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Liberia: Be More Responsive Towards Africa Partnership Station
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The NEWS (Monrovia)
EDITORIAL
18 March 2008
Posted to the web 18 March 2008
Monrovia
A United States initiative involving a number of European and African countries under the banner 'Africa Partnership Station' has been extended to Liberia, with the arrival on Monday of a United States Navy vessel.
The purpose of the Africa Partnership Station is to "support regional maritime security and safety in the Gulf of Guinea while increasing African maritime capabilities and capacity".
While in Liberia as part of the Africa Partnership Station, a U.S. High Speed Vessel will, for two weeks, be used to ferry drugs, medical equipment and supplies donated to Liberia for use at various hospitals in the country.
At the same time, about 20 civilian and military medical professionals from the vessel are expected to train Liberian civilian health workers as well as medics of the Liberian military. Some of the services expected include environmental and preventive medicine, dental and veterinary care.
In addition to providing maritime security and safety, the Africa Partnership Station exercises are also said to provide an "opportunity for the ships involved to practice the sea-basing concept, which can prove extremely beneficial during humanitarian or natural disaster crises where infrastructure is reduced or damaged".
The Africa Partnership Station certainly brings to mind a previous attempt by the United States to establish in Africa a headquarter for the African military command known as Africom.
Except for Liberia and few others, many African nations opposed the proposal for fear, among others, of an American military dominance which they think could undermine the sovereignty of their countries within the region.
Whether such fears were in place or not, only the future will tell.
However, as far as stated objectives, aims and operations are concerned, there appears not to be much of a difference between the rejected Africom and the on-going Africa Partnership Station exercises.
We believe that the overriding objectives in each case are to address common threats of illegal activities at sea and to enhance the capability and capacity of West African States' securities in preventing and combating crimes at sea.
Such objectives are more significant for Liberia in view of the country's vulnerability at sea.
It can only be hoped therefore that the government will exercise vigor in being more responsive towards the Africa Partnership Station.
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A more responsive posture could lead to frequent deployments of the Africa Partnership Station in Liberia and catalyst towards fast-tracking the revamping of the country's navy.
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