked to international terrorism, but to more basic challenges of political stability. They also fear that the U.S. military's surprising new interest in Africa—even with its gentler, kinder face—masks a hidden agenda to secure the continent's increasingly valuable natural resources, oil foremost among them.
Al Jazeera English To Air Appeal For Gaza Relief
(The Peninsula, 1 Feb 2009)
Al Jazeera English has pledged to run public service announcements on UK prime time on Al Jazeera English in support of the appeal of Disasters Emergency Committee’s humanitarian aid initiative for the victims of Gaza hostilities. The channel will not charge any sum for the service. The announcements started running on January 26 and were aired to the citizens of United Kingdom and in many countries across the world. Al Jazeera English reaches an estimated audience of over 130 million households.
The Trouble with Africom
(Toledo Blade, 26 Feb 2009)
Based on the debacles in Somalia and the Congo, the Obama Administration should look closely at Africom and ask whether it is needed in a time of limited resources.
AFRICOM Commander visits Senegal
(Afrique en ligne, 23 Jun 2009)
General William Ward, commander of the US Command for Africa (AFRICOM), will begin a three-day visit to Senegal from Thursday, the US Embassy informed PANA here on Tuesday.
Africa: Africom - Making Peace Or Fuelling War
(AllAfrica.com, 23 Apr 2009)
Arguing that shaping a new US security policy will require more than a mere move towards more active diplomacy, Volman and Minter underline the importance for the US of striving for an inclusive approach encompassing joint action.
Is Obama following in the disliked footsteps of Bush in East Africa?
(The East African, 29 Jun 2009)
It seems clear that the Obama administration intends to further develop the Africa Military Command (Africom) established during Bush’s tenure. Johnnie Carson, the new assistant secretary of state for African affairs, told a Washington forum last week that “Africom isn’t going away.”
Goals for AFRICOM: Stop Extremists and Narcotics Trade
(Somaliand Press, 1 Jul 2009)
Recently General Kip Ward the Commanding Officer of the Highly Controversial US African Command (AFRICOM) gave an Interview to NPR (National Public Radio). Some of the Statements made by General Ward indicate that there is some major concern in Washington over Events currently unfolding in Africa.
Africa: U.S. Military Edging Out Diplomacy - Report
(AllAfrica.com, 18 Aug 2009)
A combination of leadership shortcomings and inadequate funding is undermining US diplomacy in Africa, an internal State Department review has found. "Embassy platforms are collapsing under the weight of new programmes and staffing without corresponding resources to provide the services required by new tenants and requirements," warns the report issued last week by the department's inspector general.
American African Command; (AFRICOM): Western Self-Serving Interests Or African Security?
(Nigeria Exchange News, 1 Sep 2009)
America's establishment of the so-called African Command should be seen for what it is. This is America's self-interested armada of protection for America, and her allies. As Africa have steadily and increasingly become more important, playing the role for Westerners, as repository of energy resources which powers the engine-rooms of Western economies.
Obama Escalating Military Activity in Africa
(Allafrica.com, 28 Aug 2009)
In May 2008, the United States Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, hosted "Unified Quest 2008," the army's annual war games to test the American military's ability to deal with the kind of crises that it might face in the near future. "Unified Quest 2008" was especially noteworthy because it was the first time the war games included African scenarios as part of the Pentagon's plan to create a new military command for the continent
U.S. Africa Command Digs in, Plans to Give More Aid to Amisom
(AllAfrica.com, 26 Jul 2010)
The United States military command for Africa (Africom) is gaining acceptance on the continent and is planning to increase its support for the African Union force in Somalia, the command's leader said last week.
CDS visits US Africa Command in Germany
(Ghana News Agency, 2 Jun 2011)
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), Lieutenant General Peter Augustine Blay, has paid a five-day official visit to the headquarters of United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) in Stuttgart, Germany.
Libya outcome central to Sahel security
(Magharebia, 17 Jun 2011)
This is AFRICOM's remarkable activity. For the first time, we are seeing a regional command from a foreign country engaging in dialogue with African states. This is an attempt to undertake a certain kind of public diplomacy, to see the idea that at the end of the day, AFRICOM is not a tool for domination.
A better loo for Africa’s poor? Gates giving $42M in hopes of cleaner, more efficient toilet
(The Washington Post, 19 Jul 2011)
At the AfricaSan Conference in Kigali, Rwanda, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced $42 million in grants to encourage innovation in the capture, storage and repurposing of waste as an energy resource. The foundation is focusing on toilets and sanitation, in part, because it’s the least attractive part of world development.
US Africa Command offers Nigeria military assistance
(Defense Web (South Africa), 18 Aug 2011)
The United States military Africa Command (Africom) is ready to offer assistance to the Nigerian military, according to Africom commander Carter Ham, as the country faces a growing number of internal and external security threats.
