TANZANIA: FORMAL REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE TO TRAIN

UNCLAS DAR ES SALAAM 001119

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT AF/E FOR RMEYERS; AF/RSA FOR MBITTRICK, RORTH
ADDIS ABABA FOR AU MISSION
NAIROBI SOMALIA UNIT FOR AMB JYATES

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS SO TZ
SUBJECT: TANZANIA: FORMAL REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE TO TRAIN
SOMALI OFFICERS

REF: ORTH (AF/RSA)- JOHNSON (EMB DAR) E-MAIL 07/18/2007


1. (SBU) The Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, Ambassador Patrick Mombo, has delivered to the
Deputy Chief of Mission a formal request for USD 4.25 million
in financial assistance to support the Tanzanian People's
Defence Force (TPDF) training of 1,000 Somali officers (see
para 8 for text of diplomatic note). The DCM noted that the
USG had previously received from the Ministry of Defense the
same equipment and supplies request that was attached as an
addendum to the diplomatic note, and assured Mombo the list
had been forwarded to the Department. In response, the USG
had set aside USD 1.5 million for training of at least 250
cadet officers, including uniforms, supplies and some
vehicles. However, the DCM stressed we would forward the
Government of Tanzania's request for USD 4.5 million to
Washington.


2. (SBU) Asked when Tanzania expected to see a list with
names of trainees, Mombo said that a State House advisor was
in contact with his Somali counterpart pressuring him to
provide names for the training. Whatever support the USG
could provide to accelerate provision of the names would be
welcome. Mombo added that the TPDF remained confident that
the list would be forthcoming and had prepared a training
center, identified the instructors, and designated the
training staff. The TPDF's target is to begin the training
in September 2007, yet were in need of further financial
support from the international community to fund the
training. Mombo reiterated that USD 4.25 million would be
required over a twelve month period.

Cadets and senior officials to be trained simultaneously
-------------- --------------

3. (SBU) Mombo stressed that the training of the cadets and
the senior officers would take place at the same time, in the
same camp, with different course content. In an "Aide
Memoire" attached to the Diplomatic Note, the GOT noted that
Tanzania wants to contribute to the AU effort to stabilize
Somalia, but "in view of the enormous financial outlay
required" has asked the USG and other members of the
international community to assist financially in the
burden-sharing. The aide-memoire stated that the GOT's
training of the cadet and senior officers is a "risky
venture" that does not benefit the Tanzanian society.


4. (SBU) Both Permanent Secretary Mombo and Vitus Njiku, Head
of MFA's African Department Conflict Resolution Office, told
the DCM and PolCouns informally that the GOT also requested
assistance from the United Kingdom and the EU to train the
Somali officers. However, both the UK and EU missions in Dar
es Salaam have told us that no formal request was made to the
missions here. Post assumes that if the GOT did request
assistance from other donors, the discussions were on the
sidelines of London meeting of the International Contact
Group on Somalia.


5. (SBU) Note: The equipment list Permanent Secretary Mombo
gave the DCM was the same list received by the DATT from the
Ministry of Defense in February 2007 at the time of the
International Contact Group on Somalia meeting in Dar es
Salaam. We forwarded this list to the AF Regional Security
Affairs (AF/RSA) office at that time. Full text of the
Diplomatic Note below and the attached aide-memoire and
equipment list have been forwarded to AF/RSA and can be
e-mailed on request. Contact: Skye Justice
(justicess@state.gov) or Mary Johnson (johnsonmb@state.gov).

Comment
--------------

6. (SBU) The Tanzanian Government is anxious to move forward
on this training to keep its word to the AU. While fully
aware the vetted name lists must first be produced by the
Somali government, nevertheless, the TPDF has identified a
training camp in Arusha, trainers and instructors. Mombo was
appreciative that the USG is ready to offer support to train
the first batch of 250 cadets. However, the TPDF wants to
train the senior officers and cadets simultaneously and is
clearly determined to complete training for all 1,000
officers within 12 months. Thus, the GOT is requesting USG
support for the entire package, so that once in motion, there


would be no delays or breaks in the training program.


7. (SBU) Post recommends that the GOT's request to fully fund
the Somali officer training be reviewed and considered.
Tanzania's goal is to train these officers quickly and move
them back to Somalia and into action. However, this
objective is dependent on a confirmed and reliable source of
funding for the entire 12-month training plan.

Text of Diplomatic Note
--------------


8. (U) Begin Diplomatic Note CHC 573/699/01, dated July 30,
2007:

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International
Cooperation of the United Republic of Tanzania presents its
compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America
and has the honor to communicate the following:

The Government of the United Republic of Tanzania made an
offer to train one thousand soldiers from Somalia at Cadet
and Senior officers levels in Tanzania, following a request
from the Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union.
Pursuant to this offer, the Transitional Federal Government
of Somalia sent a technical team to Dar es Salaam in March
2007 to discuss and agree on training modalities. At this
meeting, the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia
agreed to submit a list of trainees before training
commences. The Government of the United Republic of Tanzania
is still waiting for the Transitional Federal Government of
Somalia to send the list of Cadets and Officers it intends to
train.

For its part, the Government of Tanzania has completed
preparations of the training site, the identification and the
training of the instructors, and the actual training is
scheduled to start in September 2007. The training period
will be divided into the following phases:


1. At the cadet level, two batches of 250 Cadets each
will be trained for six months. A total of 500
Cadets are expected to be trained in one year.


2. At the Senior Officers level, four batches composed
of 125 officers each will be trained for three
months per batch. It is expected that a total of
500 Senior Officers will be trained in four batches
in one year.

As will be gauged from the enclosed attachment, the
Government of the United Republic of Tanzania estimates that
the financial resources required for the completion of this
exercise amount to Tanzania Shillings 5,419,560 or
approximately USD 4,250,000 over a twelve month period.

This is an extremely burdensome load for the Tanzanian
Government. In the spirit of international solidarity and
burden sharing, the Government of the United Republic of
Tanzania has decided to approach the Government of the United
States of America for financial assistance to enable Tanzania
to meet this commitment.

The Government of the United Republic of Tanzania believes
that the issue of peace in Somalia is an international
responsibility. While it is ready to play is part, the
Government of the United Republic of Tanzania hopes that it
would be able to count on the Government of the United States
of America to give favorable consideration to this request.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Embassy of
the United States of America the assurances of its highest
consideration." END TEXT
RETZER