Africa and the War on Terrorism

Publication Date: January 2002

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Government

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Abstract:

African countries overwhelmingly expressed their support for the U.S.-led efforts on the war against terrorism shortly after the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington. Some African countries are reportedly sharing intelligence and are coordinating with Washington to fight terrorism in Africa. The governments of Kenya and Ethiopia are working closely with U.S. officials to prevent fleeing AlQaeda members from establishing a presence in Somalia. Africa may not be as important to the United States in this phase of the war against terrorism as European allies or Pakistan, but in the next phase of the terror war Africa may prove key.

The Bush Administration has been courting African governments to join the U.S.-led coalition in the fight against terrorism. Administration officials are pleased with the level of support they have received from African governments. In late October 2001, President Bush told more than 30 African ministers who were attending the annual African Growth and Opportunity Act Forum that "America won't forget the many messages of sympathy and solidarity sent by Africans." Bush Administration officials note that Africa, with its large Muslim population, can play a pivotal role in solidifying support in Muslim and Arab countries.

Administration officials believe that Africa is a potential breeding ground for terrorism. Indeed, in recent years, Africa has emerged as an important staging area, training center, and a favored place to target U.S. interests. On August 7, 1998, midmorning explosions killed 213 people, 12 of whom were U.S. citizens, at the U.S. embassy in Kenya, and eleven people at the U.S. embassy in Tanzania. In June 1995, members of the Islamic Group, an Egyptian extremist group, tried to assassinate President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

U.S. officials are closely monitoring countries vulnerable to terrorist penetration and influence, as well as countries that are sympathetic to these groups. Although there are over a dozen countries where terrorist groups have established a strong presence in Africa, Administration officials are closely watching several countries, including Sudan and Somalia. Sudan has long been considered a rogue state by much of the world community because of its support for international terrorism. Somalia is another country where the United States is seriously concerned about terrorist activities. Since the ouster of the dictator Siad Barre government in 1991, Somalia has been without a central government. The absence of central authority has created a conducive environment for terrorist and extremist groups to flourish in Somalia.

Some African officials are concerned that despite the strong support African governments have provided to the anti-terror campaign, they are not seen as real coalition partners in the fight against terrorism. African officials note that cooperation between the United States and Africa in the fight against terrorism should also include extraditing and apprehending members of African terrorist and extremist groups active in Europe and the United States. They argue that these groups are raising funds and organizing in the west, often unhindered by western governments.