United States Africa Command

Public Affairs Office

8 March 2010

USAFRICOM -related news stories

From the Beltway/ From and About Africa

TOP 5 FROM THE BELTWAY

US Troops Aid Somalia Against Militants (Islam Online)

CAIRO, EGYPT - The US military is sharing intelligence and providing training to
Somali government troops preparing a major offensive against militants, with American
special forces are on standby to join the offensive.

Africa: C (Foreign Policy in Focus)

WASHINGTON, DC - Africans greeted Barack Obama's presidential election with
excitement and hope, but one year on Obama's legacy in Africa remains unclear.

Two Peacekeepers Missing in Darfur After Ambush (Voice of America)

DARFUR, SUDAN - Two international peacekeepers are missing in Sudan's Darfur
region after gunmen ambushed their patrol.

First set of UN troops could leave DR Congo by late June: peacekeeping chief
(Xinhua)
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK - The first group of United Nations troops could leave
the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) by the end of June, as requested by the
government, the world body's top peacekeeping official said here Friday following a
visit to the country.

China defends growing links with Africa (AFP)

BEIJING, CHINA - China rejected foreign concerns over its growing energy links with
Africa on Sunday, saying it benefits African nations by bringing badly needed trade and
infrastructure development.

ADDITIONAL RELEVANT ARTICLES OF INTEREST:

U.S. Aiding Somalia in Its Plan to Retake Its Capital (NYT)

MOGADISHU, Somalia - American assistance could be crucial to the effort by Somalia's
government to finally reassert its control over the capital and bring a semblance of
order to a country that has been steeped in anarchy for two decades.

US military seeking EU cooperation in Africa (Europolitics)

(Subscription required--see full text at the bottom of this document)
BRUSSELS, Belgium - Senior figures from the US military's Africa Command were in
Brussels looking to build cooperation with the European Union to boost training and
reform for African security forces and counter the threat of terrorist groups.

Dictator's son declared winner in Togo election (CNN)

LOME, TOGO - The son of Togo's late dictator has won re-election, extending the
family's four-decade rule in the west African nation.

North Korea arms to Africa: Unusual only because illegal (East Africa)
NAIROBI, KENYA - The recently reported seizure of a North Korean arms shipment
supposedly intended for Congo-Brazzaville highlights the continuing flow of weapons
into African conflict zones from multiple sources.

Nigeria president puts forces on alert after Jos deaths (BBC)

JOS, NIGERIA - Nigeria's acting President Goodluck Jonathan has ordered security
forces to prevent more weapons being brought into the area around the city of Jos after
attacks in the area on Sunday.

35 Somali pirates captured by French frigate (Press TV)

TEHRAN, IRAN - The French Defense Ministry claims one of its frigates has seized 35
pirates, four "mother ships" and six skiffs in various sweeps off the coast of Somalia.
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US military seeking EU cooperation in Africa (Europolitics)
Subscription required--Full text below:

Senior figures from the US military’s Africa Command were in Brussels this week
looking to build cooperation with the European Union to boost training and reform for
African security forces and counter the threat of terrorist groups operating on the
continent.

“One of the first things we are here to do is to listen and learn what are the
Commission’s priorities, and where our interests can align with each other, then to be
able to explore areas where we might be able to work with each other,” said Major-
General Richard Sherlock, director of strategy, plans and programmes at AFRICOM.

Sherlock met, on 4 and 5 March, with officials from the European Commission’s
Directorates-General External Relations and Development and security officials from
the Council. He was accompanied by Ambassador Tony Holmes, AFRICOM’s deputy
to the commander for civil-military activities.

The American officials stressed the exploratory nature of their talks, which among
others were meant to explain the role of the United States’ most recent military
command (it was set up in 2008) and exchange initial ideas with the Europeans.
However, they did mention some specific areas where cooperation could be possible,
notably with the soon-to-be-launched EU mission to train Somali troops.

“Somalia, that’s an area where we’re going to be doing a lot more, the European Union
is already doing a lot and will be doing more, and we’d like to harmonise and
coordinate better, to communicate, to listen and to understand, and then begin working
together as it suits both of us to be able to more effectively spend our money,” Holmes
told a small group of reporters, on 4 March.

The US military has no presidential mandate to train Somali troops, but it has been
involved in training African Union peacekeepers in Uganda before they deploy to
Somalia. The EU’s training mission for Somali forces is due to start in Uganda in May.

“Somalia is very important for us,” Holmes added. “The European Union is involved in
training Somalis in Uganda and that’s something we might be able to work closely with
to support.”

Washington set up its Africa Command based in Stuttgart in 2008, in response to

growing concerns that the continent was becoming an increasingly dangerous source of
terrorism and other security threats.

“In post-9/11 America, there’s a wide recognition in both political parties that we
cannot afford to sit back and take for granted that somebody else is dealing with the
problems of Africa,” Holmes explained.

He said AFRICOM was working well with EU officials on the ground in several African
nations, notably in DR Congo, where the EU has been running its EUSEC training
mission for Congolese army officers since 2005 and the US has recently launched a
programme to train up a battalion of 800-1,000 troops.

The US officials also spoke about counter-terrorism cooperation with the EU in the
Sahel region, notably in Mauritania, Mali and Niger, and said the two sides would
likely be working together to promote security sector reform under a UN umbrella in
Guinea.