The role of private military companies in US-Africa policy

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Periodical article

Title:	The role of private military companies in US-Africa policy
Authors:	Aning, Kwesi Jaye, Thomas Atuobi, Samuel
Year:	2008
Periodical:	Review of African Political Economy
Volume:	35
Issue:	118
Pages:	613-628
Language:	English
Geographic terms:	Africa United States
Subjects:	military assistance peacekeeping forces private enterprises strategic policy human security
External link:	https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03056240802569300
Abstract:	The authors discuss the increasing use of private military companies (PMCs) in United States' security policy in Africa, and examine this phenomenon in relation to the US' various military training programmes on the continent. They argue that the increasing use of PMCs in US security policy has evolved due to two critical and mutually dependent developments; African State weakness and resource stringency on the one hand, and the US's overwhelming security commitments around the world, combined with military downsizing, on the other. The authors further argue that the involvement of PMCs is to a large extent informed by US concerns about access to African resources, especially oil, in the face of stiff competition from China. They conclude that the increasing US engagement in Africa is highly militaristic and State-centric, and that it is primarily conditioned by US strategic interests and does not necessarily reflect African security concerns: human security for development. Bibliogr., notes, ref., sum. [Journal abstract]