Rear Admiral Robert Moeller, Executive Director
U.S. Africa Command
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is U.S. Africa Command designed to do?
Is there an agreed-upon short title for the command?
Why is the Department of Defense creating the command?
When did Department of Defense begin studying the feasibility of creating a separate command?
What is the timeline for the command’s establishment?
Where will the command’s headquarters be located? Are you considering a location in Africa?
How large will the headquarters staff be?
Will U.S. Africa Command be a sub-unified command or stand-alone unified command?
To whom will U.S. Africa Command report?
Will the creation of this new command result in the loss of another unified command?
Will U.S. Africa Command have assigned components or forces? If so, what kind?
What will it's Area of Responsibility (AOR) be?
How much will it cost to create the command?
Is U.S. Africa Command in response to recent events in Somalia or Darfur?
Is this an effort by the United States to gain access to natural resources (e.g. petroleum)? Is this in response to Chinese activities in Africa?
What role would U.S. troops have in African peacekeeping missions?
Does this mean there will be more deployments of U.S. forces to Africa?
What is U.S. Africa Command designed to do?
U.S. Africa Command will better enable the Department of Defense and other elements of the U.S. Government to work in concert and with partners to achieve a more stable environment in which political and economic growth can take place. U.S. Africa Command will consolidate the efforts of three commands into one focused solely on Africa and help coordinate US Government contributions on the continent.
Is there an agreed-upon short title for the command?
Yes. AFRICOM is the short title for U.S. Africa Command.
Why is the Department of Defense creating the command?
Africa is growing in military, strategic and economic importance in global affairs. The United States is seeking more effective ways for the department to help prevent and respond to humanitarian crises, improve cooperative efforts to stem transnational terrorism and sustain enduring efforts that contribute to African unity and bolster security on the continent.
When did Department of Defense begin studying the feasibility of creating a separate command?
In summer 2006, Secretary Rumsfeld tasked the Department to analyze and make broad recommendations regarding possible adjustments in the Unified Command Plan to better align with national interests and security requirements. As a result of those initial recommendations, Secretary Rumsfeld directed the establishment an Implementation Planning Team (IPT) in November 2006, which included interagency representatives, to develop innovative options that might be used to create a future command to facilitate security cooperation programs in Africa. The IPT executive director was Rear Admiral Robert Moeller and deputy director Ambassador Robert Loftis. In early December 2006, Secretary Rumsfeld requested of the President that DoD be granted authority to create a unified command focused on Africa.
What is the timeline for the command’s establishment?
U.S. Africa Command will be first established as a sub-unified command, subordinate to U.S. European Command, at Initial Operational Capability (IOC) by October 2007. The President authorized and directed the establishment of a Unified Command no later than the end of Fiscal Year 2008.
Where will the command’s headquarters be located? Are you considering a location in Africa?
U.S. Africa Command’s transition team will use existing facilities at Kelley Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany during the near-term as they work to address the outstanding details of command’s stand-up. The department’s plan is to eventually place the headquarters in Africa.
How large will the headquarters staff be?
U.S. Africa Command’s headquarters staff will be tailored to accomplish the command’s mission. Specific details for the headquarters staff are being worked by the transition team and the Department.
Will U.S. Africa Command be a sub-unified command or stand-alone unified command?
U.S. Africa Command will be first established as a sub-unified command, subordinate to U.S. European Command, at Initial Operational Capability (IOC) in October 2007. The President authorized and directed the establishment of a Unified Command by September 30, 2008. This will coincide with AFRICOM’s FOC.
To whom will U.S. Africa Command report?
When established as a sub-unified command in October 2007, AFRICOM will be subordinate to U.S. European Command. After achieving full operational capability as a stand-alone unified command, the commander of Africa Command will report to the Secretary of Defense, as do all the other unified commanders in the Department of Defense.
Will the creation of this new command result in the loss of another unified command?
No. U.S. Africa Command will consolidate the efforts of three commands (U.S. European Command, the U.S. Central Command and the U.S. Pacific Command) into one focused solely on Africa (minus Egypt) and help coordinate United States Government contributions on the continent. U.S. Africa Command will be an addition to the five geographic commands (U.S. Central Command, U.S. European Command, U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Pacific Command, and U.S. Southern Command) and four functional commands (U.S. Joint Forces Command, U.S. Special Operations Command, U.S. Strategic Command, and U.S. Transportation Command).
Will U.S. Africa Command have assigned components or forces? If so, what kind?
This is one of the details that remain to be determined.
What will it's Area of Responsibility (AOR) be?
The command’s AOR will eventually encompass the continent of Africa, the Islands of Cape Verde, Equatorial Guinea and Sao Tome and Principe, and the Indian Ocean islands of Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, and Seychelles. Central Command will still maintain its traditional relationship with Egypt, but AFRICOM will coordinate with Egypt on issues relating to Africa security.
How much will it cost to create the command?
Standing up U.S. Africa Command will cost an estimated $50 million in fiscal year 2007. The Department is evaluating additional resource requirements for fiscal year 2008 and beyond.
Is U.S. Africa Command in response to recent events in Somalia or Darfur?
No. However, the crisis in Darfur and developing situation in Somalia do highlight the nature of the threats to African regional stability and security. U.S. Africa Command will consolidate the efforts of three commands into one focused solely on Africa and help coordinate US Government contributions on the continent. U.S. Africa Command will be designed to better enable the Department of Defense and other elements of the U.S. government, to work in concert and with partners to achieve a more stable environment in which 1) political and economic growth can take place and 2) humanitarian and development assistance can be used more effectively.
Is this an effort by the United States to gain access to natural resources (e.g. petroleum)? Is this in response to Chinese activities in Africa?
No. Africa is growing in military, strategic and economic importance in global affairs. We are seeking more effective ways to prevent and respond to humanitarian crises, improve cooperative efforts to stem transnational terrorism and sustain enduring efforts that contribute to African unity and bolster security on the continent.
What role would U.S. troops have in African peacekeeping missions?
U.S. Africa Command’s focus will be to build capacity and capabilities among our African partners so that they are able to tackle Africa’s security challenges. We see U.S. Africa Command’s role to be a supporting role.
Does this mean there will be more deployments of U.S. forces to Africa?
Theater security cooperation programs are accomplished in consultation with the host nation partners in Africa. Contingency deployments are the result of emergent threats to our national security interests, particularly threats to the safety of Americans (e.g. non-combatant evacuation operations). The establishment of U.S. Africa Command will not directly result in changes to U.S. deployments. U.S. Africa Command will consolidate the efforts of three commands (U.S. European Command, the U.S. Central Command and the U.S. Pacific Command) into one focused solely on Africa (minus Egypt) and help coordinate United States Government contributions on the continent.