SUDAN: SUPPORTING DEPLOYMENT OF AFRICAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 001218

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/11/2014
TAGS: PREL PTER PHUM PREF MOPS PARM SU AU NI DARFUR
SUBJECT: SUDAN: SUPPORTING DEPLOYMENT OF AFRICAN
PROTECTION FORCE

REF: A. STATE 150764

B. ABUJA 1211

Classified By: AMBASSADOR JOHN CAMPBELL. REASONS 1.5 (B & D).


1. (C) SUMMARY: July 12, Ambassador Campbell met with
President Obasanjo to deliver demarche (REF A) on support for
the African Union deployment to Sudan. Obasanjo said that
Sudan had accepted the AU protection force at the summit in
Addis Ababa and had agreed to cooperate with the AU. While
Obasanjo could not offer specifics, he said Nigeria and other
contributors to the AU force would likely require air lift
support and peace-keeping training in order to deploy to
Sudan. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) July 12, Ambassador Campbell delivered demarche (REF
A) to President Obasanjo.

(C) - The President said the AU was in the process of
determining the size of the force to be deployed and which
countries would contribute to it. He said Nigeria would
certainly contribute if asked, and he indicated that Nigeria
would be asked. He did not offer a timetable for the
deployment.

(C) - Obasanjo said the GOS had agreed to the deployment of
an AU protection force and will cooperate with the AU in its
efforts to stabilize the Darfur region.

(C) - Obasanjo added that he anticipated the AU would seek
authorization for the AU protection force from the UNSC.


3. (C) With respect to requests for financial assistance and
logistical support for such a force, Obasanjo did not delve
into specifics, but he said Nigeria and other contributors to
the AU force would likely require air lift support in order
to deploy to Sudan. Obasanjo commented that the dearth of
air lift capacity in Africa would greatly reduce the
effectiveness of the proposed AU standby brigades and called
on the U.S. and other donor countries to work to increase
Nigeria's air lift capabilities. Obasanjo also took the
opportunity to mention the usefulness of the Nigerian
military's five U.S.-trained peacekeeping battalions and
reiterated his long standing request for five more.

--------------
POLIO
--------------


4. (C) In a brief side bar before discussing Darfur,
Obasanjo commented to Ambassador that he had just come from a
lengthy, unscheduled meeting on polio with Kano Governor
Shekarau. Obasanjo appeared up beat and said progress was
being made but gave no other details. Ambassador plans to
meet with Shekaru this week. We will continue to report on
this issue as more information becomes available.
CAMPBELL