DefenceWeb, a respected military and defence publication has stated that recently created United States’ Office of Security Cooperation in Zambia is not to be confused with a US military base.
Recently, leader of the opposition in Parliament Brian Mundubile, asked Vice President Mutale Nalumango, a question during the Vice President’s Question Time in Parliament, about the relevance of American security and Zambia.
He asked: “There have been no consultations between Zambia and SADC member states on Africom [Africa Command] and other members have rejected it. To allow it to be set up in here casts Zambia in a bad light. Shouldn’t Zambia rethink this decision?”
The Vice President in May said in Parliament that, “The office being created is an office of security cooperation that will be located at the USA Embassy. This office will work with the Zambia security services. Zambia has no intention of hosting any military base on Zambian soil.”
The MP is not the first to publicly question Zambia-US security ties.
Indeed, African adversarial critics, Southern African media reports, and African analysts have raised alarm bells following the US Africa Command public affairs office publishing confirmation of the April 25th opening of an Office of Security Cooperation at the US Embassy in Zambia.
An Office of Security Cooperation is not a US military base.
The Office of Security Cooperation plans and manages US security assistance programmes, facilitates the transfer of requested defence materials, training, and services to partner nations, and promotes military-to-military engagements, defenceWeb has learned.
Security assistance is a core US foreign policy activity jointly developed, funded, and implemented by US Department of State and the US Department of Defence.
In Zambia, the United States provides pre-deployment training assistance for Zambia’s deployment to the UN peacekeeping operation in the Central African Republic as well as institutional capacity staff development and facilities enhancements for Zambia’s peacekeeping training centre at Nanking.
It is understood, from a State Department spokesperson with direct knowledge of the command’s programme, that the US also provides international military education and training (IMET) to professionalize Zambia’s military forces.
The Department of Defence HIV/AIDS (DHAPP) programme provides $12 million annually to support Zambian security forces with technical assistance and mentoring to prevent, manage, and treat HIV and AIDS.
In Africa, many US Embassies have either an Office of Security Cooperation or Defence Attaché Office which oversee security assistance programmes, defenceWeb has learned.
The recently created office in Lusaka is not unique.
The United States says it works with partner countries to counter transnational threats and malign actors, strengthen security forces, and respond to crises to promote regional security, stability, and prosperity.
The US-Zambia security partnership will help advance stability in the southern Africa region, a State Department spokesperson said.
US Africa Command is keen to emphasise its partnership strategy and help states like Zambia to strengthen security forces and respond to crises to promote regional security, stability, and prosperity.
US Africa Command emphasizes that it focuses, “on the development of professional militaries which are disciplined, capable, and responsible to civilian authorities and committed to the well-being of their citizens and protecting human rights.”
Why the debate over the same
Lies in the morning, lies in the afternoon and lies at night.
Many countries that include Zambia have at their Embassies or High Commissions military personnel that work as Defense Attache to host countries. I’m sure there’s one such officer at the US Embassy in Lusaka, just like in other country where they have diplomatic representation. Those official are enough for the purpose of military cooperation. So the extra office that’s being established in Lusaka is beyond normal military cooperation and that’s what has raised concern. We only learnt about it after it was announced in the US, why did the Bally Administration keep this info to itself? Mufisa nji amambala?
Never mind these PF dullard rats…………
Just get on with the business of governing………
Next they will be debating that LGBT movement is having a camp in zambia………
What the mouth is doing is not what the hand is doing.
Umuntu kubepa zoona.
Nonsense we don’t need that craziness!
Lying through their teeth!!! It stinks !
All countries have security agreements with other countries. While they have to take into account their other broader stratgic interests, they don’t have to consult any other country. They look at their national interest. This situation is just like the famous security tunnels that were made public by FTJ to discredit KK. Naivety coupled with opportunism.
” ESOTERIC AND CLASSIFIED!”
“evenif it turned out to be a ‘military’ base i would fully support and vouch for it!…a shrewd persons reads the times and acts of now moments, for they stand gallantry alone in the solitary void at a foreseeable future site a preserve for them but fear for the majority, its for the daredevils and not for mainstream, transparency will not hold water in the search of the true facet of the AFRICOM it is a closed case in my opined view…ally when you sense the unusual; choosing a team to ally with entails search for hallmarks such as non-biasness, liberty if not liberalism, impartiality and godliness the list is infinity….please Continue, sometimes we dont have to know “state secrets”…just my ‘tyrannical opined thought’…” Jesse.
News for the doom Sayers spearheaded by moron KZ
A defence attache is extended bythis office. Attaches are normally a listening station in embassies. They intercept local calls and listen in to your politicians’ plans against them. You see the embassy is protected by diplomatic immunity so you cant go in and stop them. This office is not a diplomatic extension but Zambia Police wont be allowed in.
LT is being used as a Western interest conduit why do they have to tell us that DefenceWeb, is a respected military and defence publication. Respected by who? And entice us to believe what Defenceweb states is the truth or overrides any US statement?