Synopsis "Counterterrorism Efforts in Africa (in English)"
This hearing will take a broader look at U.S. counterterrorism efforts across Africa. While the Department of Defense often plays the most visible role in these efforts, the State Department is charged with developing the overall strategy. State also plays a significant role in security assistance, providing countries like Niger with armored vehicles and other equipment that they need to confidently take the fight to the enemy. In recent years, DoD funding for security assistance in Africa has surpassed that provided by State. It is important for members to understand that while successive administrations have used the 2001 AUMF to conduct strikes in Somalia and Libya, the majority of U.S. counterterrorism operations in Africa are carried out under other authorities that Congress has provided. Together these, as we call them, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and train and equip, and advise and assist missions build the capabilities of our partner forces while helping them to take on current threats. Of course, military efforts alone cannot defeat radical ideology. Severe poverty, lack of education, local grievances, and weak governance provide the ideal context for this hateful ideology to take hold in the first place. As AFRICOM's first commander told the committee in May, it is in our best interest to focus on sustained development engagement, just as we focus on sustained security engagement.
