Editor’s Note: The following article is a reader submission sent to us by Drew Biemer. We thank him for his submission and remind the rest of you that you are welcome to do the same. – GDM
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Having spent the past two decades advising energy developers, government agencies, and multinational contractors—both in the field and at the policy table—I’ve seen firsthand how critical civil affairs and stakeholder operations are to mission success in complex environments. And in the developing world, real-world friction points for energy and resource extraction projects have less to do with engineering specs and more to do with legitimacy, terrain control, and local perception.
For military and security contractors operating in support of these projects, this isn’t abstract theory—it’s operational reality. In Africa, energy infrastructure is not just a commercial asset. It’s a geopolitical marker, a local power center, and often a symbolic extension of the host government—or its absence.
If you’re tasked with securing a pipeline, mine, or transmission facility without a robust civil affairs and stakeholder engagement strategy upstream of your deployment, you’re essentially holding ground for a position that doesn’t exist. The days of treating civil affairs as a soft skill or a downstream deliverable are over. In contested, under-governed, or post-conflict zones, civil affairs is the shaping operation that enables everything else. It’s the difference between freedom of maneuver and constant reactive posture.
Africa: The Human Terrain is the High Ground
In much of sub-Saharan Africa, formal government presence is limited outside of capital cities and major infrastructure corridors. De facto authority often rests with tribal elders, religious leaders, or informal economic networks. A company’s ability to operate securely depends not just on state permits but on tacit approval from these local actors. These aren’t just stakeholders—they are your area control and early warning systems. Many projects go sideways not because of enemy action or sabotage, but because of preventable friction with local populations—misunderstood intentions, unmet expectations, or unmanaged rumors.
Communities may view projects as existential threats simply because no one explained the scope in a language or format they trusted. Conversely, it’s possible to flip local populations from hostile to cooperative with the right sequence of engagement, consistent presence, and strategic capital. Security contractors are often called in after the damage is done—after protests, blockades, or attacks on assets. But these risks are often avoidable. A strong civil affairs program, developed in parallel with physical security plans, buys you time, space, and cooperation. It keeps communities from becoming hostile terrain—and when conditions deteriorate, it gives you leverage and lines of communication that aren’t built around coercion.
Build Left of Boom—Not After
Military professionals understand the importance of shaping operations, Phase Zero planning, and influence campaigns. The same thinking applies here. Before a project breaks ground, there should be a full-area assessment—not just terrain and threat vectors, but local power dynamics, historical grievances, and communications channels. Who are the local influencers? What narratives already exist about foreign companies or resource extraction? What are the triggers for unrest? These questions form the human terrain analysis that should inform every subsequent security and operations plan. You can’t surge legitimacy. You can’t outsource trust. And you can’t posture effectively if you don’t know who owns the village next to your asset.
Energy Infrastructure as a Strategic Target
Let’s not forget the broader context: Africa is becoming a central arena for great power competition, insurgent influence, and asymmetric pressure campaigns. Chinese, Russian, and Western-backed entities are all competing for access and control over critical minerals, energy corridors, and digital infrastructure. That makes these projects not just commercial interests, but strategic nodes. Security contractors need to think beyond perimeter control and force protection—they need to understand how their presence intersects with regional politics, transnational crime, and information operations. When a lithium mine is also a jobs program, a symbol of the central government, and a bargaining chip for foreign powers, your mission is more than keeping the gate closed. It’s about enabling a project that either strengthens or weakens regional stability—and your posture will reflect that outcome.
Conclusion
Civil Affairs is Security Contractors are increasingly being asked to do more than provide hard security—they’re being asked to stabilize, communicate, and mediate. That’s civil affairs. It’s not separate from security—it is security. And when integrated from the start, it enables mission success not just at project launch, but over the full lifecycle of the asset. In Africa, where perception and presence are just as decisive as firepower, civil affairs isn’t an add-on. It’s your foundation. Plan for it. Resource it. Deploy it. Because if you don’t, someone else will.
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About the Author:
Drew Biemer is a senior advisor and agency director with two decades of experience resolving high-stakes challenges across public policy, infrastructure development, and regulatory compliance. Combines expertise in civil affairs, political strategy, and stakeholder engagement to manage complex risks in politically sensitive environments.