This quarterly report describes the activities of the U.S. Government in support of the East Africa Counterterrorism Operation and the North and West Africa Counterterrorism Operation, as well as the work of the Department of Defense, the Department of State, and the U.S. Agency for International Development to promote the U.S. Government’s policy goals in Africa during the period July 1 through September 30, 2020.
In 2019, the Secretary of Defense rescinded the overseas contingency operation designation for the two operations. As a result, Lead IG reporting responsibilities for this operation sunset at the end of Fiscal Year 2020, meaning this is the final report.
In East Africa, USAID reported that it had made adjustments to its programming to accommodate Somali government restrictions and health considerations related to the coronavirus disease–2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. USAID also enhanced programming to address harm, exploitation, and abuse—particularly among women and children—during the pandemic.
USAID reported that although there were positive health indicators regarding the spread of COVID-19 in West Africa, the virus has resulted in severe economic consequences across the region. Government-imposed travel restrictions and decreased economic opportunities increased the size of vulnerable populations that were already facing multiple interrelated crises, especially food insecurity.