THE GAMBIA: DEMARCHE TO POTENTIAL SOMALIA TROOP

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANJUL 000024 SIPDIS SIPDIS DAKAR PLS PASS ODC AND DAO E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/18/2017 TAGS: ASEC MOPS PGOV PREL PTER SO GA SUBJECT: THE GAMBIA: DEMARCHE TO POTENTIAL SOMALIA TROOP CONTRIBUTORS REF: A. STATE 5683 ¶B. BANJUL 7 (NOTAL) Classified By: AMBASSADOR JOSEPH STAFFORD,REASON 1.4 (B AND D) ¶1. (C) On January 18, Ambassador made ref a demarche to Foreign Minister Bala Garba Jahumpa, urging the GOTG to consider contributing troops to an African Union (AU) Peace Support Operation (PSO) for Somalia. Jahumpa took the Ambassador's presentation on board and undertook to discuss it with President Jammeh. Jahumpa said AU reps had not as yet approached the GOTG, but added that he and Jammeh would be prepared to discuss a possible troop contribution at the upcoming AU Summit. Jahumpa stated that the GOTG would need foreign donor assistance in equipping any Gambian contingent sent to Somalia. In response, Ambassador reiterated that while the U.S. was seeking resources in support of the PSO and intended to assist the Uganda contingent, we were not in a position at this time to make specific commitments of direct bilateral assistance to other potential troop contributors. ¶2. (C) COMMENT: As previously reported (ref b),the tiny Gambian military would be hard pressed to maintain (and perhaps expand) its Darfur contingent while also contributing forces to a PSO in Somalia. Nonetheless, we do not rule out the GOTG's agreeing to provide a modest contingent, perhaps on par with its current Darfur contingent of 196 troops. END COMMENT. STAFFORD