S/P–NSC files, lot 61 D 167, “North Africa”
Paper Prepared in the Central Intelligence Agency
confidential
[Washington,] 22 March
1954.
Major U.S. Interests in Africa
*indicates those of greatest importance.
A. Strategic:
- *1.
- Resources—Uranium, manganese, chrome, asbestos, corundum, diamonds, palm products, sisal, tin, rubber, cobalt, copper.
- *2.
- Military—Air and naval bases, manpower, ship repair and supply, staging areas.
B. Economic:
- 1.
- Mineral and agricultural production—cocoa, iron ore, spices, phosphates.
- 2.
- Support of European economies—dollar earners such as cocoa, products supplied within own currency area.
- 3.
- In the distant future—expanded market for US investment capital and exports; now limited due to colonial policies, difficulties in repatriation of earnings, small market.
C. Political:
- *1.
- Keeping Africa stable and On the free world side for its strength and so that it does not impair European strength.
- *2.
- Minimizing differences over colonial policies which affect U.N. actions, and tend to separate US from Western European allies.
- 3.
- Meeting potential communist threat.
- 4.
- Gradual solution to racialism, which handicaps free world unity especially with color conscious East and Latin America.