AFRICOM Short On Answers, Long On Challenges
(Aerospace Daily & Defense Report)…David A. Fulghum, June 20, 2008 Pg. 7

The new U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) is facing some problems that its commander doesn’t want to talk about, and high on that list is China and South Africa.

While avoiding direct questions about South Africa, Ward did mention his desire to work with the few professional air forces in Africa, such as in Botswana.

… He predicts that AFRICOM will double in size over the summer, but it is not being designed to unilaterally “fix things for them.” Instead, the command will wait for requests from African nations, after which the United States will do its best to meet those needs as a partner, and would be willing to depart from traditional organizational constructs and funding models if necessary.

Asked where AFRICOM will move its headquarters that are now in Stuttgart, Germany, Ward says, “I don’t need to spend time on that right now.” He says there is no guide book about how to set up a new unified command, so his time is spent in improvising and experimenting with its organization.