By Katherine Almquist, Assistant Administrator for Africa, U.S. Agency for International Development
U.S. AFRICOM Public Affairs  Print     Share  

STUTTGART, Germany - Katherine Almquist, Assistant Administrator for Africa, USAID, addresses U.S. Africa Command staff and guests during the command's establishment ceremony on October 17, 2008 in Stuttgart Germany. "We applaud U.S. military engagements across the continent, as they've partnered with their counterparts in such countries as Ghana, Senegal, Benin, Botswana, and Kenya..." she said. (Photo by Michael Morris, U.S. Africa Command)

Stuttgart, Germany, 

Oct 17, 2008 — U.S. Africa Command plays a critical role in efforts to promote peace, stability, and development in Africa, said Katherine Almquist, Assistant Administrator for Africa, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) on October 17, 2008, at the command headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany.

Almquist was one of four speakers at a commemoration ceremony celebrating the establishment of U.S. Africa Command earlier in the month on October 1.

In her address to approximately 300 guests and hundreds of U.S. AFRICOM staff members, she acknowledged the importance of security in carrying out USAID's development mission in Africa. Quoting USAID Administrator Henrietta Fore, she said, "Nowhere is the link between security and development more important than in Africa."

Almquist discussed the progress made in countries such as Liberia, where U.S. Africa Command's contributions to the post-conflict stability there have enabled USAID to work with the Liberian government in strengthening governance, combating corruption, and delivering basic services to its people.

She also expressed the commitment of USAID to continue working with U.S. Africa Command in future USAID-led endeavors in support of the advance of peace, security, and development in Africa.

"We applaud U.S. military engagements across the continent, as they've partnered with their counterparts in such countries as Ghana, Senegal, Benin, Botswana, and Kenya, helping African nations' militaries prepare themselves to meet the daunting challenges of the 21st century in areas such as counterterrorism, counter-narcotics, peacekeeping and maritime security," Almquist said.

The complete transcript of Almquist's speech is available below:

General Ward, Ambassador Yates, Vice Admiral Moeller, members of the diplomatic corps, members of the military services, and colleagues from the foreign assistance community, I'm grateful to represent the United States Agency for International Development on this historic occasion. On behalf of our administrator, Henrietta Fore, I want to congratulate you, General Ward, for your leadership, and the entire AFRICOM team for your work that has brought us together here today.

USAID has been deeply involved in the establishment of U.S. Africa Command. Today is indeed AFRICOM day, and we are very proud of your accomplishments. Since November, 2006, USAID staff has worked side-by-side with the Implementation Planning Team, the Transition Team and AFRICOM staff to establish the command. Currently, USAID has five of its best officers assigned to AFRICOM, bringing with them a wealth of field experience. The senior development advisor, Carl Rahmaan; director of programs Ray Kirkland, director of humanitarian assistance Diana Putman; humanitarian advisor Angela Sherbenou, and Christine Bird (ph), from the Office of the Inspector General.

To ensure synchronization at all levels, we have also provided a series of technical advisors, funded by the Department of Defense, to the headquarters of Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, integrating on a rotational basis. We look forward to continuing this successful partnership to promote the security of our nation, our allies, and our friends throughout the world and especially in Africa. The United States government has rightly identified development as an integral component of U.S. national security. USAID has a long and successful history of working in tandem with the Departments of State and Defense to advance peace and security and development in Africa. USAID is proud to play the lead role for the U.S. government in humanitarian assistance, promoting democracy and good governance, investing in the well-being of Africa's people, and spurring economic growth on the continent.

USAID recognizes how fundamental security is to the success of our mission. To quote our administrator, "Nowhere is the link between security and development more apparent than in Africa." We applaud U.S. military engagements across the continent, as they've partnered with their counterparts in such countries as Ghana, Senegal, Benin, Botswana, and Kenya, helping African nations' militaries prepare themselves to meet the daunting challenges of the 21st century in areas such as counterterrorism, counter-narcotics, peacekeeping and maritime security. These tasks, previously divided across three unified commands, are now the responsibility of a single command: AFRICOM. U.S. military engagements also reinforce critical relationships between militaries and civilian executive and legislative oversight bodies, complimenting work USAID has done on the civilian side.

In Nigeria, for example, USAID has sought, over the past 10 years, to strengthen the institutions of civilian governance, to create a viable alternative to military rule, while the U.S. Department of Defense assisted Nigeria in professionalizing its military so that it can focus on its core responsibilities of national defense. We look forward to the added focus AFRICOM will bring to this process, as USAID continues to support strengthening their programs in this and nine other African countries.

In close conflict environments, we widely recognize security-sector reform as a natural area for greater coordination and cooperation. In order to be effective, in addition to building professional security forces, security-sector reform programs must support the establishment of relevant legal frameworks, build civilian management, leadership, oversight, planning and budgeting capacities, enhance coordination and cooperation among security-related and civil institutions and manage the legacies of conflict and insecurity. The question we all face is, how do we best address the linkages among security, governance, development and conflict in more comprehensive and sustainable ways?

