CAMEROON MILITARY READY TO ENGAGE IN PEACEKEEPING

C O N F I D E N T I A L YAOUNDE 001431 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/C, AF/RSA, IO/UNP, PM LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA ACTION OFFICERS EUCOM FOR J5-A AFRICA DIVISION AND POLAD YATES E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/13/2016 TAGS: MARR PGOV CM SUBJECT: CAMEROON MILITARY READY TO ENGAGE IN PEACEKEEPING REF: YAOUNDE 1179 Classified By: Defense Attache Major Matt Sousa, for reasons 1.4 (b) an d (d). -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) In a September 8 meeting with DATT, General Ren-Claude MEKA, Chief of Staff of Cameroon's Armed Forces, said Cameroon was prepared to eventually contribute up to a batallion for international peacekeeping operations. Cameroon has the political and military will to participate in PKO, but its military services need new equipment, especially lightly armored vehicles. General MEKA expressed Cameroon's strong preference for U.S. military equipment and stressed Cameroon's readiness to make significant financial investments in new equipment for the armed forces. This is the first strong indication of a post-Bakassi agreement "peace dividend' in response to our long-standing invitations to Cameroon to become more involved in PKO. End Summary. -------------- Cameroon willing and able to contribute to PKO -------------- ¶2. (C) Embassy Yaounde Defense Attach was invited to meet with the Chief of Staff of Cameroon's Armed Forces, General Ren-Claude MEKA, on September 8, 2006. General MEKA made it clear that Cameroon was ready and willing to move forward with preparations to eventually contribute a battalion-sized element towards international peacekeeping operations. (Note: This echoes what PM Inoni told EUCOM Deputy Commander General Ward July 20, reftel. End Note) General MEKA did not specify which operation or governing agency (UN or AU) Cameroon preferred, but was very firm about the existence of the requisite political and military will. ¶3. (C) General MEKA admitted that the current state of materiel readiness of Cameroon's Armed Forces was insufficient to support immediate deployment. (DATT Comment: There are only a few units of Cameroon's armed forces that are currently trained and equipped to a reasonable state of operational readiness, and these are presently involved with presidential security (Presidential Guard),counter-banditry and border security missions (3rd BIR/Batallion d'Intervention Rapide),and security for the Bakassi transition (BSA, the Special Amphibious Batallion). DATT believes that Cameroon could easily cobble together a full-strength infantry battalion, but that it would need significant training and equipping (especially vehicles) before it could be appropriately deployed. End DATT Comment) -------------- ...and wants to purchase U.S. equipment -------------- ¶4. (C) General MEKA said Cameroon was seeking to make significant financial investments in new equipment for the Armed Forces, and that Cameroon strongly preferred to obtain American military equipment. General MEKA affirmed that Cameroon would like to see an increase in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) as a sign of real U.S. support for Cameroon's future role as a regional peacekeeping contributor. He also explicitly stated, however, that Cameroon wanted to purchase new U.S. equipment with its national funds, and intended to do that through a major U.S. bank. ¶5. (C) Touching on materiel acquisition priorities for the services, General MEKA highlighted lightly armored vehicles as the most glaring need for potential peacekeeping operations. Other priorities include shallow draft patrol boats (Navy),new helicopters (Air Force),and Army engineering assets. ¶6. (C) As for what Cameroon might contribute to peacekeeping operations, General MEKA specifically pointed to the BBR (a lightly armored, wheeled reconnaissance battalion, based in Douala) as a potential unit for refurbishment and peacekeeping training. (DATT comment: The BBR is considered to be a relatively elite unit, but its Commando 150 armored vehicles are old, in very poor condition, and definitely not effectively deployable. End DATT Comment) ¶7. (C) When asked about the possibility of receiving African Contingency Operations and Training Assistance (ACOTA) and/or Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI) training, General MEKA responded very enthusiastically, saying that would be ideal. He explained that he had called this meeting with the U.S. DATT in order to begin the process of serious discussions about how to best train and properly equip Cameroon's Armed Forces for their future role as peacekeepers. ¶8. (C) Comment: General MEKA's initiative in expressing Cameroon's new willingness to engage in PKO follows years of Cameroonian statements to us at the highest levels to the effect that "we will do so once we have settled the Bakassi issue with Nigeria." With the June 12 Greentree Agreement and the August 14 widrawal of Nigerian troops from Bakassi behind them, this position is therefore both welcome and expected. Embassy will discuss this issue soon with senior civilian leadership to determine the degree of coordination, momentum, and support for MEKA's views among others who count here. End Comment. MARQUARDT