Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DARESSALAAM1260
2006-07-27 15:02:00
SECRET
Embassy Dar Es Salaam
Cable title:  

TANZANIA READY FOR ACOTA ACTION; OPEN TO ARTICLE 98

Tags:  PREL MARR ASEC TZ 
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VZCZCXYZ0010
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDR #1260/01 2081502
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
P 271502Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4434
INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
S E C R E T DAR ES SALAAM 001260 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

AF/RSA FOR CBECK AND JSEVOLD; AF/E FOR BYODER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/18/2016
TAGS: PREL MARR ASEC TZ
SUBJECT: TANZANIA READY FOR ACOTA ACTION; OPEN TO ARTICLE 98

Classified By: DCM D. Purnell Delly for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).

S E C R E T DAR ES SALAAM 001260

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

AF/RSA FOR CBECK AND JSEVOLD; AF/E FOR BYODER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/18/2016
TAGS: PREL MARR ASEC TZ
SUBJECT: TANZANIA READY FOR ACOTA ACTION; OPEN TO ARTICLE 98

Classified By: DCM D. Purnell Delly for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).


1. (S) SUMMARY: Tanzania is eager to get the ACOTA program
underway. In mid-July meetings with ACOTA's Chip Beck,
officials from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) addressed
specific training and equipment options while Ministry of
Foreign Affairs (MFA) officials showed increased interest in,
and knowledge of, policy issues regarding participation in
peacekeeping operations (PKO). Beck, MOD and Embassy
officers agreed the Training Strategy Conference (TSC) will
be held in October and the planning meetings therefore must
be in September. All parties welcome coordination with other
donor countries and cross-training with other ACOTA partners.
The GOT is not yet ready to commit to a specific PKO but
remains open to the idea of an Article 98 agreement. END
SUMMARY.

Next steps

2. (U) Minister Kapuya said now is the time to take action
and asked "where do we start?" Beck said that the ACOTA team
has sent out the statement of work for the contractor and he
expects the USG will select the contractor by the end of
July. Then, Regional Training Coordinator John Sevold and
team leader will come to Tanzania for a few days of planning
meetings, including a pre-deployment site survey, at which
time exact dates for the Training Strategy Conference (TSC)
will be set. Beck suggested one member of each group to be
trained and any trainer staff should participate in the
planning meetings and the MOD officials agreed to form such
teams to prepare for the meetings. All agreed the planning
meetings should take place in September and that the TSC
should be held in early October. Beck suggested the TSC
involve 25 to 30 key people from any service the GOT wants
trained as well as from training commands. Beck said the TSC
will develop a plan for fall 2006 through the next two years
or so, and can tailor the training to or around any
deployments planned.

Train the trainers

3. (U) Beck said one goal of ACOTA is to provide the GOT
the capacity to continue training with US trainers present to
assist, support and continue the partnership. Colonel

Jitenga, Director of Training, agreed this is the right
direction for Tanzania as the GOT needs help to build
capacity. Jitenga suggested focusing on trainers as the
current corps of peacekeeping trainers is small and the
individual soldiers lack the necessary level of English.
Beck noted that ACOTA can work through translators as needed
and outlined the goal of the first battalion being trained by
US trainers with Tanzanian trainers observing; the second,
trained 50-50 by US and Tanzanian trainers; and the third, by
Tanzanians with US trainers observing. Minister Kapuya said
he wants training expanded beyond three battalions in order
to avoid having three specialist battalions and because
"everyone wants this opportunity."

Deployments contemplated

4. (C) Minister Kapuya said the GOT doesn't want to be
abandoned or expose its soldiers to danger. There is
mounting pressure to participate in Darfur and that the DRC
indicated a preference for Tanzanian peacekeepers, but the
GOT is waiting for the ACOTA program "to take off" and for
equipment before committing to any specific deployment. Beck
reminded Minister Kapuya that the Global Peace Operations
Initiative (GPOI) has a separate budget so additional funds
are available for those participating in a GPOI deployment.
Ambassador Mulamula said the political will to participate in
PKO exists, but the GOT needs resources and capacity.

Coordination with other countries

5. (U) Minister Kapuya said the GOT is consulting also with
the UK and Canada regarding peacekeeping training and
equipment. Beck said that the ACOTA team communicates and
coordinates with the UK, Canada, France and the Netherlands
regarding peacekeeping training and assistance and also wants
trainers from ACOTA countries to provide training to other
ACOTA partners. Minister Kapuya agreed this would be
beneficial as it would force trainers to perfect themselves
by exposing them to unfamiliar territory. Beck added that
ACOTA is planning a multi-national exercise and envisions
increasing the number and scope of such exercises from
intra-brigade to inter-brigade. Ambassador Mulamula welcomed
the approach of bringing donors together and all MFA
officials welcomed Beck's suggestion that a MFA official, as
well as a MOD official, observe an exercise.

Types of training

6. (U) The GOT focus is on equipment as well as training,
but MOD officials also mentioned training for medical corps,
construction/engineers and the air force. Beck said he will
reexamine what equipment the USG can provide, based on what
the GOT already has and what it receives from other donors.

Article 98

7. (S) Kapuya said the idea of an Article 98 agreement "has
sympathy in a lot of ministries" and that the MOD was waiting
for a proposal with an Article 98 agreement as part of a
Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA). Beck said an Article 98
agreement would open up a lot of options for USG-GOT
mil-to-mil relations. Ambassador Mulamula responded that the
topic of an Article 98 agreement "would require its own
separate meeting." In a July 18 meeting with Poloff,
Ambassador Mulamula noted that Article 98 is a sensitive
subject but agreed it should be discussed further.

Economics of PKO

8. (U) Justine Seruhere of the MFA's Security Council Unit
asked how the GOT can prepare soldiers for return to routine
military service after serving in a UN PKO. Beck
acknowledged that the economic disparity motivates
individuals to volunteer for PKOs but noted that the
troop-contributing country receives payments as well, which
it could channel back to its soldiers.


9. (C) COMMENT: Ambassador Mulamula's comment that the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs' (MFA) Policy and Planning
Division was expanding into military planning, combined with
the unprecedented number of MFA officials at the ACOTA
meeting, indicate increased interest in mil-to-mil issues at
the MFA. However, in a July 18 meeting with Poloff,
Ambassador Mulamula confirmed that the MOD is the proper
Ministry for future meetings of the ACOTA team and that the
MFA will "let them handle it" from this point. END COMMENT


10. (U) Interlocutors:

Ministry of Defense
--------------
Minister Juma Kapuya
Major General Shimbo, Chief of National Service
Colonel C.M. Jitenga, Director of Training
Lieutenant Colonel Luimbo
Colonel Magere, Foreign Affairs Liaison Officer

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
--------------
Ambassador Liberata Mulamula, Director of the Multilateral
Division
Ambassador Joram Biswalo, Director of the Africa and Middle
East Division
Alex Massinda, Acting Director of the Europe and Americas
Division
Reminiscere P. Mwasha, Acting Director of the Policy and
Planning Division
Justin Seruhere, Security Council Unit
Grace Martin, Desk Officer of the Europe and Americas Division
Mr. Meru, Policy and Planning Division
Desk officer from the Africa and Middle East Division
Assistant from the Africa and Middle East Division

USG
---
Chip Beck, AF/RSA - ACOTA
Maureen B. Latour, Pol-Mil Officer, U.S. Embassy Dar es Salaam
Lieutenant Colonel Laura Varhola, Defense Attach, U.S.
Embassy Dar es Salaam
RETZER