Letter to the Hon. Betty McCollum, Chair of House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense and the Hon. Ken Calvert, Ranking Member of House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense - To Request Funding To Strengthen Diplomatic, Military, And S

Letter

Dear Chair McCollum and Ranking Member Calvert:

As you and your colleagues begin consideration of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Appropriations bills, we respectfully request you increase funding in the Defense Appropriations bill for our programs that support our partners in Africa in security, stability, and governance. These programs are crucial to the Department of Defense's ability to help provide the security to support other efforts in the region that seek to improve human rights, democracy, and development. We request that you increase funding for these programs for FY2022 by $500 million over the FY2021 enacted levels.

The importance of Africa in global affairs will increase substantially in the coming decades. The population of the continent is expected to roughly double to two billion by 2050, with Nigeria passing the United States as the third-largest country in the world. This growth, combined with the continued development of their economies, will increasing raise the impact the continent has on the global economy and international security. The continent holds the second most seats at the United Nations (UN) Security Council (UNSC), and as it represents the largest and most unified bloc at the UN General Assembly, the international political influence of this region is only expected to increase.

United States' engagement with African nations is crucial for peace, democracy, and development. In 2020, the United States obligated $13B for foreign assistance on the continent of Africa, almost 50% more than any other continent. The funds support partnerships efforts, such as helping to fight diseases such as HIV/AIDS and malaria to investing in the agriculture and financial sectors to establishing good governance and ensuring human rights. By enhancing the capabilities and capacity of our partners in Africa, we can ensure that the growth of the continent is one that is fundamentally based in democratic values and human rights.

Yet, these efforts continue to be disrupted by security challenges. During the 2021 House Armed Services Committee hearing, General Townsend, Commander US AFRICOM stated "there's a symbiotic relationship between the three Ds - diplomacy, development, and defense. That symbiotic relationship is very evident in Africa...and the Department of Defense's assistance is regularly needed." Recent reports from Africa continue to reinforce the importance of this assistance including the death of the President of Chad, Idriss Déby by rebels and the U.N. Security Council formally expressing concern about the humanitarian situation in Ethiopia's Tigray region. These events are in addition to the growing instability posed by violent extremist organizations in the Sahel, al-Shabaab in Somalia, and the entrenched presence of ISIS in Mozambique (ISISM) in portions of northern Mozambique.

As such, we request that you increase our support of the Department of Defense in its efforts to engage our partners in Africa by $500M in FY2022. By working by, with, and through reinvigorated networks of regional partners and international allies, we can increase stability, secure United States interests, and ensure that needed development and diplomatic work can continue. We specifically request that these funds be added to and fenced for Africa within the Defense Intelligence Agency, International Security Cooperation Programs, and defense wide procurement to build institutional capacity, increase the Department's coordination with the embassies, and improve partner capacity. Increasing these accounts will have an outsized effect and a significant return within the continent.

Strengthening and deepening America's diplomatic, commercial, and military engagement with African countries through a whole of government approach remains in our national security interests. America's long-term prosperity is tied to Africa's future. The United States is renewing its commitment to being a global partner and supporting multilateralism. As the region moves in an upward trajectory, it is vital that the United States help to build better foundations in these critical areas to ensure stability and security. We thank you for your consideration of this request and look forward to working with you on these issues in the Defense Appropriations bill.

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