U.S. Africa Command: An Opportunity for Effective Interagency Cooperation
Abstract
This paper begins with a synopsis of the strategic importance of Africa and a brief history of U.S. power projection on the continent prior to the formation of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM). It then describes the impetus behind AFRICOM's formation and its innovative interagency collaboration design, and includes a snapshot of the planned headquarters organization. It describes how AFRICOM's future success or failure will have major strategic, operational, and tactical impacts on the United States' ability to project power. The thesis suggests that EUCOM's AFRICOM Transition Team has taken the wrong approach in its organizational command and control (C2) design, essentially disaggregating interagency collaboration at the highest levels of command. Three organizational solutions are presented to ensure effective theater-strategic and operational interagency cooperation: (1) a single Deputy Combatant Commander in the form of a senior State Department ambassador-level administrator; (2) a revolutionary adaptation and transformation of the Joint Interagency Coordination Group (JIACG) as the foundation of the C2 organization; and (3) establishment of two semi-permanent Joint Task Forces (JTFs) at the operational level that are geographically aligned to the current U.S. State Department's regional divisions of Africa. Due to the primarily supporting and coordinating role of AFRICOM's mission, in relation to other agencies within the continent, regionalized JTFs allow for a natural economy of force through existing host nation and country team support, greater cultural understanding and expertise gained through interaction with a regional population, and maximization of centralized direction and decentralized execution.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 10, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA470807
Entities
People
- William C. Whitsitt
Organizations
- Naval War College