From chaos to cohesion
Subtitle: a regional approach to security, stability, and development in Sub-Saharan Africa
By: Diane E. Chido
Contributors: Army War College (U.S.). Strategic Studies Institute; Army War College (U.S.). Press
Series: Letort papers; Letort papers
Publisher: Strategic Studies Institute and U.S. Army War College Press
Published: 2013
Place of publication: Carlisle, PA
Language: eng
Number of pages: 50
ISBN-13: 9781584875635
Subjects: Regionalism; International Security; Political stability; Economic development; American Economic assistance; American Military assistance; Foreign relations; Military relations; United States. Africa Command; United States
Description: Prevention is the key to effective policies in Africa, whether the issue is equitable resource exploitation, ethnic conflict, infectious diseases, or famine. African Regional Economic Communities (RECs) have moved beyond their initial purpose of a loose confederation of trading partners to become increasingly effective supranational bodies promoting financial, political, and security stabilization in each of their regions. Looking at each of the RECs, their power centers, and areas of weakness, policymakers can gain a more comprehensive understanding of the sometimes symbiotic and often destructive dynamics within and among African states to seek more effective strategic and regional, not national, approaches. This monograph suggests USAFRICOM is uniquely positioned to help design a path to spearhead a pan-African strategy highly likely to have the net long-term effect of attaining considerable competitive advantage for the U.S. economically, militarily, and politically, with a corresponding increase in stability, security, and economic opportunity for the entire continent.
Notes: "April 2013."

Includes bibliographical references (pages 45-50).

Also available online in PDF format from Strategic Studies Institute (SSI) web site.
Table of contents: title: Introduction; title: Dismal inheritance; title: Regional communities' first step toward a viable African Union. African sovereign state instability; title: EU/NATO model for integration?; title: United States of Africa? Was Gaddafi right?; title: Security first; title: Today's African Union security architecture; title: Regional approach to African security; title: Applying regional approaches to key security threats. North African unrest and Islamic extremism; title: African mercenaries and insurgencies; title: Dangerous spaces; title: Demographics; title: Resource shortages resulting in conflict; title: Development and investment through regional markets; title: Continued U.S. diplomatic and military engagement in Sub-Saharan Africa. Encouraging integrative strategies to address regional security concerns; title: U.S. Army role in African security integration. Cross-cultural training and synchronizing strategic and tactical leadership.