MOZAMBIQUE: THIRD ACOTA TRAINING ITERATION

UNCLAS MAPUTO 000271 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE FOR AF/S HTREGER, AF/RSA/ACOTA AND EUR/WE NFETCHKO DAO LISBON FOR RVILLALOBOS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL MZ SUBJECT: MOZAMBIQUE: THIRD ACOTA TRAINING ITERATION COMPLETED; INTEREST IN FUTURE PROGRAMS REMAINS HIGH REF: A. MAPUTO 67 ¶B. 05 MAPUTO 909 ¶1. (SBU) The African Contingency Operations and Training Assistance (ACOTA) program successfully concluded its third training iteration in Mozambique on February 24. A battalion staff, including the commander and over 30 staff and senior non-commissioned officers, participated in the seven-week peace keeping operations (PKO) training program. Approximately 20 Mozambican Defense Forces (FADM) instructors, assisted by a small team of ACOTA trainers, conducted the training, which consisted of four classroom modules. A three-man team of mentors from EUCOM, led by Lieutenant Colonel Douglas Jackson, participated in the two-week Command Post and Computer Assisted Command Post Exercises (CPX/CAX) from February 13 to 24. On February 21 Portuguese Defense Attache Colonel Pinelo accompanied US Defense Attache Major Jones to the training site to observe the CAX module. Colonel Pinelo stated he was impressed by the level and sophistication of instruction, and indicated he would report as much to Lisbon. ¶2. (U) This classroom-only ACOTA session followed two complete, five-phase ACOTA training iterations held April-July 2005 and August-November 2005, respectively. Two separate composite PKO battalions, numbering approximately 600 soldiers and officers in total, received PKO skills training, including Peace Support Operations (PSO) Soldier Skills Field Training. Despite initial shortcomings in FADM participation and some logistical hiccups (ref B),both the FADM and Post were pleased with the ultimate success of the training program. Interest in the program remains high and FADM has been clear in conveying its hope that additional iterations of the ACOTA will follow in the near future. Planning is currently underway for an AOCTA program office visit to discuss future training iterations. ¶3. (SBU) Comment: ACOTA has been a very high-profile program for the USG in Mozambique. It has the attention of the Minister of Defense as well as President Guebuza, both of whom hope to see Mozambique emerge as a true PKO player in the region. Mozambican forces were deployed in Burundi between October 2003 and December 2005, and there are reports that a 50-man police contingent will be sent to Darfur soon. Post also understands that the GRM is looking at other PKO operations as well, including deployment to the Sudan under the UN and participation in the SADC Standby Brigade. However logistical issues will continue to make Mozambique's participation in such operations dependent on outside assistance (ref A). La Lime