AFRICAN PEACE FACILITY: AN IMPORTANT BUT LIMITED

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 000963 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/13/2019 TAGS: EUN MARR MOPS PREL XA EAID SUBJECT: AFRICAN PEACE FACILITY: AN IMPORTANT BUT LIMITED FUNDING INSTRUMENT Classified By: Acting Political M-C Mary T. Curtin for reasons 1.4b/d ¶1. (SBU) Summary: The EU's African Peace Facility (APF) has provided over 440 million Euros to African peacekeeping operations and capacity building since its inception in 2004 and will provide 300 million more between 2008 and 2010. A European Development Fund (EDF) instrument administered by the European Commission, APF funding must be specifically requested by the African Union (AU) and approved by both the EDF and the EU Political and Security Committee (PSC). Primarily a tool to fund AU-led ped 35 mithe Africa-EU Joint Strategy Peace and Sec5rity Partnership. He said it was designed to intervene at the continental and regional levQl, not at the national level. The APF, like ther elements of the EU Africa strategy, is b!sed on the principle of African ownership and Africa-EU partnership. In practice, this means hat the AU must request APF funds - the EUuide the APF. ¶3. (SBU) Although the APF is a European CommiQsion instrument, fund disbursal must be approQed by both the EDF and Member State Ambass!dors in the PSC. Moeller told PolOffs that although the PSC must unanimously agree to APF funding proposals, Ambassadors have never rejected a request for funds - on occasion simply delaying disbursement. APF derives most of its funding from the EDF, but EU Member States and third countries also donate directly. South Africa also contributed 7.7 million Euros. SUPPORTING PEACE SUPPORT OPERATIONS ¶4. (U) The majority of APF funding finances AU peace support activities. The APF contributed EUR 305 million to the AU Mission in Sudan (AMIS) from 2004 until 2007, when AMIS handed off control to the joint UN/AU mission UNAMID. The APF has given EUR 53 million to peacekeeping operations in the Central African Republic (CAR) (MICOPAX and FOMUC),and EUR 8.5 million to the Comoros operation. SOMALIA ¶5. (SBU) Since 2007, the APF has supported the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). The first allocation of EUR 35 million was followed by an April 2009 pledge for an additional EUR 60 million. Despite the critical situation in Somalia, Moeller said that the APF cannot disburse funds to AMISOM until the AU indicates what they will be used for, and the AU is waiting to see what needs can be met by UN funds before making specific APF requests. Moeller indicated that funds from the APF can be used to finance troop allowances, vehicles, communications gear, medical equipment, and other support material, but not rifles, ammunition, or other purely "military" equipment. CAPACITY-BUILDING INITIATIVES BRUSSELS 00000963 002 OF 002 ¶6. (U) The APF has contributed EUR 35 million to capacity-building activities supporting the operationalization of APSA through training and improved institutional capacity. The APF designated EUR 6 million for strengthening the capacity of the AU Commission's (AUC) Peace and Security Department; EUR 1 million to African Standby Force workshops; EUR 27.7 million to support African Standby Force (ASF) capacities, financial management, liaison officers, and early warning systems at the subregional and continental levels. To support the warning systems, the Commission has provided hardware and software for communications and open source intelligence analysis, followed by training for equipment operators and analysts. The Commission is now providing support to the AU Situation Room, in which African analysts work on intelligence in conjunction with existing European structures. In addition, a German-initiated project is mapping all African early warning systems. ¶7. (C) As reports septel, the APF has also designated funding for EURO RECAMP, an EU training program for African civilian and military leaders aimed at strengthening the AU's Peace Support Operations Division (PSOD) and the African Standby Forces (ASF). According to Sebastien Bergeon, advisor to the EU's Special Advisor for African Peacekeeping Capabilities General Pierre-Michel Joana, EU Member States pledged around EUR 2 million to the 2008-2010 training cycle, AU Member States pledged a small amount, and the rest of the African funding will come through the APF. However, Bergeon said that no APF money has come through, because the AU has not yet made specific requests for APF funding. Bergeon believes that the AU will try to procure contributions from other EU instruments before requesting APF money in order to secure as much EU funding as possible. ¶8. (SBU) Moeller indicated that the APF is considering additional support to African training facilities. On July 7, Bergeon told us that a joint AU-EU team is traveling in Africa to evaluate several African training centers, which work with civilian, police, and military officials to improve their strategic, operative, and tactical skills. The AU-EU team is working to assess their needs and designate centers of excellence, and the AU and EU will hold a meeting at the end of July to determine funding for the project. Bergeon predicted that they would designate several million to support the training centers. THE TENTH EDF ¶9. (U) The EU designated EUR 300 million for the APF under the tenth EDF, not including voluntary Member State contributions. In addition to peace support operations and capacity-building/APSA operationalization, the APF will now support conflict prevention (including mediation), post-conflict stabilization, and Africa-EU dialogue. This is designated as follows: EUR 200 million for peace support operations; EUR 65 million to operationalize the APSA and Africa-EU dialogue; EUR 15 million for an Early Response Mechanism, EUR 7 million for audit, monitoring, evaluation, technical assistance, lessons learned, and visibility, and the remainder for contingencies. CHALLENGES ¶10. (C) As Moeller and Bergeon indicated, the AU has trouble absorbing all the funds available through the APF. The AU must provide specific requests for funding, and it sometimes waits to play one donor off against the others before drawing up plans for APF support. Moeller pointed out that the EUR 60 million contribution designated for AMISOM has not been disbursed because the AU is waiting for a UN support plan. Bergeon opined that the AU is pursuing funds from other EU sources before requesting APF support for EURO RECAMP. Bergeon also highlighted the AU's problems finding personnel, which prevent it from using designated funds. MURRAY