USAU PARTICIPATES IN AU MILITARY PLANNING WORKING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ADDIS ABABA 000453 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/FO, AF/E, AF/RSA, PM E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/2012 TAGS: PREL KPKO MOPS AU SUBJECT: USAU PARTICIPATES IN AU MILITARY PLANNING WORKING GROUP FOR AMISOM DEPLOYMENT REF: A. SECSTATE 15178 ¶B. SECSTATE 13183 ¶C. ADDIS 409 ¶D. ADDIS 263 Classified By: AMBASSADOR CINDY L. COURVILLE, FOR REASONS 1.4(b) and (d ) ¶1. (SBU) Summary: As a result of discussions at the TCC(s)/International Donor/Partner Coordination meeting held at 0900hrs on 12 FEB 2007, Ambassador Said Djinnit, Commissioner, Peace and Security Commission thought it necessary to conduct a meeting of the &core of the core group8 for deployment of the AMISOM force. By this, Commissioner Djinnit was referring to troop contributing countries and donor/partners who have formally pledged troops or financial/logistical support to the mission. The &core of the core group8 consisted of the following delegations: AU, IGAD, USAU, Algeria, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Somalia. The meeting took place at 1400hrs on 12 FEB 2007 at the AU. On 12 FEB 2007, COL Tim Rainey, Sr. Military Liaison Officer and CAPT (Ret.) Bob Cunningham, Logistics Advisor to the Africa Union (AU),members of the US Mission to the African Union (USAU),and LTC Richard Skow, DAO, Kampala participated in a meeting of troop contributing countries (TCCs) and international donor/partners who have formally pledged troops, financial/logistical support or airlift. The following delegations attended: Africa Union, Algeria, United States and Uganda. The purpose of the meeting was to begin detailed planning and coordination for the deployment of AMISOM. Unfortunately, without the participation of the Ethiopian and Somalia representatives, and ill-prepared leadership by the AU representative, little, if any progress was made. The meeting raised many questions that must be answered. ¶2. (C) The Algerian delegation, lead by an Air Force Colonel who recently returned from reconnoitering Mogadishu, stated that the security situation in Mogadishu did not allow for the safe take-off/landing of AMISOM support aircraft. Mogadishu airport has no navigational aids, no lights, and only VHF communications. Baidoa airport was the preferred alternate because it was secure. He stated that the Algerians had available five (5) IL-76s and seven (7) C-130s to support the deployment of AMISOM troops. He was very clear that Algeria had committed to transport troops not equipment. If the AU wants the Algerians to transport anything other than troops, that request has to be made to the Algerian government. The Algerians did agree to go to Kampala within a week to jointly plan airlift with the UPDF and US representatives. ¶3. (C) The Ugandan delegation led by the Ugandan Ambassador to the AU and the Ugandan Chief of Staff, voiced many concerns to the AU lead but was frustrated by the lack of answers or information reference the deployment of the Ugandan force. Their main concerns were: (1) the lack of a clear mission statement; (2) the lack of an established Force Headquarters and infrastructure to support the force; and (3) the security situation on the ground and the need for a detailed ground reconnaissance. These concerns were amplified and reinforced by the US and Algerian delegations. ¶4. (C) The AU lead, COL Charles Debra, a Training Officer in the Darfur Integrated Task Force (DITF),was ill-prepared to lead a detailed planning session on the deployment of AMISOM. Although he participated in the AU/UNDPKO Planning sessions from 5-9 FEB 2007, he does not have the expertise or experience to plan or conduct large-scale peace support operations. ¶5. (SBU) Without a good idea of the security situation in Mogadishu, particularly at the airport, the Ugandan delegation could not determine what forces/equipment needed to deploy first and those supplying airlift (Algeria, USA) could not plan aircraft sorties. The formal Military Planning Group consisting of the following delegations: AU, IGAD UN, USAU, Ugandan w/LTC Skow, Algeria, Kenya, Ghana, Malawi, Somalia, and Ethiopia began detailed discussions on the deployment of AMISOM. CAPT (Ret.) Cunningham is in attendance and will report the conclusions tomorrow (13 FEB). There is also an international donor/partner meeting at 1030hrs on 13 FEB to begin detailed discussion on the support needed for the AMISOM force. AMB Courville and mil liaison offs will attend. ¶6. (C) Recommendations: (1) The USAU recommends that the US provide planners in key areas such as Military Logistics ADDIS ABAB 00000453 002 OF 002 Planner, Air Transport Planner, Civil Engineering Planner and other planners as necessary as soon as requested but not/not before. Additionally, that CJTF-HOA immediately provide a Strategic/Operational Planner to USAU to augment planning and liaison capability. (2) The US meet in Kampala with the Algerian and Ugandan planners to coordinate airlift/sortie requirements. (3) Work with Nigeria, Ghana, Burundi, and Malawi, countries that have pledged troop support, to determine their equipment, financial/logistical, and airlift needs and provide this information to the USAU as soon as possible. (4) Immediately designate a portion of our pledged $14M for PKO in Somalia, perhaps $5M, to the AU for AMISOM start-up funds. ¶7. (U) USAU will send by email to AF/FO and AF/RSA electronic copies of all AU Military Planning group documents we were able to secure. Please refer any questions/comments to COL Tim Rainey, 251-11-517-4055. COURVILLE WILGUS