TANZANIA AGREES TO TRAIN DRC SOLDIERS AT MONUC

C O N F I D E N T I A L DAR ES SALAAM 000241 FOR AF/E, AF/C, AF/RSA, INR FEHRENREICH E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/14/2019 TAGS: PREL MARR UN TZ CG SUBJECT: TANZANIA AGREES TO TRAIN DRC SOLDIERS AT MONUC REQUEST REF: IIR 6 959 0157 09 Classified By: CDA Larry E. Andre, jr., for reasons 1.5 (b, d) ¶1. (C) DAO contacts in the Tanzania Peoples Defense Force (TPDF) told us recently that the TPDF has agreed to an early April MONUC request to provide training to soldiers being integrated into the Democratic Republic of Congo's national military (ref). The GOT agreed to provide up to 200 trainers, who would provide three to six month training in basic infantry skills for roughly 12,000 recent recruits. Training would be conducted in the Kivu and possibly Kisangani regions of DRC. The majority of recruits would be from Eastern DRC and would therefore speak Swahili, a common language with the Tanzanians. TPDF troops would serve in the DRC only in a training capacity. ¶2. (C) Comment: While the TPDF has a solid reputation for professionalism among African militaries, it would be difficult for the TPDF to provide 200 trainers quickly. The TPDF, already stretched thin, would have difficulty identifying enough qualified trainers with the requisite knowledge and experience for the requested skills. The GOT's agreement to support MONUC in this fashion underscores Tanzania's growing interest in participating in peacekeeping operations as part of its contribution to regional stability. Previously, the GOT declined to contribute peacekeepers to MONUC. ANDRE