DJIBOUTIAN NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR AND CHOD CONCUR WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L DJIBOUTI 000449

C O R R E C T E D C O P Y - CORRECTED COPY: CORRECTED TEXT (DATE OF
MEETING)

SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF/E
AFRICOM AND CJTF-HOA FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/05/05
TAGS: MASS MOPS PHSA PTER ASEC DJ
SUBJECT: DJIBOUTIAN NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR AND CHOD CONCUR WITH
PROPOSED ESTABLISHMENT OF U.S. NAVY HARBOR SECURITY UNIT

DERIVED FROM: Derived from previous message.


1. (C) SUMMARY. In a May 2 meeting with RDML Mercer, Djiboutian
National Security Advisor Hassan Said Khaireh and CHOD MG Fathi A.
Houssein concurred with the proposed establishment in June 2009 of
a U.S. Navy Harbor Security Unit in the Port of Djibouti. The
establishment of a Harbor Security Unit, comprising two patrol
boats and approximately 50 personnel, will strengthen force
protection for U.S. Navy ships and support vessels visiting
Djibouti-a key refueling and resupply point, along key shipping
lines at the juncture of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. END
SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) Rear Admiral David Mercer, Commander Navy Region Europe,
Africa, Southwest Asia (CNREURAFSWA); Captain Patrick Gibbons,
Commanding Officer of Camp Lemonier; and DCM met on April 2 with
National Security Advisor Hassan Said Khaireh; Deputy Director of
the Djiboutian National Security Service Abdillahi Mohamed
Abdillahi; and Djibouti's Chief of Defense (CHOD) Major General
Fathi A. Houssein. Other Embassy representatives included NCIS
Force Protection Detachment (FPD) chief, ORA chief, and Office of
Security Cooperation (OSC) training assistant (interpreter).


3. (SBU) RDML Mercer discussed the proposed formation of a
standing "Harbor Security Unit" to enhance security for U.S. Navy
ships transiting the port of Djibouti (at the rate of 20 days/month
in April 2009) and to enable joint military training with the
Djiboutian Navy. The proposed Harbor Security Unit would comprise
26 sailors to support operations of two harbor security boats, as
well as 18-25 additional personnel for pier security. The boats
would use the port's fishing pier (Port de Peche) for launch and
recovery, situated between the Djiboutian Navy headquarters, on the
one hand, and the new US$300 million Dubai Ports World (DPW)
Doraleh Container Terminal and the Doraleh Refueling Pier, on the
other.


4. (SBU) To support the establishment of such a Harbor Security
Unit, the USG would need the GODJ's concurrence for use of: the
boat ramp at the port, the commercial refueling station to refuel,
and a pier when a U.S. ship was in the harbor--to conduct
short-term maintenance as required. RDML Mercer concluded by
noting that the Harbor Security Unit would be open to conducting
patrols and other engagement activities with the Djiboutian
military. Training could include such elements as: basic harbor
security operations, day and night navigation, use of radar and
GPS, and other areas that would be subject to bilateral discussions
between the USG and Djiboutian military. Harbor security boats
could be deployed as soon as June 2009, he said, and would benefit
all visiting ships, not just U.S. vessels, while also increasing
partnership with the Djiboutian Navy.


5. (C/REL DJ) Hassan Said Khaireh said that, as National Security
Advisor, he fully supported this proposal; he deferred to the CHOD
(MG Fathi) and the Commander of the Djiboutian Navy Colonel
Abdourahman Aden Cher to implement the proposal. Hassan Said noted
that the Djiboutian Navy had provided security for U.S. ships for
the last six years, on both the piers and the water. U.S. ships
typically used pier 11 or 12, he said, and would continue to do so.
The GODJ would work with the Harbor Master, Captain Moussa Abar, to
provide access to the pier desired, he said. MG Fathi concurred
that, as expressed, the GODJ had the political goodwill to support
the establishment by the USG of a Harbor Security Unit.


6. (SBU) RDML Mercer's May 2 morning meeting with Djibouti's CHOD
and National Security Advisor was followed by additional meetings
with the Harbor Master of the Port of Djibouti, Captain Moussa
Abar, and with the Commander of the Djiboutian Navy, Colonel
Abdourahman Aden Cher. Col. Cher, who had returned from completing
a rotation as commander of Djiboutian military forces at Moulhoule,
near the Djibouti-Eritrea border, welcomed the proposed
establishment of a U.S. Navy Harbor Security Unit. He said he
looked forward to completing partial arrangements-including rules
of engagement-for the HSU to become operational by the June 2009
start date. As Commander of the Djiboutian Navy, Cher will be the
principal host country point of contact for the execution of the
program.


7. (C) COMMENT. Concurrence by Hassan Said Khaireh serves as
principal-level approval by the GODJ, as Hassan Said is
triple-hatted as Djibouti's National Security Advisor, Director of
the National Security Service, and Head of the Military Cabinet for


President Guelleh. The establishment of a dedicated Harbor
Security Unit will strengthen force protection for visiting U.S.
Navy ships and support vessels, and will provide a critical
capability to augment the force protection responsibilities of
Embassy's Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) FPD chief.
END COMMENT.
SWAN