RWANDANS READY TO REINFORCE UNDERSTRENGHT UNAMID

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000411 SIPDIS IO AND AF FOR FRONT OFFICE, PLEASE PASS TO SE WILLIAMSON E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/07/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV KPKO AF SU SUBJECT: RWANDANS READY TO REINFORCE UNDERSTRENGHT UNAMID BATTALIONS Classified By: Ambassador Alejandro Wolff for reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: UN/Government of Rwanda (GOR) negotiations for the participation of three Rwandan troop battalions in Darfur went smoothly Monday, May 5th, paving the way for the deployment of new Rwandan soldiers and equipment to the UN/AU Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) in 2008. The negotiated Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the UN and GOR allowed the UN to confirm Rwanda had the equipment it needs to meet UN standards and allowed the GOR to discuss the rates at which it will be reimbursed for that equipment. During the negotiations, the GOR made it clear to the UN that it was prepared to rotate all three battalions in June/July. The US confirmed its equipment and training programs for Rwanda would be completed during this timeframe. It is now on the UN to check with its mission and determine when the mission is willing/able to receive the additional Rwandan troops END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) The GOR delegation was headed by Major General Patrick Nyamvumba the Chief of Logistics (J4) for the Rwandan Defense Forces (RDF). The Rwandans met with personnel from the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations (UNDPKO) to include representatives from the Department of Fields Support (DFS),Force Generation Services (FGS),Movement Control (MOVCON),and Medical Services (MS) as well as personnel from the US and Canada. MOU negotiations went smoothly. UN DFS and FGS were clear in what equipment was needed to bring the 3 Rwandan battalions that were part of the former African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) up to UN standards. Rwanda felt confident that with the help of the US and Canada they would be able to provide the equipment. ¶3. (C) In accordance with the UNAMID Force Commander's intent, General Nyamvumba told FGS that Rwanda was willing to reinforce their three under strength battalions to UN manning levels in June. The U.S. reported that before end-June one battalions' worth of equipment would be delivered to Kigali and the two remaining battalions worth of equipment would arrive in Kigali end-July. ¶4. (C) UN FGS seemed pleased at Rwanda's readiness to reinforce these under strength battalions to UN manning and equipment levels. However FGS said they would need to speak with UNAMID HQ in Darfur to see when the Mission would be ready to receive the additional Rwandan troops. FGS cited acquiring land, building and expanding camps and movement of all the equipment from Kigali to Darfur as reasons that these additional troops might not be able to deploy in June. ¶5. (C) NOTE: Bringing the 3 Rwandan Battalions up to UN strength will take a total of 647 additional troops. The UN has been briefed when these troops will be ready for deployment and when the equipment for their battalions will be in Kigali. The UN now must come up with a concrete timeline of when it will move in these additional Rwandan troops. END NOTE Khalilzad