•HRES 897 IH 
U.S. European Command, the U.S. Central Command 
and the U.S. Pacific Command; 
Whereas in February 2007, the President announced his de-
cision to create a unified command for Africa, the U.S. 
Africa Command, or ‘‘AFRICOM’’, to provide a more ho-
listic 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 Afri-
can states and regional organizations to help strengthen 
stability and security,’’ while simultaneously streamlining 
United States security assistance programs and elimi-
nating 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 de-
tailed 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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•HRES 897 IH 
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 re-
gional institutions build a safe and secure environment in 
which they can prosper; 
Whereas communicating the purposes of AFRICOM to Afri-
can 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 capac-
ity and to establish its headquarters on the African con-
tinent by October 1, 2008: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the United States House of Rep-
resentatives — 
(1) recognizes the strategic importance of the 
African continent and welcomes the establishment of 
the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) in Stuttgart, 
Germany, on October 1, 2007, toward that end; 
(2) 
awaits 
the 
formal 
establishment 
of 
AFRICOM headquarters on the African continent; 
(3) urges the Department of Defense, the De-
partment of State, and USAID to work collabo-
ratively and consult with African partners to address 
any concerns regarding conception or implementa-
tion of AFRICOM’s mandate, including through rig-
orous public diplomacy; and 
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•HRES 897 IH 
(4) encourages African nations to acknowledge 
and take advantage of the opportunity which 
AFRICOM represents to collaborate in promoting 
peace and stability on the continent. 
Æ 
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