“More US soldiers unwelcome”

“Any country that allows itself to be a base for the US strategic command in Africa (Africom) will have to live with the consequences.” South Africa’s Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota uttered that warning in late August after a meeting with the other defence ministers from members of the Southern African Development Community. He did not oppose Africom in principle, Lekota said, but he did not want to see more US soldiers stationed in the continent. He reported that the SADC ministers agreed that Washington should focus on Africa “from a distance”, and added, that this stand was also shared by the African Union (AU). So far, however, the AU, has not made an official statement on the matter. Tensions between SADC members increased in September when Zimbabwe accused the government of Botswana that it was ready to host Africom. President Festus Mogae immediately rejected that claim. However, he conceded that his government was considering the issue. “We have not taken a position (on Africom) because we don’t know how the animal will look like,” Mogae said according to news reports.

The US administration decided to create the new Africa command earlier this year (see E+Z/D+C 2/2007, p. 52). At present, responsibility for military operations in Africa is split between three regional commands. Currently headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, Africom is due to start operating in October.

According to the Pentagon, the command will address a new kind of assignment, promoting both security and development. Critics, however, see Africom as yet another instrument in the global war on terror and an attempt by Washington, in its competition with other nations, like China, to secure access to Africa’s natural resources.

In June, Algeria and Libya both rejected requests to host Africom’s headquarters. According to media reports, Morocco also declined. Liberia’s President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, however, has voiced support for the US initiative. In an article for the information service allAfrica.com, she wrote that Africom offers an opportunity to improve security with US help, and would also boost the continent’s development prospects. (ell)