Security threat called AFRICOM
(New Era (Namibia), 1 Sep 2011)
The author correctly argues that AFRICOM, in undermining state sovereignty, will “alter the regional balance of power, and be divisive and destabilizing…It would undermine the unity and collective decision-making.” AFRICOM was to be located in Africa, General Ward probably plans to locate it in countries such as Botswana and Namibia with pro-western leadership.
Africom's Message Evolving, but Mission Unchanged
(World Politics Review, 20 Sep 2011)
The war in Libya and the activities of three Africa-based Islamist groups have raised questions about whether Africom may be shifting from its initial posture of projecting soft power to one of managing a hot theater. However...while Africom's public affairs posture may now be in flux, the command's core mission of growing African capabilities to meet African security challenges has not changed.
AFRICOM - International Coverage
Into Africa: Bush Initiatives That Deserve Continuing Support
(The Heritage Foundation, 31 Oct 2008)
AFRICOM is an important step forward in U.S.-Africa relations. Although poorly "rolled out," diligent efforts to explain the command's objectives would substantially reduce criticism. AFRICOM leadership, together with State Department and Agency for International Development, must affirm the need for balance between diplomacy, development, and defense and clearly emphasize that AFRICOM in not a militarization of U.S. foreign aid. AFRICOM's role as capacity builder in partnership with African militaries and the proposed AU African Standby Force should be highlighted.
AFRICOM Boosts Public Relations Efforts - PART 4 of 5
(VOA, 26 May 2008)
AFRICOM planners say the Command will make Africa more secure, especially through U.S. training of African militaries. But security analysts argue that AFRICOM is failing to convince the African public, media and civil society groups that the Command will ultimately benefit Africans.
U.S. Civil Military Imbalance for Global Engagement: Lessons from the Operational Level in Africa
(Refugees International, 17 Jul 2008)
This report describes how the increased militarization of U.S. foreign aid is complicating the achievement of American foreign policy goals in Africa. The report recommends that the US Africa Command, or AFRICOM, remain focused on security sector and peacekeeping capacity building, rather than hunting terror suspects under a thin mantle of humanitarianism when it becomes fully operational in October 2008.
AFRICOM: Rationales, Roles, and Progress on the Eve of Operations
( Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs, 15 Jul 2008)
Testimony Before the Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, House of Representatives from: Ms. Theresa Whelan, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for African Affairs,
Office of the Secretary of Defense, U.S. Department of Defense; Ambassador Mary C. Yates, Deputy to the Commander for Civil-Military Activities, U.S. Africa Command; Maj. Gen. Michael A. Snodgrass, Chief of Staff, U.S. Africa Command; Ms. Lauren Ploch, Analyst in African Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division, U.S. Congressional Research Service; and Mr. John Pendleton, Director, Force Structure and Defense Planning Issues, U.S. Government Accountability Office.
Preliminary Observations on the Progress and Challenges Associated with Establishing the U.S. Africa
(Government Accountability Ofice (GAO), 15 Jul 2008)
This testimony is based on the preliminary results of work GAO is conducting for the Subcommittee on the establishment of AFRICOM. GAO analyzed relevant documentation and obtained perspectives from the combatant commands, military services, Joint Staff, Department of State, USAID and non-governmental organizations.
U.S. Africa Command Trims Its Aspirations
(The Washington Post, 1 Jun 2008)
The U.S. Africa Command, designed to boost America's image and prevent terrorist inroads on the continent, has scaled back its ambitions after African governments refused to host it and aid groups protested plans to expand the military's role in economic development in the region.
AFRICOM's Regional Engagement: Designing the Right Mix of Authorities, Resources, and Personnel
(American Diplomacy, 13 May 2008)
AFRICOM's ability to execute its unique charter is dependent upon having regional offices with the requisite authorities and personnel to obligate DOD resources in support of other government agencies, IOs, and NGOs.
AFRICOM Halts HQ Plan; Will Phase in Staff
(Stars and Stripes, 4 May 2008)
The U.S. Africa Command has shelved plans to build a new headquarters on the African continent in favor of placing staff there as needs arise.
Nigeria, US Ties May Chart AFRICOM Path
(ISN Security Watch, 2 May 2008)
Amid opposition to AFRICOM, Nigeria is pushing a different vision of military partnership that could make US troops less visible but still effective.
AFRICOM Expo Attracts Businesses Eager To Get In On The Development
(Stars and Stripes, 2 May 2008)
Coverage of the AFRICOM/Business Transformation Agency exposition where participants were hoping to do business with U.S. Africa Command and other agencies once the new military command gets up to full speed.
US Anti-Terror Report Cites Potential Al-Qaida Link to African Insurgencies
(VOA, 1 May 2008)
The State Department’s annual terrorism report says al-Qaida operatives pose serious regional threats to African countries, but that, as a new funding source, AFRICOM might be part of the solution.
U.S. Reaches Out In Africa Al Qaeda Fight
(CBS News, 1 May 2008)
American soldiers are training Ugandan soldiers to combat terrorists, preparing them to go to Somalia to fight Islamic insurgents so the U.S. doesn't have to.
