On February 6th 2007 the new United States African Command, AFRICOM, was created to address "the emerging strategic importance of Africa, and recognizing that peace and stability on the continent impacts not only Africans, but the interests of the U.S. and international community as well."
However the US department of Defense has been criticized for overstepping its boundaries by combining its military operation missions with the diplomatic elements. With the controversy concerning objectives and communication, the security of many African nations may be highly dependent on AFRICOM- World Affairs Council of Washington, D.C.
Bio
Ambassador Mark Bellamy
William M. Bellamy joined CSIS in October 2007 as senior resident fellow in the Africa and International Security Programs. He came to CSIS from the National Defense University in Washington, D.C., where he was senior vice president until his retirement from the Foreign Service in September 2007.
A career diplomat, Ambassador Bellamy was U.S. ambassador to Kenya from 2003 to 2006. During his tenure in Kenya, he directed U.S. counterterrorism programs in the Horn of Africa. He also supervised the U.S. government’s largest foreign HIV/AIDS program and led multinational efforts to combat corruption and promote good governance in Kenya.
Ambassador Bellamy served as principal deputy assistant secretary of state for African affairs (2001–2003) and as deputy assistant secretary for African affairs (2000–2001). His earlier diplomatic postings include deputy chief of mission in Canberra, Australia, from 1997 to 2000, and minister-counselor for political affairs in Paris, France, from 1993 to 1997. As political counselor in Pretoria, South Africa, from 1991 to 1993, he was closely engaged in U.S. diplomatic efforts to promote a peaceful transition from apartheid to democratic government. He served as officer-in-charge for South Africa in the State Department from 1987 to 1989 and as a political officer in the U.S. embassy in Harare, Zimbabwe, from 1985 to 1987.
Ambassador Bellamy holds a B.A. in history from Occidental College in Los Angeles and a M.A. in international relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He has certificates from the Institut Universitaire des Hautes Etudes Internationales in Geneva and the Ecole Nationale d’Administration in Paris.
He is the recipient of a Presidential Meritorious Service Award, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joint Distinguished Civilian Service Award, as well as a Distinguished Honor Award and two Superior Honor Awards conferred by the Secretary of State.
Prior to joining the Foreign Service, Ambassador Bellamy worked as a journalist in San Francisco and public relations officer for a major bank in Los Angeles.
Major General Arnold Fields
Major General Arnold Fields holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture and a Master of Arts degree in Management. He is a graduate of the Amphibious Warfare School, the Marine Corps Command and Staff College, and the Army War College.
He was promoted to Major General on August 6, 1999.
His decorations include: the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V", Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Navy Unit Citation, Meritorious Unit Citation, Viet Nam Service Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal, and the Kuwait Liberation Medal.
Sean McFate
Sean McFate is an expert in foreign affairs, defense policy and fragile states. Before joining BPC, he was a Program Manager for DynCorp International, a New York Stock Exchange-listed company that provides services to the U.S. government. In that capacity, he helped design and lead several peacebuilding programs in Africa, including: demobilizing and then rebuilding the Armed Forces of Liberia and Ministry of Defense; organizing the first major legal arms shipment to Liberia in 15 years; retraining Burundi's elite Presidential Guard; and professionalizing the Sudanese People's Liberation Army.
Previously, Sean served as a Captain in the U.S. Army, primarily as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division. Following his military service, he was a policy adviser for Amnesty International USA, where he counseled staff on issues pertaining to human rights and armed conflict.
Sean has published in Military Review, RUSI Journal, and African Affairs, a peer reviewed journal, and was a contributor to The Encyclopedia of Intelligence and Counterintelligence and War Crimes and Trials: A Historical Encyclopedia. He has a forthcoming article in the Review of African Political Economy, and two chapters in separate anthologies on stabilizing fragile states.
He is frequently invited to speak at international conferences on peacebuilding, and is a member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Sean holds double B.A.s from Brown University, a M.P.P. from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, and is completing his Ph.D. at the London School of Economics.
Gayle Smith
A Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress and Director of the International Rights and Responsibilities Program and Energy Opportunity Program, Gayle Smith served as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for African Affairs at the National Security Council from 1998-2001, and as Senior Adviser to the Administrator and Chief of Staff of the U.S. Agency for International Development from 1994-1998.
Smith was based in Africa for over 20 years as a journalist covering military, economic, and political affairs for the BBC, Associated Press, Reuters, Boston Globe, Christian Science Monitor, Toronto Globe and Mail, London Observer, and Financial Times.
Smith has also consulted for a wide range of NGOs, foundations, and governmental organizations including UNICEF, the World Bank, Dutch Interchurch Aid, Norwegian Church Relief, and the Canadian Council for International Cooperation.
She won the World Journalism Award from the World Affairs Council and the World Hunger Year Award in 1991, and in 1999 won the National Security Council's Samuel Nelson Drew Award for Distinguished Contribution in Pursuit of Global Peace.
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