ACOTA: TANZANIA INDICATES READINESS TO GET

C O N F I D E N T I A L DAR ES SALAAM 001348 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT AF/E FOR MBEYZEROV, AF/RSA FOR MBITTRICK, CBECK LONDON, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/04/2017 TAGS: PGOV MOPS PREL TZ SUBJECT: ACOTA: TANZANIA INDICATES READINESS TO GET PEACEKEEPING TRAINING BACK ON TRACK Classified By: Acting Deputy Chief of Mission, T. Mushingi for reasons 1.4 b, d. ¶1. (C) Only ten days after the former Chief of the Tanzanian Peoples Defense Forces (TPDF),General George Waitara, retired from his position, the Mission's Defense Attache (DATT) learned that Tanzania is again ready to consider peacekeeping training through the Department's African Contingency Operations and Training Assistance (ACOTA) program. After the ACOTA-sponsored seminar held in Dar es Salaam in December 2006, top officials of the TPDF were enthusiastic to begin peacekeeping operations (PKO) training as early as the first or second quarter of 2007. However, the Minister of Defense, Juma Kapuya, told Ambassador Retzer in May 2007 that TPDF would take no further action on PKO training for the time being. The Ambassador understood this to mean that as long as General Waitara remained at the helm of TPDF, the GOT was not prepared to begin training through the ACOTA program. ¶2. (C) On September 13, General Waitara retired his position as head of the TPDF; the same day, President Jakaya Kikwete promoted Lt. Gen David Mwamunyange to rank of full General and appointed him the new Chief of Defence Forces. In a September 24 meeting, Major General Hamis Semfuko, TPDF's Chief of Operations and Training, told the DATT, that Tanzania was now ready to re-open discussions on peacekeeping training offered through ACOTA. Comment -------------- ¶3. (C) While we had anticipated that the TPDF would be willing to reopen discussions on ACOTA once General Waitara had retired, post was encouraged that this request came just ten days after the new army chief, General Davis Mwamunyange was sworn in. This is a signal that the military to military bilateral cooperation between the U.S. and Tanzania continues to strengthen. GREEN