SSR CONTACT GROUP: SUBSTANCE REFERRED TO EXPERTS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 000888 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL MARR PGOV KPKO CG ZA BE NL FR SUBJECT: SSR CONTACT GROUP: SUBSTANCE REFERRED TO EXPERTS ¶1. (SBU) Summary. The Contact Group on Security Sector Reform (SSR) formally recognized the GDRC's ownership of efforts to reform the Congolese military at the group's July 12-13 meeting in Kinshasa. Minister of Defense Chikez Diemu outlined a vision for SSR aimed at creating a core group of fighters, with a large number of other soldiers engaged in community development. Donors agreed to appoint a Group of Experts to propose details for implementing these ideas at a follow-up roundtable in October. End summary. ¶2. (SBU) The Contact Group on Security Sector Reform in the DRC established a Group of Experts to flesh out a general plan outlined by Congolese Defense Minister Chikez Diemu during its July 12-13 meeting in Kinshasa. The meeting was co-chaired by Diemu and South Africa's Special Envoy to the Great Lakes, Ambassador Kingsley Mamabolo. Traditional donors, including the U.S., UN, EU, Angola, Belgium, South Africa, France, the UK, the Netherlands, Canada and the World Bank, as well as a fair percentage of senior FARDC officers, formed the bulk of participants. Also invited and participating were China, Egypt, Morocco, Greece and Sweden; India was invited but did not attend. -------------- Congolese proposal -------------- ¶4. (SBU) The GDRC's claim to ownership of the SSR process was conceded by all delegations. Diemu presented a vision for SSR that was long on intentions but deliberately short on specifics. Diemu presented four basic goals in his Global Plan for military reform: 1. creating an army with deterrent capacity ("une armee' de dissuasion"); 2. realizing a level of excellence; 3. reaching reconciliation between the army and the Congolese people; and 4. using the army to reach nutritional self-sufficiency ("la production du pain," or the production of bread) for soldiers and for the Congolese people in general. Following discussions, Diemu and the assembled donors endorsed a proposal that a Group of Experts work out the necessary details for articulating this vision during the lead-up to a roundtable in October, and called for a completed roadmap by January 2008. ¶5. (SBU) He also outlined an aspirational timeline for meeting the GDRC's goals: in the immediate term (2007-08), complete disarmament, demobilization and reinsertion (DDR) to be completed by December 2007, and remaining army integration (brassage); in the short term (2007-09),creation of a division-equivalent Rapid Intervention Force (FIR); in the medium term (2008),reconstruction of remaining armed forces and production of community projects; and, in the long term (2011),finalization of FARDC's principal defense force, to include ground, air and naval forces. ¶6. (SBU) Diemu envisioned that the FIR would consist of approximately 17,000 troops and serve as the core of FARDC deterrent forces. It should be well-equipped, properly-trained, with good leadership and a rigorous selection criteria. He said details of creating, equipping, and training should be left to the experts to propose. His vision also included a large activist army which would focus raise food and build roads, houses, schools and hospitals. -------------- Discussion -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Several donors spoke in favor of realistic timetables, concrete goals, coordination of efforts and guidance by experts. Many expressed concern about the need to complete DDR as soon as possible. Diemu initially called for completion by the end of 2007, although following discussion, he conceded community re-integration may take longer. ¶8. (SBU) South Africa's Mamabolo emphasized that the DRC must take charge of its own security. The Belgian ambassador called attention to his government's SSR master plan, citing the work of EUSEC in developing it, as well as Belgium's commitment to training and evaluation. The Dutch ambassador suggested utilizing existing structures such as the Joint Commission on Security Sector Reform and focus future efforts on the Belgian master plan. MONUC Force Commander Gen. Babacar Gaye called for a "reasonable" Congolese force to be trained, equipped and positioned by 2009 to take over from his forces. (Comment: In fact, the SSR Joint Commission no KINSHASA 00000888 002 OF 002 longer exists, as it was a part of the DRC Transition structure, chaired by then-Vice President Ruberwa. End comment.) ¶9. (SBU) Discussion also focused on the need for urgent improvement in the well-being and conditions of military personnel, as well as putting in place a legal framework for reform. Delegations discussed the willingness of donors to "accompany and support" the government, and under its authority, execute a global work program under modalities defined by the experts. ¶10. (SBU) The EU Special Envoy to the Great Lakes proposed that the prospective October roundtable encompass a global agenda to deal fully with the military, police and justice sectors and reform programs. This idea was supported by his South African counterpart, Ambassador Mamabolo. The Ambassador and the French ambassador both noted that dangers of expanding the scope to a point where it became too complicated. The group agreed to have the roundtable potentially consider a separate report on this issue. Defense Minister Diemu noted that he is not in a position to commit his Interior Minister and Justice Minister colleagues to specific future plans or timetables, but agreed to consider the proposal. Subsequently, he privately expressed opposition to the idea. The extensive military integration, reform, DDR, and capacity-increase agenda will already pose a substantial challenge to planners without adding the substantial additional police and judicial reform programs. (Comment: Planning for justice sector reform has barely begun in terms of substance or donor backing. End comment.) -------------- Conclusions -------------- ¶11. (SBU) The group reached several conclusions: SSR will be implemented under the leadership of the Congolese Defense Minister; the yet-to-be-defined Group of Experts will develop a global plan to implement his ideas; the follow-up roundtable is projected for Kinshasa in October; a report regarding work in the police and justice sectors will be presented at the roundtable, pending agreement by the ministers concerned. Delegates called for the experts to meet during August-September. Diemu requested that it present a roadmap including specific commitments from bilateral and multilateral donors. ¶12. (U) The group adopted a revised version of Diemu's original Global Plan, which envisioned: a) military "dissuasive capacity" to defend territorial integrity; b) reconciliation between the army and the Congolese people; c) food self-sufficiency for the military; and d) the realization of principles of excellence, and social well-being of the military, including honorable retirement. (Note: The original draft text of the final report inadvertently omitted any mention of military capability, which was subsequently inserted as the first point. End note.) A copy of the conference final report (in French) is being sent to AF/C. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶13. (SBU) The assembled group was large and unwieldy as a working group, and discussion was dominated by a few interventions, invariably followed by a specific response from the Defense Minister. CHOD General Kayembe and most FARDC officers did not contribute to the discussions. The lack of specificity of the discussion was reflected in the final report, essentially referring substantive work to the undefined group of experts. On a more positive note, General Kayembe convened a meeting with representatives from interested Embassies on July 23 to get work underway to prepare for the requested October roundtable. We gather that Kayembe has been handed the task of implementing this project, which we take as a good sign. Diemu, fresh from an extended visit to China, appeared interested in asserting Congolese ownership of SSR as a principal objective. Strongly supported by the South African delegate, Diemu obtained agreement from all present to this principle. End comment. MEECE