AFRICOM's History of US-Africa Relations: A Lesson in Oversight
(The Weave, 24 Apr 2008)
AFRICOM's chronology of U.S.-Africa relations provides an interesting look at the U.S. Government's understanding of history in the region. It may not be the history one would expect.
AFRICOM Is Historic Step in U.S.-Africa Relationship
(America.gov, 23 Apr 2008)
Claudia Anyaso, director of the Office of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs for Africa at the State Department, makes the point that AFRICOM, is “history in the making” and, like the creation of the Africa Bureau at the U.S. Department of State 50 years ago, it is a vital step in an ever closer relationship between the United States and Africa.
An Overview of AFRICOM: A Unified Combatant Command
(Department of State, 22 Apr 2008)
The text of Ms. Anyaso's speech at the WIIS-US Army War College AFRICOM Conference.
U.S. Must Keep Military Presence in Africa, State Dept. Official Tells MSU
(The Michigan Citizen, 14 Apr 2008)
Deputy Secretary of State Jendayi Frazer says that AFRICOM is also meant to support what she says is a recent increase in economic stability and the emergence, at times through violent struggle, of a political consensus.
US General Says No Plans for Africa Command HQ in Africa
(VOA, 11 Apr 2008)
The head of the new U.S. military command for Africa says the United States has no plans to move its headquarters to an African location once it becomes a full-fledged command in October.
U.S Military Expands Role in West Africa
(The Christian Science Monitor, 11 Apr 2008)
The activities of Africa Partnership Station, both onboard and onshore in West Africa, reveal the shape of future US military relations with Africa.
Americans Go A-Wooing
(The Economist, 10 Apr 2008)
Military meets public relations as the U.S. military travels West Africa to persuade suspicious African governments to welcome America's planned Africa Command (AFRICOM.)
U.S. Africa Command: Challenges and Opportunities
(Heritage Foundation, 21 Mar 2008)
More than just an administrative change, AFRICOM was the direct result of Africa's increasing strategic importance to the U.S. and represents responsible officials' recognition that the U.S. can no longer address the region's unique security concerns by splitting responsibility among three independent combatant commands.
Statement of General William E. Ward
(House Armed Services Committee, 13 Mar 2008)
Statement of General William E. Ward, USA Commander, United States Africa Command before the House Armed Services Committee [PDF]
Africa Command: U.S. Strategic Interests and the Role of the U.S. Military in Africa
(Congressional Research Service, 10 Mar 2008)
Updated periodically, the CRS provides a comprehensive look at the creation and establishment of AFRICOM.
U.S.-African Partnerships Evolve Ahead of New Command
(PressMediaWire, 28 Feb 2008)
While AFRICOM may gain the most attention as it works to establish itself through key partnerships, other instances of current U.S.-African partnerships often are overlooked.
Geldof and Bush: Diary from the Road
(TIME Magazine, 28 Feb 2008)
Bob Geldof chronicles his trip through Africa with President Bush and highlights questions regarding a future U.S. military presence.
AFRICOM: DOA or in Need of Better Marketing? No and Yes.
(MountainRunner.us, 25 Feb 2008)
Concerns that AFRICOM hasn't been thought out or is unnecessary aren't supported by the actions and statements of those charged with building this entity. However, based on the poor marketing of AFRICOM, these concerns are not surprising.
Militarizing Africa (Again)
(Foreign Policy in Focus, 21 Feb 2008)
The Pentagon claims that AFRICOM is all about integrating coordination and “building partner capacity.” But the new structure is really about securing oil resources, countering terrorism, and rolling back Chinese influence.
Bush's Africa Burden
(Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb 2008)
A sensible U.S. effort to promote stability on the continent may be undermined by using the military to spearhead it.
Bush Comments Spark Debate on AFRICOM in Liberia
(VOA, 20 Feb 2008)
The Liberian government is expressing its support for hosting the AFRICOM continental headquarters, but security analysts are wondering about such a command's usefulness.
Bush: No New US Bases in Africa
(AFP, 20 Feb 2008)
US President George W. Bush states that the United States has no plans to build new military bases in Africa, amid concerns on the continent about a new AFRICOM command.
Implementing AFRICOM
(American Diplomacy, 12 Feb 2008)
One of the Foreign Service's most experienced Africa specialists assesses the Pentagon's new Africa Command and finds there will be issues, but they can be managed, and it will be "up to U.S. ambassadors in the field to guide all these new boots into careful paths."
US African Foreign Policy Evaluated
(Daily Trojan, 12 Feb 2008)
Coverage of the USC conference on the United States' new military operative in Africa stresses the importance of taking a supporting rather than a dominating role in African foreign policy.
AFRICOM Threatens the Sovereignty, Independence and Stability of the African Continent
(National Conference of Black Lawyers, 16 Jan 2008)
The National Conference of Black Lawyers (NCBL) concludes that the mission of Africa Command (Africom) infringes on the sovereignty of African states due to the particularity of Africa’s history and Africa’s current economic and political relationship to the United States.
