Wednesday, February 06, 2008 (Washington, DC) – On the anniversary of the establishment of the unified U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), Africa Action today released its Africa Policy Outlook 2008, simultaneously published by Foreign Policy in Focus. This annual publication forecasts the key issues and developments in Africa policy in the coming year, and analyzes trends in U.S. relations with Africa under the current administration. Africa Action also released today a statement on AFRICOM that describes the initiative as the realization of the militarization of U.S.-Africa policy. Both documents are now available at http://www.africaaction.org.

 

Africa Action notes in the Africa Policy Outlook that, "The Bush Administration’s fixation on security and the ‘war on terror’ will escalate the militarization of U.S. policy in Africa in 2008. In his last year in office, President Bush will duplicitously continue to promote economic policies that exacerbate inequalities while seeking to salvage his legacy as a compassionate conservative with rhetorical support for addressing human rights challenges including the conflict in Sudan and continued promotion of his unilateral HIV/AIDS initiative."

 

Executive Director of Africa Action, Gerald LeMelle, said today, "As Americans go to the polls to democratically elect new leadership, the U.S. government will pursue a mixed approach to upcoming elections in Africa, claiming to uphold democratic ideals or looking the other way, depending on military, economic and political alliances. America could better serve the global common good by genuinely upholding the democratic process by supporting human rights, inclusive peace processes, infrastructure and sustainable development."

 

Africa Action emphasizes in its statement, “AFRICOM: The Militarization of U.S.-Africa Policy Revealed,” that the development of this new command comes within the context of a dramatic build up in U.S. military activity in Africa since 2002. The total amount of U.S. military sales, financing and training expenditures for eight African countries considered particularly strategic of the “war on terror” has increased from about $40 million between 1997 and 2001 to over $130 million between 2002 and 2006. The Bush Administration’s fixation on security will escalate this growing militarization of U.S. policy in Africa in

2008 with the launching of AFRICOM.

 

“The U.S. continues to hurtle full speed ahead with the launch of President Bush’s still ill-defined program, despite grave concerns raised by African leaders and civil society that this initiative will leave an entrenched military footprint on the continent and objections from Americans committed to justice and peace in Africa that are alarmed by the projected structure that would place humanitarian work under the auspices of the Department of Defense,” said Marie Clarke Brill, Deputy Director of Africa Action, “At minimum, the State Department and USAID should be decoupled from DOD and clear lines of accountability and transparency for AFRICOM should be put in place."

 

As President Bush begins his last year in office and the Presidential candidates come off of a riveting “Super Tuesday,” LeMelle said this morning, "Much has been said by Presidential hopefuls about the need for change, with an emphasis on our war in Iraq. Presidential candidates should look closely at the growing militarization in all of U.S. foreign policy and identify ways to shift funding to support just security that is grounded in promoting sustainable development, deeper debt cancellation for impoverished countries in Africa and globally, and fully funding the fight against HIV/AIDS and other health challenges that pose a greater threat than terrorism. "

 

The "Africa Policy Outlook 2008" and “AFRICOM: The Militarization of U.S.-Africa Policy Revealed” are available at http://www.africaaction.org.

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