World Bank president Robert Zoellick, in a recent address, identified the most critical challenges in fragile states as areas in which governance, economy and security intersect because the linkages and overlaps among weak governance, poverty and conflict help explain how some states remain fragile for decades. Perhaps we should consider Mr. Zoellick's call for a different framework for building security, legitimacy, governance and economy, beyond security as usual or development as usual. Mr. Zoellick uses the phrase, "securing development" to capture the notion of simultaneity rather than sequencing in addressing security and development to smooth the transition from conflict to peace and then to embed stability so that development can take hold. Mr. Zoellick notes that first among the equally important priorities for a fragile situation, is the establishment of a relatively safe and secure environment. In practice, this means more interaction on the ground between security and development staff so they can communicate their respective interests, capabilities and limitations.

One place we are already seeing this demonstrated is in Liberia. AFRICOM's assistance in helping to establish security in Liberia is well-known. As security concerns are being addressed, post-conflict stability has enabled USAID to help the government of Liberia to make considerable strides in strengthening governance and rule of law, combating corruption, delivering basic services to the people, building capacity and increasing government revenue. In this way, we recognize that social, political and economic development can help mitigate a country's going into or returning to conflict. Indeed, World Bank economist Paul Collier estimates that post-conflict countries are twice as likely as other developing countries to fall into conflict, and about half of countries recovering from conflict relapse within the first decade.

By focusing on security challenges and supporting state and USAID-led diplomatic and development initiatives, AFRICOM is providing critical value-added to U.S. G(overnment) efforts to provide peace, security and development in Africa.

Today, let me extend my best wishes to you and your team, General Ward, as you continue to develop this important command. Thank you for your leadership in reaching out to USAID, and we are committed to continuing to strengthen our relationship in the service of our country, our allies, our friends in Africa, and around the world. Thank you.

(Applause.)

NARRATOR: Ladies and gentlemen, the Honorable Mark T. Kimmitt, Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs.

(Applause.)

MARK KIMMITT: General Ward, Vice Admiral Moeller, diplomats from our African partner nations, United States Africa Command, officials of the African Union and the German government and other distinguished guests, it is an honor to represent Secretary Rice at today's events. I'm especially delighted to be here today with so many old friends and colleagues. We should all take great pride in what the AFRICOM team has accomplished. General Ward is an extraordinary leader -- one who has made this day possible s-- and we should take great note of not only General Ward, but the other great leaders, from top to bottom, that he has within his organization. We should also take note of Vice Admiral Bob Moeller, my old friend from CENTCOM days, and the presence today of Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Theresa Whelan, who single-handedly worked the issue of AFRICOM throughout DOD so effectively.

We also note the presence of our distinguished ambassador, Mary Carlin Yates, who takes a place alongside Vice Admiral Moeller in the command structure of this organization -- the first time that a State Department official has been integrated into a command structure inside of a military organization. We would also like to acknowledge the presence of our distinguished African diplomatic representatives here today. We are honored by your presence, and the State Department looks forward to expanding our cooperation on issues that mutually affect our nations.

Africa Command represents a genuine desire on the part of the Department of Defense to merge and to work with the Department of State, Justice, Treasury, and Commerce, along with the Agency for International Development to promote security and stability on the African continent. We seek to do this by cultivating democratic rule of law, prosperity, supporting good governance and security, ending conflict, containing terrorism and promoting Africa's full participation in the world economy and on the world stage.

This vision encompasses a broader understanding of security. If countries are in the grip of poverty, if they're not safe from crime or disease, they are not secure and that insecurity can affect not only their nation, but neighbor nations in the region. Africa Command is specifically geared to this security concept. We're pleased that State Department officials, along with representatives of other government U.S. agencies helped to forge its dual-deputy structure and its significantly inter-agency dimension. What has been created together is an important tool for supporting our comprehensive Africa policy and engagement strategy. In support of that strategy, Ambassador Yates and her State Department colleagues bring considerable foreign policy experience to help guide and advise the Africa Command in undertakings that support U.S. government and African priorities for security cooperation on the continent.

State's close involvement with the command means that we are all better-positioned to support assistance initiatives. Africa Command can only make these programs more effective. It is in the spirit of cooperation and assistance that President Bush has more than doubled U.S. assistance to Africa through the President's Emergency Relief Program for AIDS Relief, for an anti-malaria initiative as well that is saving thousands of lives, and through the massive funding for infrastructure and development in the Millennium Challenge concept. No country, no individuals have supported more initiatives on the African continent than the United States taxpayer.

In conclusion, a new unified command does not just happen, and we doubt that there are many who grasp the magnitude of AFRICOM's reach and its responsibilities. A new command would normally take at least five years from concept to stand-up: General Ward, what you have achieved -- what your team has achieved -- in less than five years is nothing short of spectacular. You deserve to feel a great and deep sense of accomplishment after this; Africa Command could not have come into being without your sweat equity, and you should take great pride in those accomplishments. We at State congratulate you, we look forward to working with you, and we know that great days are ahead for this command. God bless you, and all of the countries who will be profoundly affected by your efforts. Thank you.