Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BRUSSELS589
2009-04-22 15:10:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Brussels
Cable title:  

BELGIAN LT GENERAL BUYSE SHARES LESSONS LEARNED IN

Tags:  PREL PGOV MARR MOPS PHUM CG BE 
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FM AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8851
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHJB/AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA PRIORITY 0027
RUEHCO/AMEMBASSY COTONOU PRIORITY 0176
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA PRIORITY 0245
RUEHLGB/AMEMBASSY KIGALI PRIORITY 0415
RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA PRIORITY 0532
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEFDHN/DIA DH WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 05 BRUSSELS 000589 

SIPDIS

STATE PASS EUR/WE AND AF/C

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/20/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR MOPS PHUM CG BE
SUBJECT: BELGIAN LT GENERAL BUYSE SHARES LESSONS LEARNED IN
AFRICA WITH AFRICOM

BRUSSELS 00000589 001.2 OF 005


Classified By: Charge Wayne Bush for reason 1.4 (B) and (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 05 BRUSSELS 000589

SIPDIS

STATE PASS EUR/WE AND AF/C

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/20/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR MOPS PHUM CG BE
SUBJECT: BELGIAN LT GENERAL BUYSE SHARES LESSONS LEARNED IN
AFRICA WITH AFRICOM

BRUSSELS 00000589 001.2 OF 005


Classified By: Charge Wayne Bush for reason 1.4 (B) and (D).


1. (C) Summary: Belgium's Assistant Chief of Staff for
Operations and Training, Lieutenant General Jean-Paul Buyse,
shared Belgian experience and lessons learned in Africa with
Africom's Commander, Gen. William Ward and his staff during a
visit to Africom HQ in Stuttgart on April 15. Buyse provided
an overview of the strategic framework for Belgium's defense
policy in Africa and the types of missions and tasks Belgium
has conducted. His team then provided an in-depth review of
Belgium's ongoing Military Partnership Programs (MPPs) in
Benin, the DRC, and Burundi. Lessons learned included
"African specifics" such as leaders' tendency to rely on
short term visions, their desire for personal gain and
differences in education; challenges posed by family members
accompanying troops to their posts; the need for "adapted
cooperation" encompassing a realistic international and very
long term approach with effective multilateral and bilateral
dialogue; and the need to give the appearance of remaining
neutral between parties in conflict. Lessons learned from
MPP experience included promoting gradual local ownership of
programs while the donor maintains a "look over the shoulder"
involvement; differentiating between real military needs and
mere wants; and sustainability of military projects where
management of resources and people has never been a priority.
Africom officers told Buyse about their plans to build on
the Belgian MPP in Benin, and Buyse said he would name a
liaison officer for Africom's Benin programs. Africom
officers also provided Buyse a readout of its military
training plans in the DRC, and Buyse promised information
that could be helpful to U.S. planning. He provided a plan
Belgium used for family housing during the meeting, and said
he would also send plans for the former Belgian base the U.S.
will renovate and a copy of course items Belgium used in

training. End Summary.

Introduction: Strategic Framework and Missions
-------------- -


2. (C) Buyse provided Africom's General Ward with a broad
overview of Belgium's strategic framework for its Africa
missions, lessons learned, and recent MPPs during his April
15 visit to Stuttgart. Belgium's strategic framework for
defense policy in Africa is drawn from several sources: UN
policy in Africa, the EU-African Partnership, Belgium's
foreign policy in the Great Lakes region, Belgian development
and cooperation priorities (13 of Belgium's 18 partner
countries are in Africa),MOD strategic planning, and
Belgium's security sector reform (SSR) projects in various
countries. These broad goals have been channeled into five
missions and tasks: reinforcement of African peace keeping
operations (PKO),Belgian PKOs, MPPs, humanitarian missions,
and non-combatatant evacuation operations. The Belgian MOD
has considerable experience in the region, and Buyse shared
lessons learned that are applicable to all of sub-Saharan
Africa and more specific MPPs.

Generic Lessons Learned
--------------


3. (C) Buyse's team began the lessons learned discussion with
"African specifics". The MOD said many African leaders talk
about a long term vision for the continent's future when
speaking to international donors, but as a practical matter
focus on short term personal gain and what they can get
before the next election or coup at the national level.
African governments and militaries have different concepts of
ownership, management, and responsibility than Western
standards. Leaders often ask for high tech and advanced
equipment or facilities although their military capabilities
and infrastructure needs are low tech. Levels of education
vary widely; some officials and officers are illiterate while
others hold advanced degrees. The second generic lesson
learned is what the MOD referred to as "adapted cooperation".
This means developing effective communication and a
comprehensive long term approach among donor countries, in
part to avoid duplication of effort and being played off
against each other by African partners; regular and
straightforward bilateral and multilateral dialogue with

BRUSSELS 00000589 002.5 OF 005


African partners based on trust; and effective bilateralism
and multilateralism to prevent African countries playing one
donor off against another. Programs developed for Africa
should be sustainable, simple, and effective, Buyse said. It
is important to look out for collusion and duplicity while
avoiding arrogance in dealing with African nationals.
Neutrality is also important when dealing with regional
leaders who have different goals and rivalries.

