US Africa Command Says No Plans to Re-colonize Africa
January 30, 2008
The United States Africa Command, Africom, is intended enable the US Department of Defense and other elements of the US government to work better in concert with African partners to achieve a more stable environment in which political and economic growth can take place, a US diplomat said on Wednesday in Nigeria.
Geoffrey Martineau, an officer with the United States mission to Nigeria said during a meeting with the House of Representatives in Abuja that there is nothing nefarious in Africom.
“No plan to re-colonize Africa, no plan to invade the Delta (Nigeria’s Niger Delta), or create military bases through out Africa,” he said.
“We decided to re-organize our military in a way that will simply make more sense in cooperating with African nations and in the end it will strengthen African sovereignty in Africa by strengthening African governments.
He said Africom will have a civilian and military staff dedicated solely to Africa, “meaning that we will have people who understand better than ever”.
He said under Africom levels of aid and funding for key programs have increased.
“Under Africom we will have a command far more in tune with the priorities, wishes and interests of Africans themselves,” he added.
Source African Press Agency
As a Nigerian youth, I’m wholly in support of the us african command