USAU AMB COURVILLE MEETING W/UGANDAN AMB SSEMPALA

C O N F I D E N T I A L ADDIS ABABA 001061

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/FO, AF/RSA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/10/2012
TAGS: PREL MOPS AU
SUBJECT: USAU AMB COURVILLE MEETING W/UGANDAN AMB SSEMPALA
AND GENERAL ARONDA

Classified By: AMBASSADOR CINDY L. COURVILLE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D
)



1. (C)SUMMARY: On 2 April 2007, USAU met with General
Aronda, Chief of Defense of the Ugandan Peoples Defense Force
and Ambassador Ssempala to discuss issues and concerns
regarding the deployment of Ugandan troops in Somalia at the
Ugandan Embassy in Addis Ababa. END SUMMARY


2. (U) Participants:
a. AMB Courville ) USAU Ambassador
b. AMB Ssempala ) Ugandan Ambassador to Ethiopia and the
African Union
c. General Aronda, Chief of Defense of the Ugandan Peoples
Defense Force
d. COL Rainey ) USAU Military Liaison Officer
e. CAPT Couch ) USAU Military Liaison Officer
f. COL Bole ) Ugandan Defense Attache to Ethiopian and AU
Embassies.


3. (C) Summary of major points discussed:

AMB Ssempala expressed that the Ugandan mission with
AMISOM was &moving in the right direction8.
General Aronda communicated that some areas of
improvement were needed, specifically:
a. More &level8 meetings were necessary between
the Ethiopians and the Ugandans.
b. The African Union (AU) needs to communicate and
publicly condemn the violence in Somalia against AU peace
keepers. Overall a better job in communicating the positives
of the AU AMISOM mission must occur in order to simply
counter the ICU/ UIC messages.
c. Again requested US help in investigating the two
IL-76 aircraft incidences.
d. Expressed disappointment that the US was not
meeting the spirit of their own messages of support and
partnership with their partners, the UPDF. Specifically
noting requested help in maritime security support. This is a
particularly sensitive issue as it applies to the recent
escort requirements for the Ugandan &RO/RO8 evolution 2
weeks ago and most recently a reported &commandeering8 of a
vessel in the Mogadishu harbor in the last 24 hours.
e. Noted the &spoiler8 impact of the UIC and its
communications with Yemen, and the ongoing hindrance of
Eritrea in any situation involving Ethiopia.
f. Reiterated an earlier request on shared
intelligence with the US.
g. Highlighted the ongoing and pressing need for
international humanitarian assistance for the Somalian
people. That assistance will go along way to countering the
UIC messages and propaganda.
h. Recommended that the AU and the UN identify the
UIC &most wanted8 list and promulgate that list to the
International audience.
i. Requested lessons learned from the UNISOM
deployment be distributed and that their own pre-deployment
lessons learned be distributed to future troop contributing
countries.
j. Finally ) the AMISOM mission is a political
challenge, the diplomats need to take action, and most
importantly take it out of the hands of the military where it
has been erroneously thrust.


4. (C) Next Steps:
- US provide intelligence support to the AMISOM Mission,
- USAU discuss with DIA on how to move forward on
Commissioner Djinnit, request to establish intelligence
sharing program with the AU
- Request that NSTB review photos of two IL-76 incidences and
provide assessments for the AU
- DOS / DOD provide Maritime security support off Somalia
coast.
- ESF funding for AU Communications upgrade to allow for more
-- Fund USAU ESF request support to implement a more robust
communications strategy -- to include public communications,
website communications and email communications.
- USAU to pass on UNISOM lessons learned to UPDF and UPDF to
pass onto the AU it,s own lessons learned from
pre-deployment preparations, to include equipment and
training requirements.
- AU must bring greater support to bear to leverage support
at the individual country foreign minister level.

COURVILLE
YAMAMOTO