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 Officials from The U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) Headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany contacted MoroccoBoard to deny press reports on base location in Morocco.
"Media reports indicating that United States Africa Command's main base will be established in Morocco are incorrect. As of now, U.S. Africa Command has not asked any government other than the government of Germany to host its headquarters, nor do we have any current plans to base U.S. Africa Command on the African continent. We are not constructing a military base in Morocco, nor have we discussed basing U.S. Africa Command in Morocco with the Moroccan Government." Said Vince Crawley, a spokesperson for U.S. Africa Command in a declaration to MoroccoBoard As of now, AFRICOM has not asked any government other than the government of Germany to base its headquarters, Crawley added.
The decision to set up AFRICOM came as the U.S. grew increasingly concerned with the rise of radical Islamic movements in Africa. Among them were Somalia's Supreme Council of Islamic Courts (SCIC) and the Algerian-based Al-Qa'ida Organization in the Islamic Maghreb (QOIM).
"Our primary mission is to work with the nations of Africa and their organizations to assist them in increasing their capacity to provide for their own security," Gen. William E. Ward, commander of U.S. Africa Command, told reporters during the inauguration ceremony of AFRICOM.
AFRICOM is a new U.S. military headquarters devoted solely to Africa. It is one of the Defense Department's six regional headquarters, and is currently located in Stuttgart, Germany, while the U.S. explores several alternatives in the African continent.
The rebuttal pertains to the establishment of a full-fledged AFRICOM headquarters. In a previous MB article by Ahmed T.B, He stated that AFRICOM headquarters will remain in Stuttgart, Germany. Opening numerous bases in African countries, to include Morocco, for AFRICOM is an operational necessity. Much like CENTCOM’s operational fluidity in Iraq and Afghanistan depends on its strategically located operational platforms (military bases) in its area of operation (AO), AFRICOM’s success depends on how rapid and sustained its access to Africa is. Understandably, AFRICOM’s denial stems from its concern that an open multi-level cooperation with some African countries might create regional friction.
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