CHALLENGES UPON FORCE STRUCTURE AND MISSION OF THE AMERICAN AFRICA COMMAND

Year 2020, Volume: 3 Issue: 1, 81 - 90, 22.06.2020

Murat Şengöz

Abstract

United States of America (US) Africa Command (AFRICOM), provides important knowledge and experience in the organization and management methodology with its unique structure composed of the US Department of Defense, US Agency of International Development (USAID). AFRICOM offers important opportunities for comparison in terms of security, economic development, and international relations. The study aims to examine the emerging security challenges in Africa and to analyze AFRICOM units and headquarters from an organizational perspective. This article is divided into three parts. After a short introduction, the first section describes the historical background of AFRICOM, the purpose of its constitution as well as explaining the methodology of this study. The following section focuses on the factors that affect AFRICOM’s performance, such as the settlement, assignment of the Command, environmental conditions, opportunities, risks, and any other security and force structure challenges. In the last part of the study challenges upon force structure and mission of AFRICOM are discussed. The unique nature of AFRICOM force and command structure, consisting of military and civilian elements is highlighted which enable AFRICOM to execute its non-military mission. Finally, this article provides a summary of the possible recommendations to reduce the current security and political challenges facing AFRICOM.

Keywords

AFRICOM, Department of Defense, United States of America Agency of International Development (USAID), Terrorism, Terrorism

References

• Berschinski, R.G. (2007). AFRICOM’s dilemma: Capacity-Building, humanitarianism, and the future of US security policy in Africa. Retrieved from http://StrategicStudiesInstituteUSArmy.
• Crawley, V. (2007). U.S. creating New Africa command to coordinate military efforts. USINFO. US Department of State.
• Dersso, S. A. (2010). The role and place of the African standby force within the African peace and security architecture. Institute for Security Studies. Paper no. 209.
• England, A. (2002). US officer vows that the US-led task force will eradicate terrorism in horn of Africa. Associated Press Worldstream.
• Handbook of the Economics of Peace and Conflict, Oxford University Press (2017)
• Hanson, S. (2007). US Africa command, New York: Council on foreign relations. Retrieved from http://cfr.org.
• Isike, C., Uzodike, U., & Gilbert, L. (2008). The AFRICOM: Enhancing American security or fostering African development?. African Security Review, 17(1), 20-38.
• Jelinek, P. (2007). Pentagon setting up new U.S. command to oversee African missions. Independent Record. Associated Press.
• Keller, E.J. (2006). Africa and the United States: Meeting the challenges of globalisation, in Donald Rothschild and Edmond J Keller (editor). Africa-US relations: Strategic encounters, boulder. CO: Lynne Rienner, pp 1–20.
• Kevin, A. (2003). Headlines over the horizon: AIDS and African armies. Atlantic Monthly 292 no.1.
• Lostumbo, M., McNerney, M., Peltz, E., Eaton, D., Frelinger, D., Greenfield, V., & Worman, S. (2013). Overseas Basing of U.S. Military Forces: An Assessment of Relative Costs and Strategic Benefits. RAND Corporation. Retrieved from http://jstor.org
• Morgan, W. (2019). Behind the secret U.S. war in Africa. Politico. Retrieved from http://politico.com.
• Myers, J. M. (2008). Singular vision: A plan to enable CentCom and state to work together. Armed Forces Journal, March 2008, p. 43.
• Nye, J. S., & Welch, D. A. (2013). Understanding global conflict & cooperation: Intro to theory & history. U.S.A: Pearson.
• Salih, M. A. M. (2010). In David J Francis (Ed.), US Strategy in Africa: AFRICOM, terrorism, and security challenges. Oxford: Routledge. pp. 78–91.
• Schoeman, M. (2003). The African union after the Durban 2002 summit. Centre of Development Organization of African Unity.
• Scott, W. R. (1992). Organizations: Rational, natural, and open systems. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
• Sengöz, M. (2020). National security paradigms of Turkey: establishing internal and regional security and peace. UTAH/US: American Academic Press.
• Shaun, B. (2007). Africa opposed to U.S. command base. BuaNews. Retrieved from http://buaNews.
• Turse, N. (2018). The U.S. has more military operations in AFRICA than the middle east. Vice News. Retrieved from http://viceNews.com.
• Whitaker, B. E. (2010). Compliance among weak states: Africa and the counter-terrorism regime. Review of International Studies, 36, 639–662.
• Whitlock, C. (2012). U.S. expands secret intelligence operations in Africa. Retrieved from http://washingtonPost.