By Secretary of Defense Robert Gates; Admiral Michael Mullen, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff; General William Ward, Commander of United States Africa Command; and Henrietta Fore, USAID Administrator
U.S. AFRICOM Public Affairs  Print     Share  

ARLINGTON, Virginia, 

Oct 1, 2008 — During an activation ceremony at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia on October 1, 2008, U.S. Africa Command became the sixth unified geographic command within the Department of Defense unified command structure.

Members of the official party included Secretary of Defense Robert Gates; Admiral Michael Mullen, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff; General William Ward, Commander of United States Africa Command; and Henrietta Fore, USAID Administrator.

During the ceremony, U.S. Africa Command's new flag was unfurled and members of the official party gave speeches.

Highlights are included below:

Admiral Michael Mullen: "I haven't been to any ceremonies where we had the flags that -- of our armed service and the Joint Staff, but joined by the flag of USAID. And I think that message is a very important message about not just who we are now but who we'll be in the future, and that together across the interagency and together across --with the capability of so many good people, we can make such a difference in the future."

Robert Gates: "The focus is on the three Ds: defense, diplomacy and development. On the defense side, AFRICOM's mission is not to wage war, but to prevent it; not to show United States military presence, but to enhance the security forces of our partners."

Henrietta Fore: "We expect AFRICOM to substantially contribute to African defense sector reform and to build African partner capabilities and capacities in peacekeeping, in coastal and border security and counterterrorism."

General William E. Ward: "The United States Africa Command's mission is in concert with other U.S. government agencies and international partners to conduct sustained security engagements, do military-to-military programs, military-sponsored activities and other military operations, as might be directed, to promote a stable and more secure African environment, in support of U.S. foreign policy."

The complete transcript of the activation ceremony is available below:


ANNOUNCER: Please stand for the arrival of the official party and remain standing for the presentation of colors and the national anthem.

Now entering the room is the official party: the Honorable Robert Gates, secretary of Defense; the Honorable Henrietta Fore, director of U.S. foreign assistance and administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development; Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and General Kip Ward, commander, U.S. Africa Command.

(Presentation of the colors and the national anthem.)

ANNOUNCER: Please be seated. Ladies and gentlemen, Admiral Mullen.

ADM. MULLEN: Secretary Gates, Administrator Fore, ambassadors, other distinguished guests, welcome. And it is indeed an exciting day here as we stand up an incredibly important command.

To Kip Ward, the Ward family, who has worked so hard to lead this great new organization over the last year and a half, we are excited to have you here and excited for you as this command stands up in full bloom of a vision that was put in place not that long ago. And we are grateful for your presence and for your leadership.

I had the opportunity a few months ago to visit the Africa Command headquarters and visit with those who've worked so hard to put this -- to make this vision real.

And it is unique in the sense that while there is certainly a uniform combatant commander, and a very important one, and we couldn't pick a better individual to do that, it is the combination of that plus two deputies and a structure in the command that is different from what we've done in the past and, I believe, leads in a way that will allow us to engage a part of the world that is critical to the world and indeed critical to the United States of America.

And I'm excited about what the future holds with respect to the specifics of that engagement. Clearly, the challenges abound when you look at the vastness of the continent, the variety in the continent, the peoples who live there, the resources that are there, and, I think, an emerging continent of great importance to all of us.

And where there are challenges there are boundless opportunities. And I know that it is those opportunities that will both present themselves and that this command will meet -- will meet head-on.

And in my time with the staff, there was an excitement about what the mission was. There was an excitement about making a difference. There was an excitement in the newness of the construct and in the ability to engage in a place that heretofore we have not been able to dedicate the resources and the people to do so. And it is in that -- it is in that both dedication and focus and engagement that we think will make so much difference in the long run.

That excitement which is in the staff throughout across the entirety of the staff was contagious in terms of what we know will be great success and the many, many challenges.

When we -- when I look at our -- the missions that we have and the opportunities, I am always focused on leadership, and leadership being able to make a difference. And as I indicated earlier, there isn't an individual that I've met who is both better prepared -- has spent just a little bit of time in Europe, in that part of the world -- and more focused and more able to take this command to the next level than General Kip Ward -- a good friend, extraordinary leader, warrior, ambassador, in many ways.

