AMIS COMMANDER AGWAI: UNAMID NEEDS ACCOMMODATIONS,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 001025 SIPDIS SIPDIS IO AND AF FOR FRONT OFFICE; PLEASE PASS TO SE NATSIOS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/15/2017 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL SU MOPS SUBJECT: AMIS COMMANDER AGWAI: UNAMID NEEDS ACCOMMODATIONS, EQUIPMENT REF: KHARTOUM 01610 Classified By: Ambassador Jackie Wolcott for Reasons 1.4 B/D. ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: AU Mission in the Sudan (AMIS) Force Commander General Martin Luther Agwai told USUN MSC and POL staff November 15 that UNAMID needs additional accommodations and equipment to deploy its forces effectively. Agwai reported that the Government of the Sudan (GOS) continues to insist that African forces be deployed before any non-African units. He said lack of resolution to the ongoing dispute between AMIS and the Darfur Peace Agreement signatories on monthly subsistence allowance (MSA) arrears is heightening tensions in Darfur. Agwai proposed a lump sum payoff to resolve the issue. In regard to the UN-AU disagreement over UNAMID accoutrement, Agwai expressed no strong preference but said that UNAMID forces must wear one uniform. END SUMMARY. -------------- GOS Still Objects to Non-Africans TCCs -------------- ¶2. (C) Agwai told MSC and POL staff November 15 that the Government of the Sudan (GOS) still objects to non-African troop contributing countries (TCC) participating in the early phases of UNAMID. Agwai said he had met recently with Sudanese Minister of Defense (MOD) Abdul Rahim Mohammad Hussein to discuss UNAMID deployment. Hussein had proposed delaying deployment of all the non-African TCCs until after the African contingent was complete. Agwai said he had explained that this would make the UNAMID force unacceptably weak. Subsequent to that meeting, Agwai said one of Hussein's assistants had called him to explain that President Bashir had repeatedly told the Sudanese people that he would not accept a non-African force and felt he could not back down on this point. Additionally, the MOD official told Agwai that Bashir is worried that his domestic political enemies and possibly al-Qaida elements, who view Bashir as too cooperative with the Western counter-terrorism efforts, would used the presence of non-African forces to "create problems" for the regime. -------------- UNAMID Needs Accommodations, Equipment -------------- ¶3. (C) Agwai said UNAMID needs enhanced support in the form of equipment and accommodations to deploy its forces effectively. The first Rwadan and Nigerian battalions were deployed according to where accommodations were available, i.e. away from their actual area of operations. He has submitted a plan to the UN Operations support unit for accommodations to be built according to his tactical needs. ¶4. (C) Equipment is the other major need area for UNAMID TCCs. AMIS ground troops lack the Contingency Owned Equipment (COE) required by the UN to carry out UNAMID's mandate. Agwai reported that the Rwandan battalion is the only unit currently on the ground that is equipped properly. All the other AMIS TCCs have "only their rifles." Agwai asked for support to ensure that all UNAMID TCCs be equipped with the required UN equipment. Colonel Easton responded that the U.S. is examining this issue and working with TCCs and UN DPKO to ensure that UNAMID forces are properly equipped. -------------- Monthly Subsistence Allowance -------------- ¶5. (C) Agwai said an ongoing dispute between AMIS and the DPA signatories on the monthly subsistence allowance (MSA) is putting his forces at risk (reftel). Agwai argued that attacks on AMIS forces had risen sharply after the payments to DPA signatory rebels had stopped in March 2007, "There are people in Darfur who are willing to kill for five dollars." Agwai said repeatedly that his credibility and personal security were at risk over the issue. Moreover, UNAMID should not be burdened with the political and security "baggage" of AMIS as it deploys, said Agwai. Agwai estimated that the issue could be resolve with an additional USD 5 Million in donor assistance to fund a lump sum payoff to the DPA signatories. -------------- USUN NEW Y 00001025 002 OF 002 Green V. Blue Berets -------------- ¶6. (C) Agwai reported that the issue of UNAMID accoutrement remains unresolved. Agwai said he had no preference as to what color berets UNAMID forces wear provided they all wear the same color. Agwai expressed openness to accepting some form of "hybrid accoutrement" that incorporates elements of both UN and AU insignia. The most important factor, however, is that the force wear one uniform that reflects the unity of command. Khalilzad