MPP-Specific Lessons Learned
--------------


4. (C) Belgium's MPPs in Benin, the DRC, and Burundi
generated specific lessons. The Belgians suggested that
equality between donors and African partner countries is
important, but ownership, accountability, and sustainablity
are important concerns as well. Programs should aim to turn
control of programs over to host governments gradually, until
the donor's role becomes a long term advise and train
approach as duties are performed. Strategic visions can be
hindered by African leaders' short term priorities.
Accountability requires the donor to keep engaged and promote
outside evaluation that can include African nations, while at
the same time setting clear, written expectations for host
country performance. To ensure training and other projects
are sustainable, Belgium suggests a priority on developing
education and expertise, especially train-the-trainer (TTT)
programs. Civil-military cooperation projects require
regular follow up by donors for up to three to four years to
ensure equipment is properly used and maintained. Good
management should be encouraged at all levels. Logistical
challenges vary and are also key. For longer term
sustainability, developing networks between African leaders
and donor country trainers and officers is valuable.

MPP Benin and Operation Shared Accord
--------------


5. (C) Buyse and his staff provided a relatively upbeat
readout on Belgium's MPP in Benin, which began in 1999.
Belgium trained Beninese peacekeepers now serving in Cote
D'Ivoire and with MONUC. It has hosted Benin officers at the
Royal Military Academy in Brussels. Belgian military
engineers coached Beninese engineers in the building of a new
road in the Mono area of Benin and built schools and medical
facilities as civil-military projects. The MOD also trained
A-109 helicopter pilots and technicians. Ongoing training
includes annual C-130 and paratrooper training and biannual
peacekeeper programs to ensure sustainability. Most of the
training takes place at Bembereke training area in the north
of the country. Belgium is working on increasing Beninese
autonomy, and believes the peacekeeper programs are well on
their way. The A-109 program will likely require "over the
shoulder" supervision for some time. Belgium considers this
mature partnership a success. The main challenge will be
instilling a maintenance and resource management mindset.
Other problems include the lack of local medical care which
requires that trainers bring with them a mobile hospital and
have medevac capacity. Also, roads are dangerous and when
local people are hit by Belgian vehicles, it creates
significant expense for the operation. Africom told Buyse
that it is preparing to launch "Operation Shared Accord" with
Benin, using and improving some of the Belgian built firing
ranges at Bembereke. In discussions with the U.S., a
Beninese general has said he wants Bembereke to become an
ECOWAS regional training center. Buyse said he was aware of
this goal, but said there is only one center per region and
it is unclear if Bembereke will be so designated. Buyse also
offered to name a Belgian liaison officer for Shared Accord
to share information with Africom.

MPP DRC
--------------


6. (C) Belgium's Congo MPP began in 2004 with several
different projects that have encountered significant
difficulties. Belgium has trained the Congo's 1st Brigade,
conducted multiple TTT programs, trained construction
engineers, and provided equipment and training for a

BRUSSELS 00000589 003 OF 005


bridge-building team in the eastern DRC. "Brassage and
mixage" training combines Congolese units (FARDC) with former
CNDP and FDLR soldiers and has worked well. Soldiers from
rebel factions came in from the bush without weapons, which
Buyse believes are probably still cached in the jungle for
possible future use. Buyse's team noted major management
difficulties in the Congolese military at all levels.
General Buyse added that it is important to be aware of
parallel command structures that may exist outside of the
military structure; presidential loyalists often make the
real decisions without consulting the military command. The
GOB remains uncertain regarding whether President Kabila
actually supports the SSR process.


7. (C) Buyse provided an in-depth description of the ongoing
rapid reaction force (RRF) training program that is a key
component of Belgium's SSR efforts in the DRC. From
Belgium's perspective the GoDRC did not meet its commitments
to pay, feed and house the soldiers to keep the units
together. As a result, the first units simply disappeared
after training. The current training is taking place in
Kananga and will move to Kindu. It should be completed by
May 15. Belgium will conduct "permanent" training refreshers
every six to seven months, in order to keep the units
cohesive and prevent the soldiers from disbanding again. The
MOD maintains a dialogue with both the military and the
"unofficial" command structures. The MOD tracks the
distribution of pay to prevent the pilfering of the salaries
if transported by DRC officials. Belgium has also built
secure family housing for the soldiers' families that travel
with them to combat zones. In general, Buyse said Congolese
soldiers are good if provided with food, housing, and
transportation.