And Kip, to you and your people, we wish you nothing but the best in this great new command and great step forward for us. And for those of us across the entirety of our government, it is -- as I look at these flags, I must admit there -- I haven't been to any ceremonies where we had the flags that -- of our armed service and the Joint Staff, but joined by the flag of USAID. And I think that message is a very important message about not just who we are now but who we'll be in the future, and that together across the interagency and together across -- with the capability of so many good people, we can make such a difference in the future.

So again, it's a real honor to be here, very important day, certainly in our history. And that history is just beginning to be written by some very special people that we are thankful for and dependent on.

So, to Kip, you and your command, we wish you nothing but the best. Congratulations on all the hard work that has gotten us to this day. And we know there's -- there are plenty of great things that will happen in the future. Thank you. (Applause.)

ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, Administrator Henrietta Fore .

MS. FORE : Secretary Gates, Admiral Mullen, General Ward, Secretaries, members of the diplomatic corps, members of the military services, and colleagues from the foreign assistance community, as well as Congressman Meeks, it's very good to see all of you here today.

I am here today representing the United States Agency for International Development, and I too like to see these flags flying together. But I'm also here to represent the United States Department of State. It is a historic occasion for all of us.

On behalf of my colleagues, I wish to congratulate AFRICOM on reaching unified command status. We look forward to working closely with you as you carry out your new and very vital mission. Secretary Gates has spoken powerfully and eloquently on many occasions about the need for the United States to enhance its non-military as well as military instruments of national power in service of our foreign policy objectives.

The Department of State and USAID are proud to play their respective primary roles in diplomacy and in development. All three agencies can take pride in our collective track record and accomplishments in delivering humanitarian assistance, in advancing peace and security, in promoting the rule of law and good governance, in investing in the well-being of Africa's people in times of crisis and in times of peace, and spurring economic growth on the continent.

The Department of Defense, through AFRICOM, focuses on supporting military professionalism and military capacity, building to enhancing the ability of our African partner nations to manage their own security, thereby enhancing their development prospects. In fact, we welcome AFRICOM's innovative and integrative command structure.

The State Department will ensure that AFRICOM's activities are coordinated by our ambassadors. Such coordination will make certain that foreign policy priorities are met and are complementary between all United States government programs and activities, and overall effectiveness is maximized. This is the embodiment of the three Ds of diplomacy and development and defense in the national security strategy.

Just as Secretary Gates sees development as crucial to the success of the overall mission of the Defense Department, USAID and State in turn recognize how fundamental security is to the success of our respective missions. The link between security and development is clear throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

With improved security, Liberia and Rwanda, for example, are beginning to experience sound economic growth, better living conditions and improved governance following years of devastating armed conflict.

To strengthen coordination with Africa and ensure that the Department of Defense activities in Africa supports United States foreign policy priorities, Ambassador Mary Yates, one of the State Department's most distinguished Africanists, and two additional senior-level Foreign Service officers have contributed their considerable expertise to AFRICOM.

And USAID is strengthening its coordination with the Defense Department through our Office of Military Affairs, established in 2005. Military liaison officers from each of the geographic combatant commands and Special Operations Command are assigned to USAID. And likewise USAID senior development officers are assigned to the Pentagon and to geographic commands.

To AFRICOM we are assigning five officers, including two of our most senior, Ray Kirkland and Carl Rahmaan. And this marks a real change for the way things were just a few short years ago and signals a clear change within our organizational culture. Our people are working side by side, and let me give you just two quick examples of how this evolving partnership can work.

In a time of natural disaster, AFRICOM will be relied on to provide logistical support. AFRICOM helps us in working with African governments and with our nongovernmental partners, who are working in towns and in villages. We identify the needs of vulnerable populations for humanitarian assistance. We call upon our military to help provide lift capacity and support to reach the people.

We in USAID are the hub coordinating with our NGOs and our host country partners, in government and with the military. This proved to be an effective model during the flooding in Kenya in 2007 and in Mozambique in 2000.

