Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XXIV, Africa

184. Draft National Security Action Memorandum¹

Washington, undated.

TO

• The Secretary of State
• The Secretary of Defense
• The Attorney General
• The Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
• The Director, Central Intelligence Agency
• The Director, United States Information Agency
• The Administrator, Agency for International Development

SUBJECT

• Internal Security in Africa

The Special Group (CI) has considered the reassessment of internal security in Africa and has approved the following courses of action:

1) Continued improvement of US intelligence capability in Africa;

2) Taking into consideration varying African political sensitivities, urge African states in general to rely upon their former metropoles for internal security assistance to the greatest practicable extent and urge metropoles to be responsive to the requirements of African states for internal security;

3) Direct US assistance to African internal security forces (police and military) and economic assistance programs in appropriate proportions to deal with the specific nature of the threat, taking into consideration other foreign assistance and degree of US economic, political, and military interest;

4) Encourage Western European and Commonwealth countries to provide aid to Africa—on a coordinated basis when appropriate and feasible—and pursue coordination of US programs with such countries generally on a bilateral basis.

5) Be prepared, in certain circumstances, to give sympathetic consideration to requests which might entail assistance to an African country that would not be merely supplementary to that provided by the former metropole.

6) Continue to evaluate US-supported education programs for Africans and devise means to enhance their efficacy and general impact.

7) Develop programs to counteract Communist penetration into the African labor field.

The Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs is hereby designated to coordinate the execution of the above recommendations in consultation with the Africa Policy Committee.²

McGeorge Bundy ³

1. Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Africa, General, Vol. I 2/64–6/64. Secret. No drafting information appears on the source text. A May 12 covering memorandum from Benjamin H. Read to McGeorge Bundy states that on April 9, the Special Group (CI) considered a reassessment of internal security in Africa, approved certain courses of action, and suggested preparation of an NSAM incorporating these courses of action. Williams and Harriman had subsequently recommended preparation of an NSAM and a draft was enclosed for Bundy’s approval. The Special Group (CI) was a high-level interdepartmental group created to deal with counterinsurgency issues. The April 9 meeting was attended by Under Secretary Averell Harriman, Attorney General Robert Kennedy, Deputy Secretary of Defense Cyrus R. Vance, CIA Director John A. McCone, NSC Staff member Michael Forrestal, AID Deputy Administrator William S. Gaud, and General Anthis representing JCS Chairman General Maxwell Taylor.
2. This NSAM was never issued.
3. Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.