The African continent faces a raft of security challenges from human rights abuses, poverty, corruption and smuggling, to rapidly increasing populations and dwindling water resources.

While the United States always has interacted with Africa through diplomatic missions, defense attaches and the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, as well as through various other military commands, the focus now has been sharpened through the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), which will be responsible for U.S. military-to-military relationships with 53 African countries.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies says "a robust command dedicated to Africa can achieve substantial diplomatic and security results for both the United States and Africa." Andrew Terrill of the U.S. Army War College says the command is envisioned to be "like no other" in the sense that it brings together military and civilian officials to focus on humanitarian missions such as disaster response and land mine removal -- as well as more traditional missions such as anti-piracy, security sector reform and counterterrorism.

The command began to take form at its new headquarters in Germany after President Bush announced it in 2007. Air Force Reserve Major Robert Munson says the command is needed to support U.S. policy in Africa. Writing in the current issue of Strategic Studies, he says the creation of the command does not presage a major shift in policy, but should improve coordination and "help weave many disparate elements of U.S. foreign policy into one more-coherent package."

The command, in fact, will continue to highlight security, stability and safety activities in Africa that have been carried out in coordination with the State Department for some time. These include training peacekeepers through the African Contingency Operations Training and Assistance program (ACOTA), providing assistance through the International Military Education and Training program (IMET) and offering aid through President Bush's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, known as PEPFAR.

The command also is seen as an early-warning system, says Claudia Anyaso of the State Department. "We want it to be a system for prevention," she told an April 21 conference in Arlington, Virginia, sponsored by Women in International Security and the Army War College's Strategic Studies Institute.

Lisa Schirch, program director for the 3D Security Initiative, agreed, stressing the urgent need for conflict prevention in Africa. Schirch was one of many Africa experts addressing the conference theme of "AFRICOM and the U.S. Strategy for Peace and Security in Africa." She also emphasized the need for greater African development assistance to combat infectious disease, promote job training skills and emphasize helping African governments become more transparent as a way to prevent corruption.

Anyaso said that U.S. Agency for International Development officers will be conducting outreach activities and working through the command. She also said there are long-term plans for military officers from other countries to have input in AFRICOM programs.

Both Schirch and Anyaso emphasized that there are no plans to establish U.S. military bases in Africa to support the new structure.

Lauren Ploch, who is an Africa analyst with the Congressional Research Service, said AFRICOM has a distinct role to help Africans counter illegal fishing and human trafficking and help indigenous military forces gain better control over local maritime environments.

During his recent testimony before Congress, AFRICOM's commander, General William "Kip" Ward, also talked about the need to confront transnational threats in Africa, including illegal drugs and dangerous weapons.

Former intelligence officer Robert Berschinski said there is a need to strengthen democracy in Africa and promote principles such as rule of law. The United States has to do whatever it can, he said, to foster conditions that will lead to peace and economic stability in Africa.

Former Ugandan Minister of State Betty Oyella Bigombe said AFRICOM's activities should be transparent and diverse and its civilian and military officials should offer assistance "wherever help is needed." Bigombe, who is a fellow at the Washington-based Woodrow Wilson Center, said nontraditional humanitarian aid, like helping Africans obtain safe drinking water, will go far in demonstrating U.S. friendship.

One attendee emphasized the importance of having African leaders identify the security problems to be tackled. Bigombe agreed, saying the assistance programs thereby would reflect African rather than U.S. interests.

Emira Woods, with the Institute for Policy Studies, said African security will be aided by a halt to the flow of arms, and human security will improve through better jobs, education and health care. What Africa needs most, she said, is development aid.

AFRICOM is seen as a way to avoid duplication of effort by various U.S. government agencies that are promoting better livelihoods in Africa. The U.S. Institute of Peace's Linda Bishai said African issues were too often the stepchildren of various U.S. military commands that, in the past, looked at only a fraction of Africa's requirements. Now, with a new Africa-centered command, she said, there is the opportunity to deal with African challenges as effectively and efficiently as is possible.