DRC PARTICIPATES IN CENTCOM'S TAMPA CONFERENCE ON

UNCLAS KINSHASA 001488 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PINS PREL CG SUBJECT: DRC PARTICIPATES IN CENTCOM'S TAMPA CONFERENCE ON DISASTER MANAGEMENT ¶1. (U) Summary. Two Congolese officials participated in Centcom's Golden Spear Conference on disaster management held in Tampa, Florida, from July 26-30. The GDRC has expressed its appreciation for this regional initiative and indicated that it looks forward to further cooperation. End Summary. DRC Joins Centcom's Golden Spear Disaster Management Efforts -------------- -------------- ¶2. (U) DRC's Vice-Minister of Interior, Paul Musafiri, and Defense Ministry Liaison Officer Richard Bomboko, participated in Centcom's Golden Spear Conference on disaster management in Tampa, Florida, July 26-30. The Golden Spear is a Centcom initiative to assist East African countries in coordinating regional disaster management efforts. Participants included Burundi, DRC, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, The Seychelles, and Uganda. ¶3. (U) The Golden Spear disaster management near-term goal is to enhance readiness at the national and regional levels through training, bilateral activities, and the development of a regional response mechanism. During the conference, it became clear that participants were at different stages of preparedness for managing man-made and natural disasters. Kenya appeared to be the country that had devoted the most resources and organization to disaster management, while the DRC was only starting to plan a national initiative. DRC Actively Participates in Tampa Conference -------------- ¶4. (U) Musafiri actively participated during the conference's discussions and table top exercises. He also gave an eloquent presentation of the Congo's current post-conflict situation and existing mechanism for disaster management. Musafiri was candid about the DRC's limited national resources and lack of infrastructure to cope with disasters. He also indicated that the DRC intends to fully participate in the Golden Spear forum and would be ready to present its national disaster management plan at the next regional meeting next year. The plan should already have been in effect several months by that time. Interior Vice-Minister to Coordinate DRC's Plan -------------- -- ¶5. (U) Poloff met with Musafiri on August 5, to discuss his impressions of the conference. Musafiri said that he had met with Vice-President Azarias Ruberwa to report on his visit to Tampa and that Ruberwa was very pleased with the results. Musafiri noted that the GDRC was very grateful to the U.S. for the assistance provided through Golden Spear and that it looked forward to further cooperation. ¶6. (U) Ruberwa asked Musafiri to prepare a draft plan for the creation of an inter-ministerial commission on disaster management as well as a national disaster management plan. Musafiri will prepare these proposals and then request that President Kabila issue the appropriate decree creating the commission. He will then propose that the new commission be funded under the 2005 national budget. Comment -------------- ¶7. (U) The DRC's participation in the Golden Spear Conference on disaster management has been a step forward in renewed US-Congolese military cooperation efforts. It has also allowed the GDRC to access information and support necessary to develop its national disaster response infrastructure. Musafiri has indicated that as part of these efforts, the GDRC will work to create its first fire-rescue department in the city of Kinshasa. Post will assist the GDRC with information that will facilitate these efforts in cooperation with the Hillsborough County Fire Department in Florida. MEECE