JAMAICA: SECTION 1206 PROPOSAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINGSTON 000100 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR PM/PPA - AMY COLETTA WHA/CAR - RANDALL BUDDEN E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/18/2017 TAGS: PARM PREL MASS MARR JM XL SUBJECT: JAMAICA: SECTION 1206 PROPOSAL REF: STATE 134152 Classified By: DCM James T. Heg; Reasons 1.4(b) and (d) 1.(C) Post fully supports the proposal for Section 1206 funding to enable Jamaica's participation in Enduring Friendship (Reftel). As one of the four countries included in Phase 1, Jamaica is an essential part of the Enduring Friendship Program and of the Third Border Initiative. Through Enduring Friendship, we will implement a targeted security cooperation program which will enhance the command, control, maritime domain awareness, and operational capabilities of the Jamaican security forces by upgrading their communications, information, and intelligence systems. This will improve Jamaica's ability to exercise sovereignty over its territory (especially its vast maritime territory), assist with denying terrorists potential safe havens, and disrupt illicit activities that could provide resources to terrorists. The improvement in Jamaica's capabilities will better protect the US by further securing our southern approaches against threats transiting or originating from Jamaica's area of responsibility. In addition to the reduction in illicit trafficking to the US homeland, USG agencies will gain expanded information and intelligence of this region, host nation operations, and illicit trafficking threats. An additional benefit of the Enduring Friendship Program will be enhancement of the capabilities of USG assets through greater interoperability between Jamaican and US systems, as well as reduction of USG operational demands as Jamaican security forces become better able to assume more of the region's maritime security obligations. 2.(C) The Enduring Friendship Program has been fully developed in accordance with all applicable Security Cooperation Guidance and Strategies. It is a key initiative within the USSOUTHCOM Theater Security Cooperation (TSC) Strategy, and is designed to support twelve of the OSD objectives under the four Defense Policy Themes of: assure allies and partners; dissuade potential adversaries; deter aggression and counter coercion; and defeat adversaries. In addition, the Enduring Friendship Program is structured to achieve all three of the USSOUTHCOM TSC Strategy regional priority effects: partner nations able to control ungoverned areas; counter narco-terrorism reduced to manageable public security issues; and effective WMD detection, interdiction, and consequence management. Also, Enduring Friendship will facilitate the highest priority of the US Military Liaison Office (USMLO)'s Country Security Cooperation Plan: that Jamaican security forces be capable of countering illicit activities in and through Jamaica, and of enforcing territorial sovereignty and security. 3.(C) Section 1206 funding is essential to completing the acquisition of the equipment, training, and parts stream that are required to bring Jamaican security forces to a 100% Initial Operating Concept (IOC) level for implementation of Enduring Friendship. In FY06, FMF funds were used to purchase some communications and secure network equipment, training, and spare parts; this will bring the Jamaican security forces up to approximately 33% of their IOC. If the projected loss of FMF funding becomes a reality, we probably will be unable to attain 100% IOC within any reasonable time period, and our initial promising efforts with this program will be stymied. Because of the short life cycle of communications equipment, any lengthy delay in its issuance may well result in obsolescence of equipment fielded early in the program. In addition, as communications systems must be fielded as complete systems in order to be fully operational, partial fielding of communications equipment will not result in an effective command, control, and operations system. JOHNSON