[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 897 Introduced in House (IH)]







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 through programs such as 
        the Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI), the African Contingency 
        Operations Training and Assistance (ACOTA) program, the Trans-Sahara 
        Counter-Terrorism Partnership (TSCTP), Anti-Terrorism 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 war-torn 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 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;
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
    Resolved, That the United States House of Representatives --
            (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 Department of 
        State, and USAID to work collaboratively and consult with 
        African partners to address any concerns regarding conception 
        or implementation of AFRICOM's mandate, including through 
        rigorous public diplomacy; and
            (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.
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