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21 October 2004

United States Helping Africa Win Its Fight Against Terrorism

Ambassador Cofer Black pledges continued U.S. support

By Charles W. Corey
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- The war against terrorism is being waged with vigor in Africa, and the United States is committed to helping African nations achieve terror-free -- and more prosperous -- societies, pledged Ambassador Cofer Black, the U.S. coordinator for counterterrorism.

Speaking in Algiers October 12 at the Second Intergovernmental High-Level Meeting on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism in Africa, Black said, "We must all work together to combat terrorism, and we must work globally, regionally, and bilaterally" because today's terrorists operate worldwide.

"Terrorists often raise funds in one country, plan and train in another, and conduct operations in a third -- all the while communicating, recruiting, and traveling across borders," he said. "No single nation can defeat this multinational threat alone."

"African nations must find an African solution," he added. "In cooperation with each other, by sharing information, by assisting each other's legal systems, by securing mutual borders, and by making it clear that political violence is no longer acceptable, Africans can defeat terrorists and find a better way for all the African people."

America supports these efforts both morally and practically, Black said, citing President Bush's $100 million East Africa Counterterrorism Initiative as evidence of the high level of commitment of the United States.

That initiative, he said, provides key states in the Horn of Africa with training of the military forces for coastal and border security, helps build capacity for aviation security, and gives assistance for regional efforts against terrorist financing and training for police. It also includes education and outreach components to counter the influence of extremist groups, he noted.

The $7.75 million Pan Sahel Initiative provides similar assistance on the opposite side of the continent, providing training and equipment to the nations of the Sahel region to improve border security and deny the use of their territory to terrorists and criminals.

Algeria, in cooperating with the Pan Sahel Initiative partner nations of Chad, Niger, Mali and Mauritania, has demonstrated its commitment to this regional effort, he added.

Black warned however, that even though training and equipment are important, it takes more to deal with and eliminate terrorism. "Strong militaries are necessary for a government to protect its citizens against external threats, and strong law enforcement, prosecution, and judicial regimes are essential to preserve internal peace and security." But these alone are not enough to defeat terrorism, he warned.

The United States, Black said, recognizes that all nations have other priorities besides fighting terrorism -- economic development, combating AIDS, good governance, health care, and alleviating poverty -- but they must not "be used as excuses to bow out of the struggle against terrorism."

"Terrorists," he reminded everyone, "are not born terrorists. Terrorists choose the way of violence because they believe something is lacking in their lives. ... Poverty does not create terrorists, though it is likely a factor in whether an alienated young person turns to violence."

"In fact, the struggle against terrorism is also in part the struggle for a better society. Success in improving the lives of the people is success against terrorism. ... When people are less desperate, they will be better able to resist the lures of money and status that terrorists promise to their recruits. So we must work together to improve the lives of the people," he explained.

He reminded his audience that Africa is no stranger to terrorism: "In 1998, the United States was again the victim of terrorism in Africa. Although the U.S. was the apparent target, thousands of innocent Kenyan and Tanzanian citizens were also victims."

Africa has fought back, he said. Algeria has suffered from attacks by terrorists since the 1990s, but the government persevered and now the terrorists are in retreat. In Uganda, he pointed out, the Lord's Resistance Army "is also losing headway. The government of Uganda has combined military strength with offers of amnesty to move forward in defeating the terrorists."

Black expressed hope that the African Union's Center for Study and Research on Terrorism can be the beginning of a new forum for cooperation and mutual assistance among African states and their partners in the international community.

With the aid of international institutions (like the United Nations), functional organizations (like the International Civil Aviation Organization), and regional and sub-regional groups (like the African Union), countries of the world, he said, can join together to take the necessary actions to defeat the terrorists, wherever they are.

"We can prevent and disrupt terrorist activity by working to secure our borders, control illegal immigration, strengthen customs enforcement, and develop strong legal and financial regulatory systems to criminalize terrorism and terrorism finance. We can marshal our shared resources ... to deter terrorists from targeting weaker states or from using them for safe havens or fund raising. And by sharing information ... we can bring terrorists to justice," he said.

(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)