Africa Week in Review – February 14, 2014 Share This /

This week, the U.S. government praised its growing security presence on the continent, while South Sudan and Central African Republic continued to experience fighting. Below is our round up of security developments on the continent:

• During French President Francois Hollande’s visit to Washington, President Obama took the opportunity to praise the two countries’ joint counterterrorism efforts in Africa. This was clear in the Washington Post op-ed co-authored by the two presidents:
  • Perhaps nowhere is our new partnership on more vivid display than in Africa. In Mali, French and African Union forces — with U.S. logistical and information support — have pushed back al-Qaeda-linked insurgents, allowing the people of Mali to pursue a democratic future. Across the Sahel, we are partnering with countries to prevent al-Qaeda from gaining new footholds. In the Central African Republic, French and African Union soldiers — backed by American airlift and support — are working to stem violence and create space for dialogue, reconciliation and swift progress to transitional elections.

Across the continent, from Senegal to Somalia, we are helping train and equip local forces so they can take responsibility for their own security.

• Several spokespersons for the U.S. military commented on the growth of U.S. military presence in Africa:
  • Marine Lt. Gen. Steven Hummer, deputy to the commander for military operations at U.S. AFRICOM, discussed U.S. security priorities on the continent, with a specific focus on transnational threats and peacekeeping support.  He predicted that the Marine Corps’ presence on the continent would expand to train African militaries “to combat violent extremist organizations, insurgencies, piracy or threatening neighbors.”
  • In a separate statement, Lt. Gen. John Mulholland, deputy commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, said that Special Operations on the continent are growing. The goal, he says, is to build local “capabilities to deal with threats.”
  • Colonel Scott Benedict, from the Special Purpose Marine Air-ground Task Force, outlined how the U.S. Marines are increasing their capacity for crisis response across the continent.
• The Oxford Research Group released a report titled Security in the Sahel: Part II – Militarisation of the Sahel, which analyzes the effect of an increased French and U.S. military presence in the Sahel. The report details the growing presence of U.S. Special Forces, contractors, surveillance aircraft and drones. Author Richard Reeves notes that France and the U.S. share facilities in Djibouti, Niger, Burkina Faso and Mauritania, and points to a U.S. liaison detachment with the French Combined Air Operations Centre in Chad.

Quick hits across Africa:

• The U.S State Department held a web-based, Africa-focused media conference with Secretary of State John Kerry and Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Linda Thomas-Greenfield. Secretary Kerry emphasized that the U.S. is engaged to bring peace and security to the continent, and pointed to South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Central African Republic as examples of U.S. engagement.
• Peace talks resumed in Ethiopia between the warring South Sudan factions, amid reports that fighting continues despite a ceasefire agreement. The U.S. expressed concern about the fighting and, for the first time, called for the removal of foreign fighters in South Sudan, a demand echoed by Ethiopia. The Ugandan army responded that it intends to remain in South Sudan.
• The crisis is the Central African Republic (CAR) continues, with analysts warning of a humanitarian catastrophe, ethnic cleansing, and partition. The International Criminal Court opened preliminary investigations into human rights abuses in the country. U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, gave an interview outlining the U.S. response in CAR and calling for an end to the religious and ethnic violence.
• For the first time since the civil war in Liberia ended a decade ago, a Liberian was confirmed as the head of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL). U.S. Ambassador Deborah Malac stated that the United States would continue providing security assistance to Liberia and the AFL.
• A UN report criticizes the Somali government for allowing a "systematic " diversion of arms purchased after the UN Security Council eased an arms embargo on the country last year.
• Colonel Ali Aden Humad, spokesmen for the African Union peacekeeping Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), gave an interview in which he foreshadowed more aggressive operations. Colonel Humad was also critical of the Somali national forces’ performance, criticizing high attrition rates.
• Human rights organization warned that the Lord’s Resistance Army is using the crisis in Central African Republic to regroup and launch new attacks.