As another example, we are all concerned and preparing for responses would be needed in the event of a pandemic of avian influenza.

And AFRICOM and in the United States military's Pacific Command, PACOM, will focus on linking military-to-military initiatives, recognizing the important role of -- national militaries are likely to play. We strongly support AFRICOM's mission, focused on military-to- military security cooperation, an area of engagement the State Department and USAID believe will maximize the command's added value to United States government combined efforts in Africa.

We expect AFRICOM to substantially contribute to African defense sector reform and to build African partner capabilities and capacities in peacekeeping, in coastal and border security and counterterrorism.

We look forward to this evolving relationship, the central point of which must be clear, that security, stability and peace are essential for the quality of human life and essential for development. We know well that the conditions for economic growth and poverty reduction are secure, stable and appropriately governed environments.

Paul Collier of Oxford University has famously estimated that the cost of a single war in a low-income country is around $64 billion. Twenty one countries in Africa that have experienced armed conflicts over the past 25 years gives you an idea of how devastating conflict is, to national, to regional and local economies.

Although an average conflict lasts seven years, it takes a country a full 17 years to return to pre-conflict GDP growth rates. Conflict is an impediment to development and families and nations building their futures.

During my travels as direct of United States Foreign Assistance and as USAID administrator, I've seen firsthand the terrible toll that conflict takes on people's lives.

In Gulu in Northern Uganda, all livelihoods in agriculture and in small commerce have ceased as farmers and businesspeople left out of fear. In Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo, women and children were bearing the greatest burden. You see hospitals filled with women who have been raped and children maimed.

In Darfur, we are feeding 3 million people a day, people who are displaced by conflict. In Liberia, there are still many adults who are not literate, as schools closed during the conflict. But with peace, it is a time of hope.

To our African friends and partners in the audience, I want to reiterate the United States government's commitment to supporting your plans for your countries.

We have long and fruitful ties with your nations. And I am here today in part to reiterate that commitment to you as well as to give the support of the American people to your continued progress. Again you have not only my best wishes today, General Ward, as you take command, but my commitment to strengthening the relationship with AFRICOM, the Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development.

Thank you. (Applause.)

ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, Secretary Gates.

SEC. GATES: I thank all of you for coming today and special thanks to Administrator Fore and all our distinguished guests, in particular the members of the diplomatic corps from many African nations who are with us today.

It's a real pleasure to be here on the occasion of AFRICOM's operational activation as a unified command. I would like to start by recognizing those who have put in so much hard work over the last year to make the command a reality. General Kip Ward's strong leadership has been matched only by the efforts of his tireless staff in Stuttgart. The result is a combatant command stood up in record time.

Over the past few years the Defense Department has taken a number of steps to modernize America's military arrangements abroad. Beyond moving and realigning troops and bases, we have also been reconsidering on a more general level the nature of the kinds of threats to our nation and all of our friends and partners -- and those threats that we will face together in the future.

At a time when crime, terrorism, natural disasters, economic turmoil, ethnic fissures and disease can be just as destabilizing as traditional military threats, it makes sense to fuse old understandings of security with new concepts of security and how security, stability and development go hand-in-hand.

In this respect, AFRICOM represents yet another important step in modernizing our defense arrangements in light of 21st century realities. It is, at its heart, a different kind of command with a different orientation, one that we hope and expect will institutionalize a lasting security relationship with Africa, a vast region of growing importance in the globe.

The focus is on the three Ds: defense, diplomacy and development. On the defense side, AFRICOM's mission is not to wage war, but to prevent it; not to show United States military presence, but to enhance the security forces of our partners.

In carrying out these goals, the Department of Defense will support the State Department, which has the expertise from a long history of working with African nations and is the lead agency responsible for foreign policy and development on the continent. The Department of State's Africa Bureau, for example, was established five decades ago last month. They know the continent, and they know its people, and they know the best and most effective ways that we can help our African partners on a number of fronts.

The unique interagency structure and purpose of AFRICOM is reflected in its organizational structure. The deputy to the commander for civil military affairs, Ambassador Mary Carlin Yates, is a Foreign Service officer, and a number of billets will be filled by other civilian officials.

