Senators voiced frustrations with the US government’s activities in Africa, and asked State Department and Pentagon officials if the fight against terrorism on the continent is undermining support for good governance.
During a Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee hearing on Thursday, Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) used part of his question time to highlight what he called “a dramatic imbalance between State and DOD” in providing assistance to friendly African governments.
“I’m growing more concerned about the potential for militarization of US foreign policy in Africa,” he told the panel of witnesses, noting that the administration has requested next fiscal year to disperse $1.27 billion in military assistance to “terrorist hotspots”—primarily locations in East Africa.
“This one fund will outsize all of the State Department’s administrative security sector funds—by a large amount,” the Senator added, noting that State has allotted less than $500 million for security assistance in the region.
“Can you understand my concerns?” Markey asked. Amanda Dory, the Deputy Secretary of Defense for African Affairs and a witness before the subcommittee, responded in the affirmative.
“I share you concerns,” she said. “If we focus exclusively on militaries and we neglect the other areas referred to in terms of law enforcement, judicial systems, civilian engagement, then we will indeed have an imbalance in our approach.”
Subcommittee chair, Sen. Markey specifically called on the department to take a closer look at US military assistance to Nigeria, which was ramped up last October in an effort to combat the Islamist militant group Boko Haram. He referenced a Amnesty International report released this week that alleged senior officers within the Nigerian military carried out torture, forced disappearances and the killing of at least 7,000 civilians.
“We still need to closely examine the kind of partnership we hope to have with those we support—particularly when we are discussing military partnership,” Markey said. “Supporting partners in an effort combat violence and human rights violations when they themselves are committing similar acts against innocence in not a recipe for success by any measure.”
Dory said the Pentagon was giving the newly elected President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, “time and space” to put his leadership team in order, before pressing the government to address the “long-standing concerns” about human rights abuses.
She noted that behavioral changes are critical to future assistance since federal law, known as the Leahy Amendment, would “prevent [the departments] from working and collaborating in a training relationship or an equipping relationship with military members who have any accusations with respect to human rights.”
Joining Markey in questioning the wisdom of Pentagon aid was subcommittee chair, Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.). He reminded the witnesses that US military assistance has also worked to destabilize governments in the region, and questioned witnesses how the US can be confident that assistance will “foster civility rather than aid to the problem.”
“We’ve long provided security assistance on the continent under the premise that exposure to US best practices and our civilian led military will lead to greater security in the region,” he said. “Yet in Mali, Burkina Faso, and possible Burundi, US trained actors were involved in—shall we say—extra democratic transitions.”
