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First of all here are the Numbers for the FY 09 Aid Package:
Military Equipment and Training (Mahgreb and Sub-Saharan Africa total) $500 Million which is allocated in the budget for
the State Department.
$400 Million of Equipment and Training that will be allocated for the Defense Department Budget.
$400 Million for the Establishment of the Africa Command (AFRICOM) Headquarters at a site to be determined.
This total is 1.3 Billion Dollars that the US is committing to Africa for the upcoming Fiscal Year. Now how and where
it will be spent will be discussed.
Africa: According to some the Next Battleground in the War on Terror and the Search for Oil.
The State Department Funds are allocated for Several Programs. They include
$4.13 Million Dollars for Law Enforcement and Narcotics. This may be crucial as Narcotics are being Trans-Shipped from
Colombia to Europe via West Africa. There is a Huge Problem in Guinea-Bissau as it is the basis for the rampant corruption
there.
$160 Million for Demining and Nonproliferation and over $100 Million for Peacekeeping Operations. (It is not known whether
or not Funds for Mauritania are included after the recent coup.)
The Defense Department budget includes $398 for the Main HQ of the Africa Command that will be currently housed in Stuttgart,
Germany.
$800 Million will allocated to substantially upgrade the Global Equip and Train Program. Of this amount it is estimated
that $300-400 Million will provide training and equipment to Police, Military and Paramilitary Forces.
Some of the Countries that will be eligible for these funds include: The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Botswana,Nigeria,Guinea-Bissau,Ghana,Senegal,Kenya
and South Africa.
These figures do not include the Amount that is allocated under the Presidential Emergency Fund to fight AIDS and Malaria.
Nor are Funds for Emergencies or allocated to assist UN Projects included either.
For More information check out www.concernedafricascholars.org
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