University of Sussex Students’ Union Resist US AFRICOM

Proposer: Luqman Onikosi- 3 year, School of Global Studies
Seconder: Lysette Kabeya- Postgraduate, School of Global Studies

Union Notes:

1) That Africa is a continent rich in natural resources, with fertile land that has the potential to sustain the advanced human development of 9 billion people.

2) That in 2001, before September 11th, Vice president Dick Cheney’s report indicated that the growing scarcity of fossil fuel in US would catastrophically impact on American economy and National Security, hence ‘energy security’ and ‘energy panic’.

3) That 2003 Heritage Foundation report states that Africa has vast natural and mineral resources, Africa remains strategically important to the West, as it has been for hundreds of years, and its geostrategic significance is likely to rise in the 21st century

4) That according to the National Intelligence Council (NIC), the United States is likely to draw 25 percent of its oil from West Africa by 2015, surpassing the volume imported from the Persian Gulf

5) That US AFRICOM is established to advance US unilateral National Interest of securing mineral resources in Africa

6) That US AFRICOM aimed is overreaching to the objectives of the Diplomatic Corps, which according to Secretary of Defence Robert Gate, ‘focuses on the three Ds’ Defence, Diplomacy and Development’.

7) That this, according to Congressional Research Service report for Congress in 2009, was due “ increasing importance of Africa’s natural resources” to US National Interest and National Security

8) That the United States using foreign policy of the Global War on Terror as justification to expand its hegemony over Africa

9) That according to Centre for Strategic Leadership 2009 report, China’s population will increase from 123 million to 1.3 billion by 2025

10) That will further increase the demand of the of fossil fuel dependency on Africa

11) That China presently import 3.7 million barrel of oil for its daily consumption of 7.5
million

Union Believes:

1) That US foreign relation with Africa is mostly with African leaders and military dictators who hardly represent the interest of the vast majority of their people

2) That US AFRICOM relations with dictators legitimise regime and oppression of the people

3) That US AFRICOM training of Military personnel in Africa impacts and interferes with the sovereignty of the countries in the continent

4) That areas where US AFRICOM claims that are ‘swamp of terror’ are the key areas where mineral resources lies in Africa

5) That the strife in these areas is a consequence of the result in the oppression of the people whose land and mineral sources are extracted and where not provided with social justice such as the people of Niger Delta, Tuareg of Niger and Kivu region in DR Congo

6) That social justice is the best antidote to terrorism and development and terrorism has to be dealt with providing with people with social justice and human development

7) That presence of US AFRICOM will only advance violence

Union Resolves:

1) That the Union needs to develop solidarity links with All African Students’ Union headquarters in Ghana.

2) That the union should practically support the struggles and campaigns of the people in Africa to oppose AFRICOM

3) That the union should support campaigns group such as Resist AFRICOM

4) That the Sussex Union should work with the Institute of Policy Studies in US for regular update on the development of US foreign policy in Africa

5) That the Union actively participates in any future conference to be organised in Africa on AFRICOM by the All-Africa Students Union (AASU).