REQUEST TO RE-OBLIGATE INL FUNDING FOR MOZAMBIQUE

UNCLAS MAPUTO 001320 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR INL/AAE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PTER SNAR PREL MZ SUBJECT: REQUEST TO RE-OBLIGATE INL FUNDING FOR MOZAMBIQUE REF: SECSTATE 152538 ¶1. INL proposes to de-obligate Mozambique Border Security Technical Assistance funds of FY04 $191,418 and FY05 $216,000. These currently obligated funds support the highly successful training and equipment program for Mozambican border guards and supervisors. Mozambique's borders are lengthy and porous, allowing easy passage to bordering countries such as South Africa. Those same porous borders provide for unimpeded transport of narcotics, illegal arms and persons, all of which make Mozambique vulnerable to terrorist activity. Training of border guards is essential to the security of the nation and region. Due to innovative leveraging of resources by Embassy Maputo, FY06 funds in the amount of $198,000 were returned to INL without detriment to the Border Security Program. However, the FY04 and FY05 funds are key to the long-term effectiveness of the program because there is no FY07 funding. ¶2. The program is two-pronged: it provides multi-faceted border security training and then follows up with equipment to maximize the benefits of this training. One round of training of both border guards and supervisors is complete. We are in the process of purchasing the equipment which the border guards were trained to use in the initial training course. Failure to deliver the equipment will significantly devalue the initial training. We are also ready to schedule a round of advanced training in December for a second group of border guards along with a concomitant number of supervisors. The initial training program is scheduled to be repeated in early 2008 and will focus on some of the border guards and supervisors who were not able to attend the initial training held in 2007. The commitment of the USG to this further training was announced by the Charge at the graduation ceremony for the initial training group. ¶3. This program has been successful on many levels. Guards were trained in vehicle search techniques, methods of locating and monitoring illegal crossing sites as well as identification of forged documents, all of which help plug porous borders. The program also succeeded in bringing together the USG, the Government of Portugal and the Government of Mozambique to leverage program funds, allowing for the training of far more guards than would have been possible without the inter-governmental cooperation. The GoP provided Portuguese-speaking trainers and a pre-designed training program for the cost of transportation and per diem for the trainers which allowed for significant cost savings for the USG. The Government of Mozambique provided housing and food for the attendees, resulting in further savings of USG money. Chapman