Into Africa Without a Map
(The Washington Post , 10 Jan 2008)
The Pentagon has established a new command for the African continent, known as AFRICOM, but it doesn't yet have a plan for where it will be based or even a clear statement of its role- it's a headquarters in search of a mission.
U.S. Africa Command: A New Paradigm
(Military Review, 2 Jan 2008)
One military analyst explores possibilities by analyzing AFRICOM’s origins, timing, strategy, and composition as well as the early challenges that will confront the nascent command.
Mission, not Location, is AFRICOM's Goal, Deputy Tells Reporters in New York
(AFRICOM Public Affairs, 6 Dec 2007)
The U.S. Africa Command is focused on creating a staff of specialists to develop long-term relationships with African militaries, not on establishing presence on the African continent or responding to immediate crises.
Why AFRICOM Has Not Won Over Africans
(CSIS Africa Policy Forum, 27 Nov 2007)
The main reasons for Africa’s generally negative reaction to AFRICOM may lie in Washington, not in Africa, one scholar says.
Say No to Africom
(The Nation, 20 Nov 2007)
With little scrutiny from Democrats in Congress and nary a whimper of protest from the liberal establishment, the United States will soon establish permanent military bases in sub-Saharan Africa- an alarming step forward in the militarization of the African continent.
America's Africa Misadventure
(WorldPress.org, 6 Nov 2007)
When debating AFRICOM, that the United States must engage with Africa is not in question; what causes controversy is the mode and nature of its engagement.
The Next Frontier
(The Atlantic, 2 Nov 2007)
The creation of AFRICOM, the U.S. military's new Africa Command, offers the hope of steady, low-key progress in the war on terror. It also provides a way for the United States to deal with a rising China.
US Africa Command: Aid Crusader or Meddling Giant
(Reuters, 1 Oct 2007)
The U.S. military presents its new Africa Command (AFRICOM) as a helping hand offering aid and training to the world's poorest continent, but many Africans fear it could bring double trouble to a conflict-racked region.
Geostrategic Shift
(editorial by Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), 3 Aug 2007)
Pentagon planners are quietly reconfiguring the U.S. military presence in a region that is rich in oil, susceptible to Islamist terrorists, and is gaining strategic attention worldwide. It's not Iraq, but the African continent. Done right, this development should be welcomed, not feared.
Africa Command: Opportunity for Enhanced Engagement or the Militarization of U.S.-Africa Relations?
(House of Representatives Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health, 3 Aug 2007)
Text of the House of Representatives hearing featuring testimony by Michael E. Hess, Stephen D. Mull, Theresa M. Whelan, Mr. Kurt Shillinger, Wafula Okumu, and J. Peter Pham.
The Americans Have Landed
(Esquire, 2 Jul 2007)
A few years ago, with little fanfare, the United States opened a base in the horn of Africa to kill or capture Al Qaeda fighters. By 2012, the Pentagon will have two dozen such forts- thanks to the Pentagon's new Africa Command.
AFRICOM Dialogue
(The AFRICOM Blog, 25 Jun 2007)
A clearinghouse of the U.S. Africa Command's senior leader's updates on issues important at AFRICOM.
AFRICOM: Joined-up Geographic Command or Federal Business Opportunity
(Reuters, 23 Jul 2008)
As an African enjoying the privilege of living in the USA while working for Refugees International on issues of peace and security in my home continent, I have followed the evolution of AFRICOM closely. And I believe that AFRICOM is step in the right direction, because it promises to make U.S. security policy toward Africa more coherent and to focus more sharply on building partner capacity for the maintenance of peace and security. However, AFRICOM stepped off on the wrong foot, in terms of public diplomacy, and is at risk of remaining off balance in its actual program delivery.
Congress Challenges AFRICOM
(Foreign Policy in Focus, 23 Jul 2008)
In mid-July, Congress held a hearing on the progress of the new AFRICOM planned to become fully operational in October. Chairman John Tierney (D-MA) and at least five other members of the Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs of the House Oversight Committee expressed stern skepticism and borderline anger at the expansion of the U.S. military in Africa.
U.S. Foreign Aid: More Guns Than Butter
(AlterNet, 5 Aug 2008)
Scheduled to become fully operational October 1, 2008, the new Africa Command, known as AFRICOM, is developing at a time when the Pentagon controls an increasing share of foreign aid that used to be directed by civilian agencies. U.S. soldiers have stepped in to fill the breach left by the diminishing capacity of the State Department and USAID. They are doing everything from building schools to mentoring city councils, often in situations where they don't know the language and are unfamiliar with the culture. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates himself has admitted that this arrangement is "no replacement for the real thing -- civilian involvement and expertise."
RIP, AFRICOM?
(Wired blog network, 11 Sep 2008)
If steep Congressional cuts to Africa Command, aka AFRICOM, hold -- and if the command can't make its purpose clearer to skeptical Congresscritters -- then the newest regional command may be dead before it ever really gets started.
