SCENESETTER: 2008 TSCTP CONFERENCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 028385 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/10/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER XA XI SUBJECT: SCENESETTER: 2008 TSCTP CONFERENCE REF: A. 07 TUNIS 1345 ¶B. NDJAMENA 5 ¶C. NDJAMENA 13 ¶D. NOUAKCHOTT 115 ¶E. NOUAKCHOTT 119 ¶F. NOUAKCHOTT 309 ¶G. 07 STATE 170853 ¶H. STATE 12543 ¶I. 07 STATE 167865 Classified By: AF/RSA Director Louis Mazel; Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (U) The 2008 Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership (TSCTP) is scheduled for 24-27 March in Garmisch Germany. TSCTP was formed by an interagency Deputies Committee (DC) in SIPDIS 2005 to facilitate a more effective regional response to terrorism and extremism in West and North Africa. TSCTP is a multi-year commitment focused on improving individual country and regional capabilities to defeat terrorist organizations and facilitation networks, disrupt efforts to recruit and train new terrorist fighters, particularly from the young, counter efforts to establish safe havens for domestic and outside extremist groups, and disrupt foreign fighter networks that attempt to operate in the region, the Middle East, and Europe. The program draws expertise and resources from military, counter-terrorism, law enforcement, development and public diplomacy components. TSCTP mobilizes resources to respond to unique challenges faced in each partner country, but also directs programming to promote increased multilateral cooperation and interoperability across the region. -------------- The Budget -------------- ¶2. (SBU) TSCTP resources are intended to supplement individual country and regional allocations in order to promote the program's counter-terrorism and counter-extremism objectives. Programmed resources do not replace other country or regional allocations, but activities may support a wide range of objectives identified in Mission Strategic Plans (MSPs) and other planning documents while targeting funds to implement TSCTP objectives. The overall TSCTP budget in fiscal year 2007 was approximately $149 million. The core budget included: (1) $81.7 million in Department of Defense (DOD) Title 10 funding; (2) $13.75 in Department of State (DOS) Peacekeeping Operations (PKO) funding; (3) $8.9 million in USAID Development Assistance (DA); (4) $7.2 million in DOS Nonproliferation, Anti-Terrorism, Demining and Related Programs (NADR) funds; and (5) $6 million in DOS Economic Support Funds (ESF). ¶3. (SBU) The core TSCTP budget was augmented by $17 million from FY 2007 Section 1206. (Note: FY 2006 and FY 2007 National Defense Authorization Acts (NDAA) authorized the Defense Department to use up to $200 million and $300 million, respectively, to address emergent threats or opportunities by building the capacity of a foreign country's military force to conduct counter-terrorism operations or participate in or support military and stability operations in which U.S. forces are a participant. The authority was renewed in 2008 at $300 million. End Note). TSCTP programming was also supported by $15 million from FY 2007 Section 1207 funds. (Note: Section 1207 of the FY 2006 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) authorizes the Secretary of Defense to transfer up to $100 million to the Secretary of State for reconstruction, security and stabilization activities. A similar authority designated Section 1210 exists in FY 2008 although it is unclear whether FY 08 resources will support TSCTP programming. End Note). SIPDIS ¶4. (SBU) The budget outlook for FY 2008 is unsettled. The Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) approved the OEF-TS Phase II SIPDIS Execute Order (EXORD),on 10 March 2006, and OEF-TS became a funded, Program of Record in December 2006. To fund OEF-TS activities, EUCOM received $81.7 million in FY 2007 Title 10 funds and will receive roughly $100 million per annum from FY08-FY13. NADR funding levels will stay at $7.2 million in FY 2008, but will likely increase to $10 million in FY 2009, covering AF and NEA priorities. However, reflecting overall cuts in available resources, ESF, DA, and PKO will likely be funded at substantially lower levels. TSCTP programming may receive additional support in FY 2008 from section 1206 and section 1210 resources, but allocations from those sources are currently under review. Missions are encouraged to continue project development and submissions in order to allow planners to match proposals with resources that become available during the fiscal year. ¶5. (SBU) The FY 2009 budget process is ongoing. The program's emphasis on long-term capacity-building to support counter-terrorism and counter-extremism objectives will continue. TSCTP planners, however, have identified several points of emphasis for the year. First, there must be sufficient non-DOD funding to support so-called 'soft-side' programming. Second, additional resources will be identified for North Africa programming and flexibility will be built into current funding streams facilitate allocations to all TSCTP countries. Third, more emphasis will be placed on SIPDIS identifying resources to support non-military security sector professionalization and basic policing. Fourth, planners will continue to look for opportunities to support efforts to promote increased regional and sub-regional cooperation and interoperability. -------------- Program Implementation -------------- ¶6. (C) A number of recommendations in various fora emerged regarding TSCTP program implementation. In addition to communications produced at the initiative of individual Missions (REFTEL A, B, C,D, E, F),individuals, or Washington-based and European-based agencies, TSCTP planning benefits from several specific activities. A monthly classified video conference linking DOD, State Department, and USAID action officers facilitates interagency coordination and short and medium-term planning. The annual TSCTP conference enables action officers from the major USG SIPDIS stakeholders in Washington, Africa, and Europe to establish contact, develop program priorities, and identify strategies to address gaps in planning and implementation. The Regional Security Initiative (RSI) provides a forum for TSCTP Chiefs of Mission and USG principals to develop policy recommendations. (REFTEL G). Significant issues and recommendations emerged during the past year. ¶7. (C) Greater emphasis on 'soft-side' programming: Military spending is appropriately funded but represents a higher percentage of overall TSCTP resourcing than envisioned by the 2005 Deputies Committee that authorized the program, and building up soft-side programming has been an important priority. Like all TSCTP programming, the composition and pace of soft-side assistance will reflect Mission requirements, results from interagency assessments, and the availability of resources. 