Study Says Pentagon’s Africa Command Needs to Refine Mission

By ERIC SCHMITT

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon’s new Africa Command is still recovering from early missteps in explaining its missions and purpose, miscues that government investigators say have left lingering fears at the State Department, in Congress and on the continent that the Defense Department is militarizing the nation’s foreign policy in Africa.

Investigators also reported problems with the command’s goal of filling its ranks with many more diplomats and civilians from the Treasury, Commerce and other federal departments than traditional military commands. The Pentagon originally planned to draw 125 people — or one quarter of the command’s staff — from other agencies; the number is now hovering at 52.

A report issued Wednesday by the Government Accountability Office acknowledged that the command had taken steps recently to win the trust of American diplomats and development experts, as well as African leaders. But it said the command must do a better job explaining what it does to build credibility among its United States government partners and with the African nations it is seeking to help.

“The military’s large size brings the promise of increased resources,” the report said, but that size also stirs concerns among African nations “about potential encroachment into civilian responsibilities like development and diplomacy.”

In an interview here on Monday, before the G.A.O. issued its report, Gen. William E. Ward, the head of the command, said many of the misperceptions about the command had been dispelled. “We are, in fact, able to devote our attention to the programs that we want to put in place and that are being asked for by our African friends, programs that clearly support our foreign policy and that lead to increased prospects for stability on the continent,” General Ward said.

Souad Mekhennet contributed reporting from New York.