United States Experiments with African Command
(Policy Innovations, 29 Oct 2008)
AFRICOM is intended to model changes within the U.S. military called for by Thomas Barnett and others, incorporating lessons learned in Iraq and Afghanistan and embracing the notion of a "whole-of-government" approach. The new emphasis is on "Phase Zero"—operations that are designed to prevent violent conflicts through the coordination of humanitarian, public diplomacy, and capacity-building efforts.
Northcom, Africom and Other Threats
(Black Agenda Report, 29 Oct 2008)
The real purpose and function of Africom remain unclear but what is no mystery is that whatever Africom is up to, the mission has begun and the governmental and civilian voices of dissent in Africa and the US have been unable to stop it.
Africa Command Tackles Traffickers in First Drill
(Wired News, 12 Nov 2008)
Flintlock 2008, a joint military exercise that kicked off last week in Bamako, Mali, marked the first deployment for the CV-22 Ospreys of U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command. It is also the first military exercise overseen by U.S. Africa Command, which was formally activated last month.
‘To do’ List for the First Global President
(Daily Nation, 22 Nov 2008)
The state department should be the lead agency in providing backing for US support for African development because the defense requirements of African countries needs to be clearly distinguished from those of the US, and those can only be reconciled through bilateral diplomacy...I hope President Obama will rethink Africom, the new US military command focused on Africa. There is a new and proper emphasis these days on human security which certainly includes physical security as well as economic and social well-being, political freedom and democratization.
The Pentagon Is Muscling In Everywhere: It's Time To Stop The Mission Creep
(The Washington Post, 20 Dec 2008)
One can also see the Pentagon's growing muscle in the recent creation of the U.S. military command for Africa, known as Africom. This new command supposedly has a joint civilian-military purpose: to coordinate soft power and traditional hard power to stop al-Qaeda and its allies from gaining a foothold on the continent. But Africom has gotten a chilly reception in post-colonial Africa.
US Africa Command Will Not Handle Piracy Area
(Voice of America, 23 Dec 2008)
The Pentagon said the new U.S. military command for Africa will not have responsibility for security in the Gulf of Aden, where pirates have been menacing merchant ships. Three months after fully establishing Africa Command, the U.S. Defense Department published its first map outlining the borders of the command's responsibilities. As expected, the official map shows Africa Command has responsibility for U.S. military activity throughout the continent except for Egypt, which remains part of Central Command's area.
TRANSCRIPT: Remarks Presented During Conference on Evolution of African Militaries
(United States Africa Command, 11 Feb 2009)
The following remarks were delivered by David H. Shinn, adjunct professor for George Washington University, Elliott School of International Affairs, during a conference on "The Evolution of African Militaries," February 7-8, 2009, co-hosted by U.S. Africa Command and the U.S. Department of State.
Shoring up Relationships with Africa
(San Diego Union Tribune, 19 Feb 2009)
A new Army program intended to boost contacts with African military forces, sends soldiers to the Rwandan capital of Kigali to teach Rwandan troops the skill of loading a military cargo aircraft.
The Freedom Agenda as Foreign Policy: Lessons for the New Administration
(Foreign Policy Journal, 9 May 2009)
In contrast to gallons of ink spilled on theories of democracy promotion and critiques of the Bush Doctrine, this essay considers the Freedom Agenda as foreign policy and assesses the results of the implementation of this constellation of discrete policies.
African Command Working To Counter Terrorism
(NPR (audio), 24 Jun 2009)
In the last 20 months, the U.S. military has set up a command focused on Africa. It's known as Africom and the operation is led by Gen. William Ward. Part of Africom's mission is to promote peace and security on the continent.
Politics-Africa: Critics Target U.S. Military Command
(Inter Press Service, 2 Jun 2009)
Streamlining the image of the command is proving every bit as demanding as putting personnel and equipment in place, however. Controversy has surrounded AFRICOM on both sides of the Atlantic since the start of the initiative, and appears unlikely to fade any time soon.
On The Edge Of A Fiasco In Central Africa
(The Post Chronicle, 3 Mar 2009)
When Operation Lightning Thunder was first launched after the LRA Leadership refused to sign a Peace Deal
that took two years to negotiate there were calls for the African Military Forces to get help from outside sources. One of the sources that Activists demanded to help the Ugandans and their Allies was AFRICOM.
No silver bullet for Somalia problems
(The Boston Globe, 15 Apr 2009)
Moreover, the Africa Strategic Command, which was launched during the Bush administration, must be fully embraced and given new marching orders by the Obama administration. Although the key to our engagement in the region must be diplomatic, there is clearly a military aspect to some the challenges.
AFRICOM Building Research Center
(Stars and Stripes, 15 Jun 2009)
A social science research center is under development at U.S. Africa Command headquarters, where researchers from the academic world are being recruited to help map the complicated human terrain on the African continent.
U.S. Navy Expanding African Port Surveys
(Stars and Stripes, 4 Jun 2009)
Examining additional African ports now makes sense with the United States expanding its presence in areas around Senegal, Liberia, Cameroon and elsewhere, Gabriel said. "The simple reason is as we build our relationships with African nations, part of that cooperation and engagement is sending a ship in to visit."
