TANZANIA READY FOR ACOTA ACTION; OPEN TO ARTICLE 98

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