THE GAMBIA: SUDAN -- LEVERAGING UN TROOP

UNCLAS BANJUL 000215 SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D C O P Y--(PARA 4 CHANGED AND SENSITIVE ADDED) SENSITIVE SIPDIS DAKAR PASS ODC AND DAO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV KPKO MASS SU GA SUBJECT: THE GAMBIA: SUDAN -- LEVERAGING UN TROOP CONTRIBUTING COUNTRIES TOWARDS DARFUR REF: A. STATE 52950 ¶B. 05 BANJUL 683 ET AL (ALL NOTAL) ¶1. (SBU) Ambassador made ref a demarche April 6 to Permanent Secretary of Defense, Joseph Jassey, noting The Gambia's SIPDIS status as a troop contributing country and urging GOTG support for an expanded and enhanced UN peacekeeping operation in Darfur. Ambassador said that we expected the UN to contact the GOTG, given its TCC status, in connection with re-hatting plans and asked that the Gambians be as responsive as possible to any UN request for assistance. He also noted past discussions (ref b ) with the GOTG about the possibility of increasing the Gambian contingent from company to battalion strength and asked for the GOTG's latest thinking on this score. ¶2. (SBU) Jassey responded that the GOTG was keen to maintain its long-standing record of participation in foreign peacekeeping operations, including in Darfur, and gave assurances of GOTG's responsiveness to any request for assistance from the UN. He indicated that the commander of the Gambian troop contingent in Darfur had already contacted Banjul to relay word from AU sources that planning was underway for the transition to a UN force. Ambassador suggested that the GOTG be pro-active by having its UN Permrep in New York and Ambassador in Addis Ababa begin consultations now on the re-hatting exercise with peacekeeping officials at the UN and AU respectively. Jassey responded that he personally supported this idea and would so recommend to President Jammeh (who handles the Defense portfolio personally). ¶3. (SBU) Regarding the possible expansion of the Gambian contingent to battalion size, Jassey judged that this would likely be feasible in 2007; the additional troops could not be provided in 2006 due to need for military support in connection with security operations surrounding the AU summit here in July and the Presidential election scheduled for October 2006. Jasseh went on to note that the Gambian military currently lacked the equipment that would be needed in increasing its Darfur contingent to battalion size in 2007; Ambassador urged the GOTG, in its UN and AU consultations, to outline its requirements for equipment. ¶4. (SBU) COMMENT: Per ref b, President Jammeh had indicated, in October 2005 conversation with Ambassador, readiness to increase The Gambia's Darfur contingent to battalion size, provided the GOTG received assistance in meeting equipment requirements. As the re-hatting operation proceeds, the GOTG's top concern will be to avoid having its contingent excluded from the UN force -- as it was from UNMIL several years ago -- due to the small size of its existing contingent and inability to equip a larqer one with its own resources. END COMMENT. STAFFORD