The Department of Defense of the the United States decided to create a command unified for the Africa ( United States Africa Command ), whose acronym will be USAFRICOM or AFRICOM and who will be intended to coordinate all the military and sedentary activities of the United States on this Continent.
History
Up to now, the military activities of the United States in Africa were divided between USEUCOM, USCENCOM and USPACOM.
In 1983, the strategic planners of the United States placed the major part of the continent under the responsibility of the European Command because the majority of the African countries were of old colonies European having preserved political and cultural bonds with Europe.
Since the middle of the years 1990, the regional specialists in the Department of Defense claim the creation of a African command.
In gestation since several years, it was decided to create a specific staff for this continent during the summer 2006.
Announced by the Administration Bush the February 6th 2007, it must start to function the September 30th 2008.
The team of transition for the future command has for the moment her general headquarter with Stuttgart in Germany, seat of the European Commandement of the American armed forces.
Départemement of defense would wish however that it be transferred thereafter in a African country.
At present, the most developed military infrastructures are located at Djibouti, in accompaniment of the French presence on the spot.
Interpretations
Announcing the news, the Média S French commented on the motivation of the American staff by calling upon in the order three motivations:
- the War against terrorism : has the Corne of Africa becoming again a resurgent hearth of the militia potentially related to nebula Al-Qaïda, such Midowga Maxkamadaha Islaamiga (whereas before with the Attentats of September 11th, 2001 these militia had been driven out by it for Afghanistan);
B appearance of a bond with the islamist Terrorism with the the Maghreb, by fastening with Al-Qaida nebula of the groups salafists operating in the Maghreb - announces made in September 2006. - the Geopolitical of oil , to make safe the American provisioning by the Gulf of Guinea in order to reduce the dependence with the reserves of the Middle East;
- the economic competition , aiming at countering by a military presetting of the United States the rise to power of the Popular republic of China on the African continent (perceptible as from 2004).
Sphere of influence
The AFRICOM will be responsible for the whole of the African continent except for Egypt which remains under the central Command. It will also include the islands of Cape Verde, Guinea Equatoriale and Sao Divide into volumes-and-principle, as well as the islands of the Comoros, of Madagascar, of Maurice and Seychelles in the Indian Ocean.
Characteristics
Contrary to the other command centres of the United States, Africom would not be equipped with a single seat in a given African country. Its personnel would be divided in various cities of Africa and it would not be intended to make the war.No new base will be created in the African continent and no new quota of American soldiers will be sent there when this center enters in activity before the end of 2008.
The assistant commander of Africom is currently a member of the personnel of the State Department of the United States and later it could be detached of other ministries for the United States, which shows mixed nature, military and civil, of this new command center.
Mrs. Mary Carlin Yates will be the assistant of the commander for the activities civilo-soldiers (DCMA]. The admiral Robert Moeller will be the assistant of the commander for military operations (DCMO).
The AFRICOM would have gathered a thousand of people.
List commanders of the AFRICOM
See too
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