UNAMID DEPLOYMENT UPDATE

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 001149 DEPT FOR AF/SPG, S/CRS, AF SE WILLIAMSON ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO SOCI AU UNSC SU SUBJECT: UNAMID DEPLOYMENT UPDATE REF: (A) KHARTOUM 1085 (B) KHARTOUM 992 (C) KHARTOUM 872 (D) CAIRO 1213 (E) KHARTOUM 502 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: UNAMID and Egyptian embassy sources told us that half of the anticipated 335 Egyptian engineers arrived July 24 and fully expect the remainder within the coming month. In addition, Egyptian advance teams arrived to prepare for the arrival of the 850-troop Egyptian infantry battalion and a 120-troop transport unit. The Ethiopian embassy also reported that they anticipate that half of their 850-troop infantry battalion will arrive August 10 with the balance to arrive later in 2008. However, both UNAMID and the respective embassies cautioned that delays in transporting Contingent owned Equipment (CoE) could result in troop deployment delays. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) Egyptian poloff confirmed that 126 members of the Egyptian Engineering Company arrived on July 24 to join an 83-troop advance team. UNAMID sources told us that they expect to receive the other 126 individuals in the coming weeks to bring the company up to its full strength of 335. Both UNAMID and the Egyptian embassy said that the cautious deployment of the Egyptians is more related to the pending ICC indictment and UNAMID's current Level IV security status than to any operational deployment problem. ¶2. (SBU) Egyptian poloff told us on July 31 that an advance party is in Darfur to prepare for the deployment of an 850-troop infantry battalion to Um Kadada. The Egyptian poloff said that due to technical reasons, the battalion will not have the requested engineering component, but added that the planned second Nyala-bound infantry battalion will have an engineering component, probably in the form of a company-sized light engineering detachment (ref D). Both UNAMID sources and the Egyptian poloff could give no firm dates for the arrival of these battalions and noted that deployment could be delayed until the CoE actually arrived in Um Kadada. ¶3. (SBU) UNAMID and Egyptian embassy sources told us that a small advance team of the Nyala-bound 120 troop transport company arrived the weekend of July 25. UNAMID sources said that the main element may be delayed due to transport problems of their CoE, but were optimistic that the problems would be resolved in time for the main body to arrive in mid-August. ¶4. (SBU) The Ethiopian DCM told us on July 27 that he anticipates that 350 infantry will begin arriving August 10, and that the remainder of the 850-troop Ethiopian battalion will arrive later in ¶2008. If the Ethiopians arrive as scheduled, UNAMID sources told us that this first tranche of Ethiopians would raise troop levels to 8,470 up from the current 8,120 on July 29. However, a UNAMID official who liaises with the GOS cautioned us that delays are always possible. UNAMID told us on July 27 that the GOS, contrary to the SOFA stipulation on freedom of movement for UNAMID equipment, is refusing to permit transport of twelve CoE containers from El-Obeid unless GOS customs opens and inspects the containers. CDA Fernandez will raise this specific issue with MFA U/S Siddiq, the NCP's pointman on UNAMID deployment, on August 4. While the UNAMID official was optimistic on resolving the issue, he cited this as another issue that undermined speedy UNAMID deployment. ¶5. (SBU) The Pakistani DCM told us on July 23 that his government will resist sending the Pakistani engineering unit to El-Geneina as the UN had asked. He said that he personally conducted a field trip to El-Geneina and concluded that the situation is "too chaotic," meaning insecure, for an engineering company. ¶6. (SBU) Comment: With the July arrival of the Chinese (ref A) and the arrival of the first tranche of Egyptian engineers, UNAMID sources told us that as of July 29 they had 8,127 of its 19,555 authorized troops. These additional troops represent steady but excrutiatingly slow progress, but just as UNAMID struggles to expand its numbers each new soldier and new base represents a need to update and expand its logistical support network. Having already noted its deployment limitations (ref E),we will look for and report on UNAMID efforts to improve its important logistical and supply capabilities. FERNANDEZ