AFRICOM’s $6 Billion Fiasco in Djibouti
(Online Journal, 15 May 2009)
The USA African Command (AFRICOM) is building their new African megabase in the tiny Horn of African country of Djibouti. The first phase is costing $2 billion, according to reports, and eventually another $4 billion will be spent. This latest expansion of USA imperial might, this time on African soil, is turning into a fiasco for the Pentagon and US State Department.
Re-Packaged AFRICOM Still Not Good for Motherland
(Final Call News, 1 Jul 2009)
Increased attention on the White House Africa policy came ahead of President Barrack Obama's first trip to the continent as head of state, initially to Egypt in June and then Ghana in July. Africa policy has been a source of concern of analysts since the first days of Obama's administration mostly over the U.S. African Command (AFRICOM), an initiative started by former President George W. Bush, the U.S. Department of Defense and led by four-star General William “Kip” Ward.
Envoys Resisted Arrival of Pentagon Africa Command, Report Says
(Bloomberg, 14 Aug 2009)
Africom, led by U.S. Army General William "Kip" Ward, seeks to nurture defense ties with 53 African nations. There continues to be some public and considerable internal debate about the wisdom of military funding of U.S. developmental and public diplomacy activities in Africa, according to the inspectors' report.
AFRICOM To The Rescue
(Strategy Page, 9 Sep 2009)
Earlier this year, the U.S. donated $9 million worth of vehicles, weapons and equipment to enable a battalion of the Tanzanian Army to join the peacekeeping force in Darfur (western Sudan).
Stop "Crimes Against Humanity and Geological Scandals": Give AFRICOM a Chance In Congo
(The Huffington Post, 19 Aug 2009)
10,000 women are expected to receive assistance in the form of medical care, counseling, economic assistance and legal support. Clinton's uncompromising condemnation of perpetrators of sexual violence has not been thoroughly emphasized or analyzed, but sniping has already begun about AFRICOM's involvement in her initiative.
Misguided Intentions: Resisting AFRICOM
(Combined Arms Center, 14 Oct 2009)
Afria's profile rose sharply during the George W. Bush administration. President Bush expressed the strategic change in unequivocal terms: “Africa is increasingly vital to our strategic interests." However, Africans themselves met AFRICOM with skepticism and suspicion.
Africa Command Begins its Premier Security Cooperation Conference
(U.S. AFRICOM Public Affairs, 17 Nov 2009)
The interagency representation at the conference also points to how Africa Command continues to be a listening and learning organization, Ward added. "This is a team effort...this helps us understand the environment in a more effective way and how we can do our very best to ensure that our programs are coordinated and synchronized in a way that brings coherency to the totality of our efforts to help bring stability to the African continent."
Think Again: Africom
(Foreign Policy, 18 Nov 2009)
For years, the Department of Defense split the continent between three existing commands - Central, European, and Pacific. But on February 6, 2007, the George W. Bush administration announced that Africa was finally going to get individual attention. If the move was meant as demonstration of Africa's crucial importance to the United States, however, it was received as more of an insult.
U.S. Africa Command Hosts 3rd Annual HIV/AIDS Awareness Program
(U.S. Africom Command, 1 Dec 2009)
U.S. Africa Command health specialists, doctors, and staff members discussed the latest trends in HIV/AIDS at the AFRICOM headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, November 30, 2009, in recognition of World HIV/AIDS Awareness Day on December 1.
South Africa Signals Tougher Zimbabwe Stance
(World Politics Review, 8 Dec 2009)
President Jacob Zuma's recent appointment of a team of envoys to monitor the unity government in neighboring Zimbabwe could mark a departure from the quiet diplomacy employed by South Africa under former President Thabo Mbeki. Analysts say that Zuma's team, which they described as "tough as nails," is likely to come up with recommendations that will put an end of Mugabe's obstructionism. Mugabe has previously taken advantage of South Africa's reluctance take a more muscular role in negotiations in order to maintain his grip on power, to the detriment of his coalition partners.
Is Ghana a Model for Africa?
(World Politics Review, 6 Jan 2010)
Ghana has made impressive progress with regards to socio-economic and political development. This has lead to contemporary Western media and international donors portraying the country not merely as a success story, but as a model for Africa.
Science Envoy Zerhouni's North Africa Travel
(U.S. Department of State, 16 Feb 2010)
The second U.S. Science Envoy, Dr. Elias Zerhouni, will embark on a 12-day trip to Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya early next month.
NORTH AFRICA: Boost for Maghreb University Cooperation
(University World news, 28 Feb 2010)
The five members of the Arab Maghreb Union - Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Libya and Mauritania - have agreed to create a website for all universities and research centers in the region and to re-activate a union of Maghrebi universities.
Second U.S. Science Envoy Begins Travel to North Africa
(U.S. Department of State, 3 Mar 2010)
U.S. Science Envoy Dr. Zerhouni, M.D., arrived in Morocco today on a two-week trip to North Africa that will include visits to Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya.
