(C) COUNTER-TERRORISM: COOPERATING WITH AFRICAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L ADDIS ABABA 002418 STATE FOR AF, AF/RSA, S/CT TREASURY FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS DAS JAMES FALL E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/12/2012 TAGS: PTER PREL OAU XA SUBJECT: (C) COUNTER-TERRORISM: COOPERATING WITH AFRICAN UNION REF: A. A) STATE 128067 ¶B. B) 01 ADDIS 3495 CLASSIFIED BY: POLOFF RICHARD BELL; REASON 1.5 (D) ¶1. (C) ACTION REQUEST - SEE PARAGRAPH 4. ¶2. (C) REF A SOLICITED IDEAS ON HOW TO PROMOTE COUNTER-TERRORISM COOPERATION WITH REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS. LAST NOVEMBER, REF B FORWARDED AN INFORMAL PROPOSAL BY OAU ASST. SECGEN FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS SAID DJINNIT TO CONVENE A MEETING OF OFFICIALS FROM ALL OAU MEMBER STATES WHO HAVE OPERATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ASPECTS OF THE FIGHT AGAINST INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM, E.G. BORDER SECURITY (CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION),FINANCIAL-TRANSACTION MONITORING, JUDICIAL COOPERATION, AND (PERHAPS SEPARATELY) INTELLIGENCE SHARING. ON DECEMBER 11, HOWEVER, TREASURY DAS JAMES FALL (WHO WAS HERE PRIMARILY TO DISCUSS BILATERAL COOPERATION WITH ETHIOPIA) MET WITH OAU ASST. SECGEN FOR COMMUNITY AFFAIRS LAWRENCE AGUBUZU, WHO EXPRESSED THE VIEW THAT COUNTER-TERRORISM COOPERATION IS BEST UNDERTAKEN BILATERALLY. NONETHELESS, THE AFRICAN UNION (AU, INTO WHICH THE OAU HAS OFFICIALLY TRANSFORMED ITSELF AS OF JULY 9) IS PLANNING TO HOLD A MEETING ALONG THE LINES PROPOSED BY DJINNIT, IN ALGIERS SEPTEMBER 11-14. NORWAY AND SPAIN HAVE PROVIDED FINANCIAL SUPPORT TOWARDS THIS EVENT, AND A PREPARATORY MEETING WAS HELD IN ADDIS ABABA AROUND THE BEGINNING OF MAY. ¶3. (C) WE SEE VALUE IN COOPERATING WITH THE AU: - TO REINFORCE CONTINUALLY THE MESSAGE THAT THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM (GWOT) IS A MATTER OF SHARED INTEREST FOR ALL OF US, AS WELL AS OF OVER-RIDING IMPORTANCE TO THE USG; - TO NUDGE THE AFRICAN STATES COLLECTIVELY IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION (E.G. RATIFY AND ENFORCE ALL THE APPLICABLE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS, FULLY ENFORCE UNSCR 1373); - TO HELP THE AFRICAN STATES GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THEIR OBLIGATIONS ARE; - TO HELP US GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THEIR LIMITATIONS/NEEDS ARE. ¶4. (C) ACTION REQUESTED: STATE DEPT. PLEASE ADVISE IF THERE IS ANY INTEREST IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE ALGIERS MEETING, AND HOW WE SHOULD FOLLOW UP AT THIS END. NAGY