Admiral William J. Fallon of the U.S. Central Command Visits Addis Ababa

May 10, 2007
No. 27/07

U.S. Embassy, Addis Ababa, May 10, 2007:  Admiral William J. Fallon, the new Commander of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), visited Addis Ababa from May 10 to 11 while on a tour of several countries in the region.  In March 2007, Admiral Fallon was appointed by President George W. Bush as commander of U.S. Central Command, replacing Army General John P. Abizaid.

While in Addis, Admiral Fallon met with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and other high-level officials to discuss bilateral issues, which include security and stability in the region.  Also discussed were developments in Somalia, and the Horn of Africa in general. 

Admiral Fallon will build his knowledge base with frequent visits to the region to meet and establish relationships with leaders and senior officials of countries that are strategic partners of the United States.  Through these partnerships and increased awareness, there is a better opportunity for a comprehensive effort to better address issues such as security and economic development.   

CENTCOM oversees the Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), based in Djibouti.  The geographic region of the Combined Joint Task Force includes Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Sudan, Yemen, Somalia and the Seychelles.  The Combined Joint Task Force conducts operations, training, and humanitarian missions to assist host nations to combat terrorism and meet the needs of their citizens.

The United States currently provides approximately $2.5 million annually in International Military Education and Training (IMET) and Foreign Military Financing (FMF) assistance to Ethiopia.  The U.S. provides only non-lethal military equipment and training to the Ethiopian military. U.S. assistance also supports operations and logistics training for the Ethiopian military which is a leader among troop contributors to United Nations peacekeeping operations.  The U.S. and Ethiopian militaries have also cooperated in providing humanitarian assistance to vulnerable communities in Ethiopia.  Such assistance has included drilling wells for potable water, vaccinating livestock, and renovating rural health clinics and schools.