Office of the Historian

S/P–NSC files, lot 61 D 167, “North Africa”

Paper Prepared by the National Security Council Staff1

top secret
[Washington, April 27, 1954.]

U.S. Security Interests in the Continent of Africa

major u.s. interests

1.
Possession of necessary U.S. military bases and related rights in time of peace and war.
a.
Adequate provision for the security of these bases.
2.
Adequate access to the critical strategic raw materials of the area in time of peace and war.
3.
Promotion and maintenance of political stability within the area, and of effective contributions by the African peoples to the strength of the free world in time of peace and war.
a.
Availability of African manpower to the free world in the event of war.
b.
Support of policies and actions by the responsible European governments designed to promote acceptable solutions of the problems of colonialism, nationalism and racial relationships.
c.
Better development of the economic potential of the area.
d.
Reduction of Communist, or Soviet, influence within the area.
e.
Reduction of the tensions and divisive differences between the U.S., the colonial powers and other nations which arise over African problems.

  1. This paper was transmitted to the NSC Planning Board by NSC Executive Secretary Lay on Apr. 27, 1954 under cover of a memorandum which read as follows:

    “The enclosed list of major U.S. security interests in the Continent of Africa, prepared by the NSC Staff, is transmitted for Planning Board discussion. It will be scheduled for the same meeting at which the Planning Board discusses the staff study on North Africa.”

    This paper appears not to have been considered further until early September 1954. It was considered by the NSC Planning Board at its meeting on Sept. 2, 1954 at which time the Board decided that the subject of U.S. security interests in the continent of Africa “did not lend itself to treatment in a single policy report.” (S/P–NSC files, lot 62 D1, “Planning Board Records”)

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