U.S. sees food security as next big Africa push
(Reuters, 22 Mar 2010)
The Obama administration will put food security at the heart of its Africa policy, as it seeks to enhance ongoing U.S. efforts on trade, investment and HIV/AIDS on the continent, a top U.S. diplomat said.
First Recipients of USC Africa Fund Named
(USC News, 29 Mar 2010)
Silva Sevlian will be studying the Armenian Ethiopian community in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, focusing on the role of Christianity as a tool for public diplomacy between Armenia and Ethiopia. During her 16-day trip, she will conduct interviews with members of the Armenian Ethiopian community while taking video and audio footage and photographs to document the shrinking population.
Democracy and Development in Africa
(Voice of America, 1 May 2010)
The United States and the African Union will increase their already close cooperation to promote democracy and development in Africa. Following three days of talks in Washington, it was agreed that meetings will be held at least annually...
Military Still Fumbling Humanitarian Projects
(The Huffington Post (blog), 20 May 2010)
The U.S. military has been conducting development-like activities in Africa regularly since the Pentagon stood up the Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) in 2002 - and we're still building white elephants.
Diana Putman Honored With 'Dissent' Award
(NPR (Audio), 28 Jun 2010)
The State Department promotes itself as a place that likes to hear dissent. Each year, the department's professional union hands out awards to diplomats who do just that. This year's recipient was a woman serving alongside the U.S. military in AFRICOM.
US Gov't uses tech to engage East Africa
(IDG, 7 Jul 2010)
The U.S. government seems to have changed tack by engaging young people to find tech solutions to problems affecting the East Africa region. Previously, the U.S. government primarily used the USAID agency to pursue sustainable solutions...
African Union to Enlist Famous Africans as Peace Ambassadors
(Voice of America, 20 Jul 2010)
The African Union has reportedly named famous African politicians, musicians, and Nobel laureates as special ambassadors to promote the AU’s peace efforts across the continent.
AFRICOM Chief Gen. Ward: 'What We Do Must Continue'
(National Defense (blog), 21 Jul 2010)
AFRICOM, with headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, was launched with great fanfare in 2007 as the first and only military regional command that would focus primarily on “soft power” and include a heavy mix of civilians in its ranks.
Obama hosts dialogue with young African leaders
(CNN, 4 Aug 2010)
President Barack Obama hosted a group of young African business and civil leaders at the White House on Tuesday, part of his administration's outreach to a region of the world often overlooked at the top levels of U.S. diplomacy.
Journalists from Maghreb Attend Writers Workshop in Tunisia
(U.S. AFRICOM Public Affairs, 5 Aug 2010)
Thirty-three journalists from the Maghreb region of Africa, including Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia, entered into sometimes impassioned debate during the third annual Magharebia.com Writers Workshop, July 29 - August 1 at the U.S. Embassy in Tunis.
White House Party for Africa Leaves Out Leaders
(The New York Times, 6 Aug 2010)
Many of Africa’s leaders have spent part of their summer shuttling between capitals, congratulating one another on 50 years of independence. One capital they will not be visiting together is Washington.
This is not 'reputation laundering'. We're helping nations improve
(The Guardian, 6 Aug 2010)
If we want to see democracy in developing nations, we need to help them to reposition themselves – by promoting trade, boosting tourism, and winning allies diplomatically. That can only be done by skilled communications, promoting the best aspects of these nations to the stakeholders that matter.
AFRICOM's Impressive Public Diplomacy Product
(CPD Blog, 7 Aug 2010)
One of the most impressive online U.S. public diplomacy venues is Magharebia, a website and news service for North Africans that is published by the United States African Command (AFRICOM).
An opportunity to de-militarize public diplomacy
(MountainRunner, 6 Aug 2010)
Last week, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) convened the third annual Magharebia.com Writers Workshop. According to AFRICOM public affairs, the event "introduced new media tools and technologies while stressing the importance of sound journalistic principles for writing, blogging and podcasting."
Partnering to Strengthen Labs in Liberia
(U.S. Africa Command, 12 Aug 2010)
Captain Gabrielle Caldara, of USARAF's command surgeon's office and Major Mike Walter of USAMRU-K joined for a weeklong partnership in Monrovia, Liberia. Their goal was to assess the AFL's laboratory needs to look for ways that U.S. Army medical personnel can help their Liberian counterparts, Caldara said.
War is Boring: In Congo, U.S. Soft Power Encounters Obstacle
(World Politics Review, 16 Sep 2010)
The clinic, administered by military medical personnel from both countries, would be one of the culminating events of a two-week, U.S.-led exercise meant to improve the FARDC's medical capabilities -- all part of the "soft power" strategy advanced by U.S. Africa Command, based in Germany.
U.S. Africa Command builds on local rapport while highlighting "It's not about Africa Command"
(U.S. Africa Command, 27 Jan 2011)
The event served to inform the guests on the AFRICOM mission and further develop local German-American relations. Held in the command's new state-of-the-art multi-purpose center, the day began with a German media roundtable covering a variety of topics and answering questions such as why the command is located in Stuttgart.
