FY-05 VOLVIS - JACOBUS CILLIERS RESULTS REPORT

UNCLAS PRETORIA 004462 SIPDIS SECSTATE FOR ECA/PE/V/F/E GINSBERG/CONNOLLY INFO AF/PD LMING E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OEXC SCUL KPAO SF SUBJECT: FY-05 VOLVIS - JACOBUS CILLIERS RESULTS REPORT MPP: DEMOCRATIC SYSTEMS AND PRACTICES REF: SECSTATE 90907 ¶1. BACKGROUND: Jacobus (Jakkie) Cilliers is the head of one of the preeminent security think tanks in South Africa, the Institute of Security Studies (ISS). Mr. Cilliers attended a security conference in Canada in June 2005 and was interested in the possibility of Post assisting in arranging meetings for him in Washington DC and New York City. Jakkie and his colleagues at ISS are excellent Mission contacts on a variety of security issues. This program has allowed us the opportunity to reinforce our commitment to the ISS and make Cilliers aware of the programs we offer. -------------- RENEWING OLD CONTACTS AND MAKING NEW ONES -------------- ¶2. Dr. Cilliers not only confirmed the value of the appointments arranged for him but also reconfirmed the value he placed on the International Visitors experience. He realized and regretted that he did not set aside enough time to take fuller advantage of the VolVis experience. He found that the program was excellently organized. Cilliers is well known amongst his counterparts in the U.S. and several of the appointments were useful in re-establishing contacts. ¶3. Dr. Cilliers found all of his Washington, DC appointments highly useful and established groundwork for a number of collaborative efforts with several of his colleagues at DC think tanks. He is particularly interested U.S. foreign policy to sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on security issues, including the Africa Standby Force and regional and continental early warning and conflict prevention programs. Appointments with Departments of State and Defense were of particular value. ¶4. Dr. Cilliers was particularly impressed with the extensive internship and fellowship programs being implemented by U.S. think tanks and policy institutes. Upon his return to South Africa, he has begun an initiative to institute a fellowship/internship program at ISS. QUALITY OF U.S. SUPPORT: ¶5. Many thanks to the Voluntary Visitor office, specifically Erica Ginsberg, for providing an excellent program despite the limited time. Hartley