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