The United States is consulting African countries about its plan to establish a regional command center to oversee US military actions on the continent, a senior Pentagon official said Wednesday. "We are now in the process of consulting with the 53 host nations in the continent of Africa, consulting with them both at the diplomatic levels and through military channels," Ryan Henry, the principal deputy under secretary of defense, said at a news conference.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Tuesday announced President George W. Bush's decision to create a regional military command in charge of Africa. The move reflects Washington's fears that some African nations may be harboring suspected terror groups.
"We think that this is the time for the United States to think how it is organized on the continent as Africa is growing in significance," Henry said.
"One of the major reasons that it's time to stand up Africa Command is for us to view the people, the nations and the continent of Africa from the same perspective that they view themselves," he said.
According to Henry, the objective of Africa Command will be "to reduce conflict, to improve the security environment, to defeat or preclude the development of terrorists or terrorist networks, and support in crisis response."
Current responsibility for Africa within the Pentagon is shared out among three regional commands.
Until now the continent has fallen mainly under the US European Command, which also has taken on new responsibilities in recent years with growing relations with Russia and the former Soviet republics.
Central Command, which oversees the Middle East, is responsible for the Horn of Africa, while Pacific Command has watch over Madagascar.
The new Africa Command, however, would not be responsible for Egypt, which will remain under the Central Command domain, Henry said.
The Pentagon intends to establish Africa Command by the third quarter of 2008. The location of its headquarters has not yet been decided.
