IV 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 897 

Recognizing the strategic importance of the African continent and welcoming 

the establishment of AFRICOM, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 19, 2007 

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN (for herself, Mr. ROYCE, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, and 

Mr. BOOZMAN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 

the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on 

Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the strategic importance of the African continent 

and welcoming the establishment of AFRICOM, and for 

other purposes. 

Whereas the United States provides nearly $9 billion in assistance to Africa each year, with programs ranging from 

providing humanitarian relief to strengthening health and 

education systems, breaking down trade barriers and promoting economic development, combating corruption and 

other illicit activities, and promoting critical democratic, 

judicial, and human rights reforms; 

Whereas the United States also provides significant resources 

to promote security on the African continent, particularly 


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•HRES 897 IH 

through programs such as the Global Peace Operations 

Initiative (GPOI), the African Contingency Operations 

Training and Assistance (ACOTA) program, the TransSahara Counter-Terrorism Partnership (TSCTP), AntiTerrorism Assistance (ATA), International Military Education and Training (IMET) and Enhanced International 

Military and Training (E–IMET) programs, Foreign 

Military Financing (FMF), Contributions to International Peacekeeping (CIPA), International Narcotics 

Control and Law Enforcement programs, and Non-Proliferation Anti-terrorism, Demining, and related programs; 

Whereas United States military and security assistance programs in Africa represent approximately 3 percent of the 

United States’ total $9 billion aid and development package for Africa; 

Whereas in 2003, the Armed Forces of the United States 

were instrumental in helping to bring stability to wartorn Liberia; 

Whereas roughly 2,000 members of the United States Armed 

Forces currently are stationed at Camp Lemonier in 

Djibouti as part of the Combined Joint Task Force— 

Horn of Africa (CJTF–HOA) to promote regional stability and prevent conflict in the region; 

Whereas the African continent faces unique development and 

security challenges requiring unique United States policy 

approaches; 

Whereas development and prosperity in Africa are inextricably linked to peace and stability; 

Whereas the Department of Defense historically has divided 

Africa among three separate combatant commands: the 


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U.S. European Command, the U.S. Central Command 

and the U.S. Pacific Command; 

Whereas in February 2007, the President announced his decision to create a unified command for Africa, the U.S. 

Africa Command, or ‘‘AFRICOM’’, to provide a more holistic approach toward United States military relations, 

programs, and activities on the continent under a single 

headquarters staff; 

Whereas the stated purpose of AFRICOM is to ‘‘promote 

U.S. National Security objectives by working with African states and regional organizations to help strengthen 

stability and security,’’ while simultaneously streamlining 

United States security assistance programs and eliminating bureaucratic divisions; 

Whereas pursuant to that objective, AFRICOM will seek to 

‘‘[build] partnership capacities, [conduct] theater security 

cooperation, [build] important counter-terrorism skills 

and, as appropriate, [support] U.S. Government agencies 

in implementing other programs that promote regional 

stability’’; 

Whereas unlike other commands, AFRICOM’s structure will 

include a military commander and a civilian deputy, and 

is expected to include civilian personnel from a variety of 

Federal departments and agencies, including staff detailed from the Department of State and the United 

States Agency for International Development (USAID) to 

contribute to the command’s planning and to ensure that 

its activities are ‘‘compatible and integrated’’ with other 

United States Government efforts; 

Whereas AFRICOM is expected to support, not shape, 

United States foreign policy in Africa; 


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Whereas AFRICOM serves as an important acknowledgment 

of the strategic importance of the African continent, as 

well as an opportunity to help African nations and regional institutions build a safe and secure environment in 

which they can prosper; 

Whereas communicating the purposes of AFRICOM to African governments and citizens is an important challenge; 

Whereas AFRICOM was formally established in Stuttgart, 

Germany, on October 1, 2007; and 

Whereas AFRICOM is expected to reach full operating capacity and to establish its headquarters on the African continent by October 1, 2008: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the United States House of Rep2 resentatives — 

3 (1) recognizes the strategic importance of the 

4 African continent and welcomes the establishment of 

5 the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) in Stuttgart, 

6 Germany, on October 1, 2007, toward that end; 

7 (2) awaits the formal establishment of 

8 AFRICOM headquarters on the African continent; 

9 (3) urges the Department of Defense, the De10 partment of State, and USAID to work collabo11 ratively and consult with African partners to address 

12 any concerns regarding conception or implementa13 tion of AFRICOM’s mandate, including through rig14 orous public diplomacy; and 


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1 (4) encourages African nations to acknowledge 

2 and take advantage of the opportunity which 

3 AFRICOM represents to collaborate in promoting 

4 peace and stability on the continent. 

Æ 


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