8. (C) Africom officers described current and proposed
projects in the DRC. A military information and support team
(MIST) is stationed in Kivu under the direction of the
Ambassador and works on disarmament (DDR) programming.
Africom is now developing a proposal to train a light
infantry battalion. The training would begin with 100
officers and 100 non-commissioned officers in Kinshasa, who
would then transfer to Kisangani where the enlisted soldiers
would join and bring the number of trainees to 650. The DRC
has offered an abandoned Belgian base to Africom, which would
upgrade the facilities with Belgian-trained Congolese
engineers. General Buyse provided plans Belgium had
developed for family housing, which he deems important
because family members routinely accompany Congolese soldiers
into the field. He said he would also provide Africom the
plans of the old Belgian base and Belgian training curricula
as soon as possible.

Burundi
--------------


9. (C) The Burundi MPP began after the peace agreement in

2006. Belgium supported the integration of the differing
factions into the Burundian armed forces. Belgium's first
engineer training program failed when the engineers
disappeared, and Belgium has committed to regularly
retraining the current group of engineers it is now training
to prevent abandonment. Burundian officers were trained at
the Belgian military academy in a TTT program. In 2009,
Belgium's MPP projects include training Burundian armed
forces in human and material resources and ongoing coaching
of the TTT trainees. Belgium hopes to work on integrating
the FNL, the last remaining faction that has not integrated.
Lessons learned in Burundi include taking a DDD approach to
SSR, the importance of neutrality during the military
harmonization, and building from a partnership "for" peace to
a partnership "at" peace.

Africom - Belgium Discussion
--------------


10. (C) In a wide-ranging discussion with AFRICOM officers,
General Buyse discussed a number of Africa-related issues.
Asked why the Conglese Army should not be disbanded and
started again from scratch if it is as ineffectual as Buyse

BRUSSELS 00000589 004.2 OF 005


suggested, Buyse said that the Congo is a big country and
some kind of army is needed to keep it together. There are
some officers who appreciate and want change but for now
there are not enough of them, he said. Modern military
culture needs to keep developing and it is a slow evolution.
If you go back to nothing, then you start with nothing, he
concluded. He recommended that when dealing with MOD and
other government officials in capitals, donor countries
should give the government a written list of what they plan
to do, then give a list of what they expect the host country
to do and get agreement on it. A chronic problem is that
troops in Congo are not paid, and then desert. Finding ways
to ensure troops are paid and fed, coupled with a long-term
commitment, is important to success.


11. (C) Buyse said that Belgium has little contact with
Chinese officials working in Congo. The Belgians hear a lot
of mixed feelings about the Chinese from the Congolese
leadership and population. There is some aversion because
the Chinese make little effort at integrating. The
leadership is disappointed because Chinese promises are not
always fulfilled. But Buyse believes the Chinese do not have
to be a problem if handled correctly. One Gabon officer told
him that the Europeans left a vacuum in Africa and the
Chinese have come and filled it.


12. (C) Buyse was critical of the way the Lord's Resistance
Army was handled in Uganda and the DRC. He said that Joseph
Kony never was a threat to Kinshasa, until he was pushed out
of his stronghold, and now he is a problem for the
international community and has done a lot of damage.
Belgium has no plans to take direct military action against
Kony's army because the chances of failure are too great.
Kony has charisma and must be confronted on a more personal
basis, Buyse concluded.


13. (C) Buyse and Ambassador Yates both agreed that better
cooperation is needed between Western countries in Kinshasa.
Ambassadorial level meetings tend to be too official, Yates
said. She said the ongoing Defense Attache and Deputy Chief
of Mission meetings are good. Buyse observed several times
during the day that the Congolese will be interested in
working bilaterally with the U.S. and with Belgium. But they
will not be much interested in working tri-laterally because
they think they will get more if the two countries are
divided. However, Buyse said, if the choice is tri-lateral
cooperation or nothing, they will agree.

Comment
--------------


14. (C) This meeting was the culmination of post's year-long
effort to enhance U.S. - Belgian coordination and dialogue.
Both Africom and the MOD found the exchange valuable, and
long term cooperation on individual operations is likely in
the future, including participation in the Africa Partnership
Station by Belgium and contributions to Belgium's annual
exercises in Benin by Africom.






















BRUSSELS 00000589 005.2 OF 005































Comment: Buyse affirmed Belgium would be in Africa for the
long haul and is committed to working with partners on the
ground.
.