United States AFRICOM

United States AFRICOM
Unit name	United States Africa Command
Caption	Emblem of United States Africa Command
Dates	2007–present
Country	United States of America
Branch	Department of Defense
Type	Unified combatant command
Role	Military operations, security cooperation, counterterrorism, capacity building
Garrison	Kelley Barracks, Stuttgart
Commander1	(varies)

United States AFRICOM

United States AFRICOM is the unified combatant command responsible for U.S. military relations, operations, and security cooperation on the African continent and surrounding waters. It interfaces with African states such as Nigeria, Kenya, Mali, Somalia, and South Africa and coordinates with international organizations including the United Nations, the African Union, the European Union, and the NATO. The command works alongside U.S. agencies such as the Department of Defense (United States), the Department of State (United States), and the United States Agency for International Development.

History

AFRICOM traces origins to strategic assessments after the September 11 attacks and evolving threats in the Sahel, Horn of Africa, and Maghreb. Initial planning involved leaders from United States Central Command, United States European Command, and United States Pacific Command before establishment in 2007 under decisions by President George W. Bush and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. The command activated in 2008 with a forward presence and headquarters arrangements negotiated with host nations including Germany at Stuttgart and agreements with states such as Gabon, Senegal, and Morocco. AFRICOM’s early operations intersected with campaigns against groups like Al-Shabaab, al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, and later Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant affiliates in Libya and Mali.

Mission and responsibilities

AFRICOM’s stated responsibilities include counterterrorism against organizations like Boko Haram, Al-Shabaab, and ISIS West Africa Province while supporting partner capacity building with militaries of Ethiopia, Tunisia, Egypt, Ghana, and Senegal. It conducts maritime security cooperation in regions near the Gulf of Guinea, the Red Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea and supports responses to crises such as the 2014 West Africa Ebola epidemic and humanitarian operations in South Sudan. The command coordinates with multilateral mechanisms including Economic Community of West African States, Intergovernmental Authority on Development, and United Nations Security Council mandates.

Organization and command structure

AFRICOM operates under the authority of the Secretary of Defense (United States) as a unified combatant command with a commander often a four-star officer drawn from the United States Army, United States Navy, United States Air Force, or Marine Corps. Its staff includes components aligned with United States Army Africa, United States Navy Africa (Sixth Fleet elements), United States Air Forces Africa, and Marine Corps Forces Reserve elements, and liaises with the Defense Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, and Central Intelligence Agency. AFRICOM’s regional engagement incorporates legal advisors familiar with the War Powers Resolution, advisers from U.S. Africa Development Foundation, and coordination with the Peacekeeping operations architecture of the United Nations.

Bases and presence in Africa

AFRICOM maintains a limited permanent footprint on the continent with cooperative security locations and access agreements in countries such as Djibouti (notably Camp Lemonnier operated with United States Central Command legacy), Niger (airstrips and drone facilities), Gabon (logistics arrangements), Senegal (port access), and temporary basing in Morocco and Tunisia. The command also uses forward operating locations, afloat platforms like USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) transits, and partnered facilities in Kenya, Mauritania, and Cameroon to project capabilities against threats in the Gulf of Aden and Saharan corridors.

Operations and activities

AFRICOM has conducted a range of activities from direct action strikes and drones in cooperation with host nations to training missions such as Exercise Flintlock, Operation Juniper Shield (née Operation Enduring Freedom – Trans Sahara), and counter-piracy patrols in coordination with Combined Task Force 151. It supported evacuation operations during crises like the 2011 Libyan civil war and provided logistical and medical support during health emergencies such as the 2014 West Africa Ebola epidemic. Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance platforms including MQ-9 operations and special operations task forces have targeted militants linked to al-Qaeda and ISIS networks.

Partnerships and cooperation

AFRICOM emphasizes interoperability with African militaries including the Kenyan Defence Forces, the Nigerian Armed Forces, the Tunisian Armed Forces, and the Egyptian Armed Forces, and engages with regional organizations like the African Union Commission, ECOWAS, and SADC. It partners with foreign militaries from France, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Spain, Turkey, China indirectly through diplomatic channels, and engages in trilateral cooperation with entities such as the European Union Naval Force and NATO Support and Procurement Agency for security assistance and capacity building.

Criticism and controversies

AFRICOM has faced criticism from African civil society groups, human rights organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, and political figures in Senegal, South Africa, and Gabon over issues including alleged civilian casualties, sovereignty concerns, and the transparency of drone strikes and special operations. Debates in the United States Congress and among scholars at institutions like Harvard Kennedy School, Brookings Institution, and Council on Foreign Relations have questioned the balance between security assistance and development, citing incidents in Niger and controversy over basing negotiations with countries such as Djibouti and Morocco.

Category:United States military Category:Military units and formations established in 2007