To be sure, AFRICOM is experimental, in some respects, and so we know it will evolve over time. As we work with African governments and their militaries to preserve peace and stability, we also expect to learn from their experiences about the best way ahead.

At the end of the day, we hope that AFRICOM will come to exemplify the kind of civilian-military partnership needed to address the complex security challenges we all face and that the nations of Africa face.

The leaders of this new command are committed to working with African governments and the African Union to preserve peace and stability. General Ward and his team are working hard to complement existing efforts by international and nongovernmental organizations, while growing our military-to-military programs in areas such as training and military education.

AFRICOM will continue the process of building lasting ties with our African friends and partners, and helping them secure and develop their own nation. All of this contributes to our overall goal as a nation: to be a trusted, reliable partner for all of the nations of Africa.

Thank you. (Applause.)

ANNOUNCER: Administrator Fore, Admiral Mullen, General Ward and Command Sergeant Major Ripka will now join Secretary Gates for the activation of Africa Command.

Ladies and gentlemen, United States Africa Command will now be activated, effective 1 October 2008. United States Africa Command is hereby established as a unified combatant command, with commensurate mission, activity, programs and exercised responsibility. (Applause.) Ladies and gentlemen, General Kip Ward.

GEN. WARD: This is a ceremony that I have looked forward to for quite some time, Mr. Secretary. It is also a day that I know only marks the beginning of another great road that we are about to travel along.

To you, Secretary Gates, Madame Administrator, dignitaries from the diplomatic corps, our African officials, Congressman Meek, our interagency leaders, Department of Defense leadership, Admiral Mullen, service chiefs, distinguished guests and in that great African way, all protocol observed. On behalf of my teammates, thank you for being here.

It's an honor to serve as commander of America's sixth geographic unified command. Since the president first announced the stand-up of U.S. Africa Command in February 2007, we have been assembling the team at our headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, to include all branches of the U.S. military service. And to the service chiefs, thank you for your support in allowing this to occur; to our partners in the interagency, our Department of Defense civilians and contractors all working so well to help us be where we are.

I'd be remiss if I'd not acknowledge the work of our fellow combatant command commanders and their staff, in particular U.S. European Command, U.S. Central Command and U.S. Pacific Command. Your work and support as we transfer those missions: greatly appreciated.

I would also like to send a special thank you to our friends at United States Joint Forces Command, so helpful in the training that the staff that we have in Stuttgart needed to be where we are today. That is not lost on me, that camaraderie and teamwork; sincerely thank you.

I'm very proud of this group and I thank you all who have helped to play a role in bringing this command to life over the past year and a half. We look forward to building upon and enhancing the efforts of U.S. European Command, U.S. Central Command and U.S. Pacific Command. And we have our marching order from the secretary.

The United States Africa Command's mission is in concert with other U.S. government agencies and international partners to conduct sustained security engagements, do military-to-military programs, military-sponsored activities and other military operations, as might be directed, to promote a stable and more secure African environment, in support of U.S. foreign policy.

This work in advancing our national security interests is a significant undertaking. And our first priority is our commitment to the delivery and sustainment of effective security cooperation programs on the African continent and its island nations.

We will work to help build partner security capacity. Within our means, we will endeavor to provide value added to existing programs while establishing new programs, based on what African nations and African organizations ask us to do, as they seek to provide for their own security.

U.S. Africa Command will be a reliable partner as we work to increase the capacity of security forces, of our partners, and complement the diplomatic and developmental activities of our U.S. government agencies and non-governmental organizations as well as international allies and friends.

The chance to build a new organization from the ground up is a rare opportunity indeed, something you only do once, and most of you do for the first time. This was a first, certainly, for Kip Ward. And with the support of you who are here today, as well as many who are unable to be with us, we have embarked on a journey that will enhance U.S. national security, the security and stability of our friends on the African continent, as well as contribute to global stability.

Mr. Secretary, Chairman, United States Africa Command reports for duty, sir. (Applause.)

ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, please remain standing, as this concludes today's ceremony, for the departure of the official party.