However, activities  are being implemented as the detailed supporting plans for conducting  many activities have not yet been finalized. AFRICOM Has Developed Some Overarching Strategies and Led Planning Meetings

AFRICOM has published command-level overarching strategic guidance  and has led activity planning meetings with its components and  interagency partners. However, AFRICOM has not yet approved its  military service components, special operations command, and task force  support plans for use in guiding their activities. AFRICOM Is Generally Not Measuring the Long- Term Effects of Its Activities to Determine Whether They Fully Align with the Command’s Mission

It is unclear whether all of the activities that AFRICOM has inherited or is  planning fully align with its mission of sustained security engagement in  Africa because, in addition to unfinished strategic plans, AFRICOM is  generally not measuring the long-term effects of its activities. Moreover, DOD officials observed that, with respect to the Maghreb news  Web site sponsorship, the intent of the activity is to influence African  public sentiment—the same effect for which some State officials have  expressed concern. Despite the challenges associated with  measuring long-term effects, implementing such assessments for all of its  activities can help AFRICOM make successful future planning decisions  and allocate resources to maximize its effect in Africa. Determining which specific funding sources should be used for various  activities has sometimes resulted in problems with activities. AFRICOM component officials told  us that guidance or training on applying funding sources to activities  would be helpful. Without a  greater understanding of how to apply funding to activities, AFRICOM will  likely continue to face difficulties in implementing activities—including  the potential that activities may be delayed, funds may not be effectively  used, and African partner nations may be excluded from participating—as  well as institutionalizing knowledge within the command. AFRICOM Has Made Efforts to Collaborate with Interagency Partners but Is Not Fully Engaging Them in Activity Planning Processes

AFRICOM has made efforts to integrate interagency personnel into its  command and collaborate with other federal agencies on activities, but it  is not fully engaging interagency partners in planning processes. As of June 2010, AFRICOM reported that it embedded 27 interagency  partners into its headquarters staff, which represents about 2 percent of  the total headquarters staff. Several interagency officials stated that AFRICOM has tended to develop  initial activity plans before integrating interagency perspectives. AFRICOM identified five key  observations based on its assessment: (1) embedded staff want to ensure  they can accomplish their own objectives and not merely perform duties  that a DOD employee could perform; (2) interagency personnel arrive at  AFRICOM with the expectation that they will help achieve not only  command goals and objectives but also U.S. government goals, yet they  feel that DOD employees do not expect embedded personnel to develop  new programs; (3) embedded interagency personnel need to understand  the function, operation, and role of a military command and how it differs  from other federal government agencies; (4) the military planning process  is more structured than the planning approaches of other government  agencies; and (5) embedded personnel experience an overwhelming  adjustment to military culture. AFRICOM Faces Challenges in Building Personnel Expertise to Work in Africa

AFRICOM emphasizes the importance of collaborating with its interagency  partners and building cultural awareness; however, the command has  sometimes experienced difficulty implementing activities because some  personnel have limited knowledge about working with U.S. embassies and  about cultural issues in Africa. Developing a well- trained workforce that understands the complexities associated with  working on the continent can advance the department’s efforts to foster  stability and security through improved relationships with African nations. Recommendations for Executive Action

To more effectively plan, prioritize, and implement activities in a  collaborative interagency environment that aligns with both the  command’s mission of sustained security engagement and U.S. foreign  policy goals; make effective use of resources in a fiscally constrained  environment; and take steps to institutionalize its processes and  procedures, we recommend that the Secretary of Defense direct the  Commander, AFRICOM, to take the following five actions:    Synchronize activities among AFRICOM’s components by expediting the  completion of its regional engagement plans, country work plans, and  component support plans; and develop a process whereby plans are  reviewed on a recurring basis to ensure that efforts across the command  are complementary, comprehensive, and supportive of AFRICOM’s  mission. Appendix III: Scope and Methodology

In conducting our work, we reviewed a wide range of Department of  Defense (DOD) and command guidance and other guidance including  DOD strategies; U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) theater strategy,  theater campaign plan, and 2009 and 2010 posture statements; and  AFRICOM’s military service component and task force’s priorities, draft  strategic plans (if available), and engagement plans.
Why GAO Did This Study

When the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) became fully operational in 2008, it inherited well over 100 activities, missions, programs, and exercises from other Department of Defense (DOD) organizations. AFRICOM initially conducted these inherited activities with little change. However, as AFRICOM has matured, it has begun planning and prioritizing activities with its four military service components, special operations command, and task force. Some activities represent a shift from traditional warfighting, requiring collaboration with the Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development, and other interagency partners. GAO's prior work has identified critical steps and practices that help agencies to achieve success. For this report, GAO was asked to assess AFRICOM in five areas with respect to activity planning and implementation. To do so, GAO analyzed DOD and AFRICOM guidance; observed portions of AFRICOM activities; interviewed officials in Europe and Africa; and obtained perspectives from interagency officials, including those at 22 U.S. embassies in Africa.

What GAO Found

AFRICOM has made progress in developing strategies and engaging interagency partners, and could advance DOD's effort to strengthen the capacity of partner nations in Africa. However, AFRICOM still faces challenges in five areas related to activity planning and implementation. Overcoming these challenges would help AFRICOM with future planning, foster stability and security through improved relationships with African nations, and maximize its effect on the continent. (1) Strategic Planning. AFRICOM has created overarching strategies and led planning meetings, but many specific plans to guide activities have not yet been finalized. For example, AFRICOM has developed a theater strategy and campaign plan but has not completed detailed plans to support its objectives. Also, some priorities of its military service components, special operations command, and task force overlap or differ from each other and from AFRICOM's priorities. Completing plans will help AFRICOM determine whether priorities are aligned across the command and ensure that efforts are appropriate, complementary, and comprehensive. (2) Measuring Effects. AFRICOM is generally not measuring long-term effects of activities. While some capacity-building activities appear to support its mission, federal officials expressed concern that others--such as sponsoring a news Web site in an African region sensitive to the military's presence--may have unintended effects. Without assessing activities, AFRICOM lacks information to evaluate their effectiveness, make informed future planning decisions, and allocate resources. (3) Applying Funds. Some AFRICOM staff have difficulty applying funding sources to activities. DOD has stated that security assistance efforts are constrained by a patchwork of authorities. Limited understanding of various funding sources for activities has resulted in some delayed activities, funds potentially not being used effectively, and African participants being excluded from some activities. (4) Interagency Collaboration. AFRICOM has been coordinating with partners from other federal agencies. As of June 2010, AFRICOM had embedded 27 interagency officials in its headquarters and had 17 offices at U.S. embassies in Africa. However, the command has not fully integrated interagency perspectives early in activity planning or leveraged some embedded interagency staff for their expertise. (5) Building Expertise. AFRICOM staff have made some cultural missteps because they do not fully understand local African customs and may unintentionally burden embassies that must respond to AFRICOM's requests for assistance with activities. Without greater knowledge of these issues, AFRICOM may continue to face difficulties maximizing resources with embassy personnel and building relations with African nations.

What GAO Recommends

GAO recommends that AFRICOM complete its strategic plans, conduct long-term activity assessments, fully integrate interagency personnel into activity planning, and develop training to build staff expertise. DOD agreed with the recommendations.