ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, Oct. 31 (UPI) -- The U.S. government is expanding its diplomatic and military footprint in the Horn of Africa.
Addis Ababa's The Reporter newspaper revealed Oct. 28 that the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, or ACSS, established by the U.S. Department of Defense, has opened its first regional office in Africa in the U.S. Embassy compound in Addis Ababa.
ACSS is intended to facilitate the development of U.S. strategic policy in Africa through providing academic programs, increasing awareness via dialogue on regional security issues and building networks of African military and civilian leaders.
ACSS maintains that its primary role is to assist policymakers in Washington to develop effective African policies while providing policymakers with regional perspectives.
Charge d'affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia Vicki Huddleston said at the ACSS inaugural ceremony: "We are facing terrorism, political instability and poverty. The ACSS will help countries in dealing with these issues and promoting good governance in Africa. Since Addis Ababa is the home of the African Union, it is an ideal location for the regional office. Ethiopia can be a banner in promoting tolerance."