'Soft-side' assistance is designed to assist partner country efforts to deny support for extremists and terrorist recruiters and deny sanctuary to terrorist organizations. Relatively modest investments are maximized by identifying at-risk populations and regions which would benefit from specific inputs. Recurring USAID programming has focused on targeted education/vocational training for at-risk youth, local government capacity-building and community stabilization in difficult-to-govern areas, conflict mitigation, and community radio and moderate communicator capacity-building. DOD public diplomacy, humanitarian and civil/military activities actively support these initiatives using Title 10 resource. During the past year, planners have focused substantial attention on strengthening support for public diplomacy programming. About $2.6 million was set aside specifically to support public diplomacy projects. ¶8. (SBU) Law enforcement/non-military security sector capacity-building: State's Diplomatic Security Bureau (DS) has offered a range of counter-terrorism courses in TSCTP countries during the past year and will continue programming in FY 08 and beyond using NADR funding. State's Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) is examining possible engagement opportunities and International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement (INCLE) funds were requested for FY 2009 and FY 2010 to cover programming in the Sahel and the Maghreb. DS and INL Representatives will carry out assessments in four TSCTP countries in 2008. ¶9. (C) Third-country engagement: French and American experts met in Washington January 30 to work toward closer counter terrorism cooperation in North and West Africa. (REFTEL H). French and USG assessments of the Al Qaida in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) threat were similar, with the French particularly concerned about threats to their nationals in Mauritania and Algeria. The French do not have a structure that mirrors TSCTP, although they expressed interest in a more holistic CT approach. They are in the midst of an inter-ministerial review that may significantly alter their engagement strategy in the region. French training efforts focus on the gendarmerie, as well as terrorist financing, trafficking and other illicit activities, but their investments to address financial sector and border vulnerabilities are not clear. The French delegation head Daniel Ratier, Director of the MFA's Security Department, identified three French security priorities in the region: (1) Trafficking (drugs, arms, people); (2) Insurgencies; and (3) the AQIM ("the most important threat in the Maghreb and the Sahel"). The French officials assessed that their interests and nationals were particularly threatened in Algeria and Mauritania. They predicted that AQIM in Algeria will (1) likely carry out other 'big or symbolic attacks; (2) continue to use AQ-style media strategies; and (3) increasingly target French and other foreigners. The French stated that the Western Sahel would likely continue to serve primarily as a safe-haven and logistical platform for the AQIM and that AQIM members would continue to be regarded by moderate local populations as Arab outsiders. They noted, however, that Mauritania represented an exception to that dynamic given its significant Arab orientation. The French highlighted concern about the ability of terrorists to support themselves through smuggling and money laundering. 10 (C) The French have generally focused their resources on law enforcement/gendarmerie and strong law enforcement and judiciary capacity-building, while the USG is more focused on mil/mil and USAID/PAO-led counter-radicalization. The French highlighted particularly good cooperation with Algerian and Nigerian Gendarmerie. They conduct several counter-radicalization programs similar to those run by USAID, including initiatives to increase access to the internet and other educational and exchange programs, but they do not label them as 'deradicalization' projects. They were particularly interested in USG discussion regarding prison outreach programming in the Maghreb (USAID mentioned that there is an ongoing program in Morocco related to prison outreach and deradicalization). The French delegation suggested that France and the U.S. might cooperate to help address poor coordination and often outright rivalry between security organs in several countries. Further USG-French consultations will likely occur following France Africa policy review in the Spring. 11.(C) New membership: TSCTP member countries agreed that the time was right to invite Libya into the program in 2008. (REFTEL I). Each partner country was demarched in December 2007 and there was a clear consensus that Libya's incremental integration into TSCTP was appropriate and it could play an important role in efforts to combat terrorism and extremism in North and West Africa. We anticipate that Libya will be formally invited to join TSCTP following consultations with Congress, but will not publicly discuss the issue before issuing that invitation. It is unlikely that any additional new members will be added to TSCTP during the next several years. 12.