AFRICOM becomes operational

AFRICOM becomes operational
By Agness Changala
Wednesday October 01, 2008 [04:00]

THE United States government has said the new US-Africa Command that President George Bush announced in February last year is scheduled to become operational today. According to the public affairs officer at the US Embassy in Zambia Christopher Wurst, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for African affairs Theresa Whalen said the command known as AFRICOM would be the most visible element of the US goal to strengthen ties with Africa through sustained engagement.

"The purpose of the sixth US geographical command is to promote military-to-military programs and other activities in concert with a variety of US government agencies, such as US Agency for International Development and the State Department, as well as with the help from international partners," he stated.

Wurst stated that Whalen in an interview said the US relationships with African nations would be easier as a result of AFRICOM's systematic focus on the entire continent except Egypt and its island nations.

He stated that Whalen pointed to AFRICOM's ability to provide effective peace keeping training and technical support for the Africa Union's standby force, which was developing a peacekeeping brigade for each of five regions of the continent.
"Whalen said this effort dovetails well with the US objective to help African nations provide their own security," Wurst stated.

He stated that Whalen was convinced that AFRICOM would be a more effective tool to promote security, sustainability and help African nations grapple with famine, disease, poverty, piracy and conflict.

Wurst stated that Whalen dismissed the idea that the command represented what some critics called the 'militarization' of US foreign policy in Africa.
He sated that Whalen said people would be surprised that AFRICOM's leadership half military and half civilian would be more cautious about looking for military solutions to problems in Africa.

And the US government has pledged to work with African partners to strengthen their democracies, institutionalise respect for human rights and pursue economic prosperity.