With Libya Fight, U.S. Africa Command Thrust Into a Leadership Role
(The New York Times, 21 Mar 2011)
When the United States Africa Command was created four years ago, it was the military’s first “smart power” command. It has no assigned troops, no headquarters in Africa itself, and one of its two top deputies is a seasoned American diplomat.
U.S. Africa Command Seen Taking Key Role
(The Ledger, 22 Mar 2011)
When the United States Africa Command was created four years ago, it was the military’s first “smart power” command. It has no assigned troops and no headquarters in Africa itself, and one of its two top deputies is a seasoned American diplomat.
U.S. Military and Africom - Between the Rocks and the Crusaders
(AllAfrica, 31 Mar 2011)
'The Western bombardment of Gaddafi's forces in Libya has become an opportunistic public relations ploy for the US Africa Command and a new inroad for US military stronghold on the continent,' writes Horace Campbell
AFRICOM's Libyan Expedition
(Foreign Affairs, 10 May 2011)
There was reason to worry that AFRICOM, which would lead the Operation Odssey Dawn, was too green, and its mandate too soft, for it to perform up to U.S. standards. Yet in launching the U.S. intervention in Libya, AFRICOM, led by its commander, General Carter Ham, acquitted itself well.
Militarizing Foreign Policy
(Huffington Post, 10 May 2011)
[AFRICOM] is assigned mandate to win friends and influence people; build military-to-military ties; monitor socio-politico-economic trends; engage in intelligence acquisition; compile data bases on would be/could be terrorists -- and their possible enablers, and do some public diplomacy.
Malawi Exercise Supports U.S.-African Partnerships
(Defense Professionals, 12 May 2011)
A U.S. and Malawi Defense Force humanitarian medical exercise being conducted here is enhancing the partners’ medical capabilities and their ability to work together in response to a future crisis or emergency response
NGO Addresses Sexual Violence Issues in DRC using Popular Media
(U.S. AFRICOM Public Affairs, 13 May 2011)
"I was struck by how [the SFCG] overlaps so much with the stated articulated mantra of U.S. Africa Command in terms of sustained engagement," said Holmes. "The first item in the approach is making long term commitments using an integrated approach, becoming engaged in order to see the possibilities, become immersed in local culture.
Airmen train Congolese troops in evac skills
(Air Force Times, 16 May 2011)
The Democratic Republic of the Congo doesn’t have any aircraft specifically to use for medical evacuations. But if the African nation needs to quickly move patients, its airmen will do it American-style.
U.S., African Militaries Share Problems, Solutions
(US Department of Defense, 22 May 2011)
Senior leaders representing 17 African national militaries came together with their American counterparts here this week to better understand U.S. Africa Command and to help in developing the noncommissioned officers corps in their nations.
Foreign Emerging Leaders Learn about AFRICOM's Role in Africa
(U.S. Africa Command, 22 Jun 2011)
"These meetings are critical for developing positive relationships with community members and citizens of other countries and regions who may not be familiar with U.S. Africa Command," said Major Charles Parada, U.S. AFRICOM's International Engagement Division deputy chief, who briefed the guests on international engagements.
Libya Op Showed Africa Command Shortfalls
(Military.com, 15 Sep 2011)
That ran counter to early efforts by the Pentagon to dispel the notion that Africom's establishment was intended as an American power grab on the continent. American diplomats and military commanders painted Africom's mission as one to advise and assist African militaries and work to build partnerships.
U.S. Africa Command Welcomes China’s Growing Role as Arms Supplier - Blog
(National Defense Magazine, 15 Sep 2011)
Declining U.S. military budgets not only would affect AFRICOM’s military-to-military activities but also could result in the command having to shed many of its support contractors. No specific orders to cut workers or contractors have yet been received, but are anticipated, Ham says.
AFRICOM Gets Seriously . . . Nasty
(Battleland (Blog) - Time, 21 Sep 2011)
What's sad here: AFRICOM was supposed to be different - the whole "3D" approach of diplomacy, development and defense, and in first few years it was. Now, word from everyone familiar with the command is this: AFRICOM's focus is all kinetics and kills, with the soft stuff going by the wayside....All hard and no soft makes AFRICOM a nasty boy.
Chaplains Build Bridges of a Different Kind during Natural Fire 2011
(U.S. Africa Command, 21 Sep 2011)
Building bridges is not only work done by engineers. During the bilateral, multinational Natural Fire 11 exercise in Zanzibar, Tanzania, September 11-22, 2011, U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania Alfonso Lenhart expressed the importance of religious leaders in Africa
America’s Quest for Africa
(Anti-War, 25 Sep 2011)
As this laundry list of objectives indicates, it appears that the US is approaching terrorism in Africa from many different perspectives. Mirroring America’s foreign policy, however, the TSCTP places too much emphasis on hard rather than soft power.
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