The Pentagon slowly has begun to downplay what so far have been lofty expectations about its new Africa Command, which is scheduled to open for business next year. In a series of high-profile announcements last year, defense officials hailed Africom as a key element in the U.S. fight against terrorism and as a smart strategic move to counteract China’s growing influence in the region.
But those assertions may have been a bit exaggerated.
“We hopefully cleared up the misunderstanding that Africom was being stood up in response to Chinese presence on the continent,” says Principal Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Ryan Henry, speaking to reporters after returning from a trip to Africa in April. The command, he adds, is “not being stood up solely for the effort of enhanced counterterrorism.” He said it would be more accurate to describe Africom as an “organizational and a staffing structure; it is not an operational entity.”