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Africa: Liberia Wants Africom Sited on Continent
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This Day (Lagos)
6 November 2007
Posted to the web 6 November 2007
Juliana Taiwo
Monrovia
Government of Liberia has given its support to the location of the United States military base tagged AFRICOM, presently in Stuttgart, Germany, on the African soil.
The country is also bidding to host the site if possible, in in spite of reservations expressed by some African government including Nigeria, on AFRICOM's location on African soil.
Vice President of Liberia, Honourable Joseph Boakai, disclosed this yesterday at the 20th Meeting of ECOWAS Committee of Chief of Defence Staff in Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex, Monrovia.
He said Liberia saw the development as a good thing and will appeal to African brothers to support it, as it bid to host the site.
He claimed not to be aware of the displeasure expressed by other African countries, who saw it as exposing the continent to the American government.
Defence sources in Nigeria had in September, disclosed that the Nigerian government was already making serious diplomatic inquiries into the US government's establishment of a military base for Africa in Stuttgart.
AFRICOM was expected to mark a significant re-ordering of the US military, and an increased interest that can be explained in three words - oil, terrorism and instability.
The US gets about 10 per cent of its oil from Africa and it was gathered that thePentagon was being careful to stress the aim of the new command.
It was also revealed that over one-third of approximately 500 staff of Africom will be diplomats and aid specialists, rather than uniformed military men, a move the Federal Government is not comfortable with..Defence sources said contrary to US claims, the move was to halt the huge economic incursion of China, considered the greatest threat to the US economic interests in the African continent.
Also the German government had last week stated the Command in Stuttgartwas temporal. The Embassy Spokesperson, Christina Jöckle, had said proximity to the European Command, which is located in Stuttgart, was responsible for citing AFRICOM in Stuttgart.
"Before AFRICOM, European Command (EUCOM), which is based in Stuttgart, has covered most African states.
At the moment, AFRICOM is also stationed in Stuttgart, but only for a transitional period," Jöckle had said.
Jöckle, in response to an email, did not disclose the role of the German government in the establishment of the Command, but said "If you are looking for more detailed information about AFRICOM, please get in touch with the US Embassy."
THISDAY gathered that the Chinese government was already mounting pressure on Nigeria and leadership of the African Union to resist the establishment of the base, seen by some countries in Europe and Asia as a threat to their huge investments in Africa.
"Oil is the bottom line of all these U.S. moves. It is not that US likes Africa. U.S. is moving in to protect its huge investments in Africa and its growing interests in the oil rich Gulf of Guinea. It is also afraid of the growing presence of China inAfrica, especially Nigeria," the source had said. Nigeria is still pushing ahead with its "no" stance on the establishment of the command on Africa soil, claiming that the country was capable of protecting the Gulf of Guinea. Presidency sources had disclosed further that the issue would form one of the critical issuesNigeria will be taking to the next regional and continental meetings. A statement pasted on Africom websitewww.africom.mil said "the creation of US Africa Command will enable Department of Defence (DOD) to better focus its resources to support and enhance existing U.S. initiatives that help African nations, the African Union and the regional economic communities.
Meanwhile, Vice President Boakai have said the prolong conflict that engulfedLiberia in 1990s resulted in gross human rights abuses at an unprecedented scale. "Our experience from that conflict, therefore, has resulted in a holistic approach to our concept of security. Security is seen both in terms of the traditional concept of national security, which focuses on the defence of a state from external attack, as well as human security, which focuses on the protection of individuals and communities from any form of political or ethnic-related violence. National security and human security are integral to lasting peace in the sub-region".
He said Liberia was developing a new professional armed forces that is apolitical and subordinated to the constitution of Liberia; ethnically and religiously integrated; capable of defencing the nation's borders and internal regions from foreign and domestic threats; and capable to undertake other missions as permitted by law.
He said already the United States has train a 2000-man army in accordance with the Comprehensive Peace Accord signed in Accra, Ghana. He thanked the governments of Nigeria and China for the valuable role they continue to play in providing training opportunities for Liberia.
"A new culture must be formed within the military, one that is firmly rooted in the rule of law and respect of democratic institutions and processes. Old practices and structures - which have in the past been obstacles to democracy and human rights protection, will have to be changed", he said.
Also in his remark, Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), Nigeria's Maj. Gen Suraj Abdurrahman, said aside the 2000 men the US have offered to train, the AFL has enlisted and trained 645 personnel for the new AFL. A further batch of 500 recruits will commence training next week. in the same vain, the peoples Republic of China has offered to trained 30 slots to the AF: and is equally going to renovate the military barracks in Gbanga, while Nigeria has so far offered a total of 220 training slots with a promise to do more.
He said the only way to overcome the nation's limit was to build on capacity and at the same time develop in the people the sense of improvisation, patriotism, self defence and hard work. He expressed optimism that at the end of the two day meeting, far reaching decisions would be made.
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The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Andrew Azazi said Nigeria play's prominent role in restoring peace to Liberia and in the sub-region. The meeting is to deliberate on security issues in the sub-region, afford the CDSs the opportunity to observe firsthand infrastructure developments and security situation in Liberia, as well as the challenges faced and the substaintial work and achievements to date, of the United Mission in Liberia.
Dear Africa, why do you keep falling for the same tricks?...Why don't you develop and protect your own oil?.. I sat up here and watched documentaries on liberia and how the people were crying for U.S. help during its civil war...All the U.S. did was protect is Liquor and own people!..They did not help them at all, now you are going to let them put a base there in liberia or any other african country for more exploitation of african people, culture and oil! I was reading that the EU or the U.S. won't even sell you major military... [Read Full Text]
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