(C) Country Action Plans (CAPs): Managing and resourcing assets to support the full range of activities promoting TSCTP objectives has been a significant challenge for many SIPDIS Missions in TSCTP countries. Ongoing high-level discussions between DOD and the State Department regarding the stand-up of AFRICOM are intended to address many of the challenges identified by interagency stakeholders. In addition, Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR) planners are developing Country Action Plans to better synchronize proposed military activities with Mission objectives and host country requirements and absorptive capacity. The process will provide country teams with detailed information regarding the scope, timing and objectives of planned military engagements in the host country during the upcoming year. At the same time, military planners will benefit from clear guidance from the Chief of Missions and the country teams regarding appropriate levels of engagement that the Mission and the host country are likely to accept during the time frame. Embassy Niamey hosted a 2-5 October meeting with representatives from DOD, State and USAID to review the draft CAP for Niger and discuss more generally how to improve coordination of USG activities with the country teams. The next CAP exercise will likely take place in Mauritania during Spring 2008. ¶13. (C) OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM-TRANS SAHARA (OEF-TS): OEF-TS) is USEUCOM/USAFRICOM's Regional War on Terrorism Regional Plan for North and West Africa. Completed or planned FY07/08 OEF-TS activities include: A.TRAIN, ADVICE, AND ASSIST- INTELLIGENCE CAPACITY BUILDING - Build three new light infantry companies in Mali, with equipment and training required to sustain operations to provide border security and help control the vast,ungoverned spaces of Northern Mali. Equipment focuses on new vehicles and radios to provide increased mobility and secure communications for the area. Uniforms and personal equipment are provided to sustain military personnel for extended periods in an austere environment. EUCOM provides the training and assistance to build a professional unit that has been vetted by the U.S. Country Team. - Build new light infantry, Camel Corps Company in Mauritania, with equipment and training required for sustain operations to provide border security and help control the vast, ungoverned spaces of Northern Mauritania. - Intelligence Capacity Building provides Mobile Training Teams to teach the International Military Intelligence (MI) Officers Basic Course to the nine partner nations within Trans Sahara Africa. Training helps build professional intelligence officers and helps to establish a regional MI working group to build future relationships and develop future leaders with a positive outlook on the United States and other Partner Nations. - Upgrade two light infantry companies in Chad, with equipment and training required to sustain operations to provide border security and help control the vast, ungoverned spaces of Chad. (Pending increased stability in Chad). ¶B. EXERCISES AND BI-LATERAL ENGAGEMENTS - FLINTLOCK conducted a biennial Special Operations Exercise focused on training with Counter-Terrorist (CT) and other select units in the TSCTP nations with the purpose of enhancing partner nation CT capacity, regional relationships and synchronization across the Trans-Sahara national militaries. During Phase II (19 August-11 September),a functioning Multinational Coordination Cell (MCC) was established by eight TSCTP Nations and three European nations (France, UK, and Netherlands). The MCC shared intelligence and information and planned synchronized operations focused on a regional terrorist threat. SOCEUR stood up and linked a Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force (CJSOTF) Joint Operations Center (JOC) to the MCC in order to conduct a Command Post Exercise (CPX) from 2 SEP to 7 SEP 07. During the CPX, an exercise control group, consisting of U.S. and Partner Nation (PN) personnel, executed a single overarching scenario by replicating US/PN,s higher headquarters and government agencies. This scenario drove the need for multinational coordination and synchronization in order to adequately counter and defeat regional terrorist threats. Ultimately, the CPX validated the ability for all PN,s to conduct multinational coordination in support of CT operations. SILENT WARRIOR is the companion exercise conducted in even years and is planned for FY 2008. - Twenty-two Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET) and bi-lateral engagement events will be conducted in all TSCTP countries to provide specialized training opportunities to partner nation militaries foster communications and cultural exchanges between military counterparts. ¶C. COUNTERING EXTREMIST IDEOLOGY/CIVIL MILITARY SUPPORT - Military Information Support Teams (MISTs) provided a Counter Extremist Ideology message and military support to Embassy Public Diplomacy Officer in Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Nigeria. In Nigeria for example, the MIST spent over $363,500 on various programs, made over 25 visits to various Northern Nigerian cities in order to further our programs, donated 7,524 books to 38 schools, funded two Hausa Home Movies, funded one Special Edition of Crossroads/ Magama Magazine, conducted a 13 day area assessment of four Northern Nigerian cities (Kaduna, Kano, Bauchi, Jos),conducted a 3 day internet assessment in Kaduna, garnered multiple local and national, print, radio, and internet press for the U.S. Embassy (BBC World, VOA Hausa, Daily Trust, etc). The team worked in conjunction with PAS, USAID, POL-ECON, ODC, DAO and various NGOs. (Inter-Faith Mediation Center, Iyan Tama Multimedia, etc.). - Civil Military Support Elements (CMSE,s) provided civil-military support in Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Nigeria. CMSE,s helped implement $3.2 million in Humanitarian Assistance (HA),Humanitarian Civic Action (HCA),and additional capacity building projects. CMSE,s are also gaining access to additional EUCOM/AFRICOM provided HA/HCA funding that will be available in late FY 2808. - Coalition Development was furthered by providing staff-level Military Intelligence Training and continuing intelligence sharing and support to build basic military intelligence staff officer skills and by conducting Chief of Defense and Director of Military Intelligence conferences. RICE