SOMALI PRESIDENT VISITS RWANDA

C O N F I D E N T I A L KIGALI 000173 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/20/2019 TAGS: MASS MOPS PGOV PREL RW SUBJECT: SOMALI PRESIDENT VISITS RWANDA REF: KIGALI 142 Classified By: CDA Cheryl Sim for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (SBU) President of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed met with President Paul Kagame on March 16 during a short visit to Rwanda. Local media reported that the focus of the conversation was cooperation between the two governments, including military support and Government of Rwanda (GOR) efforts to promote reconciliation. GOR Director for Africa at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (MINAFETT) Augustin Rutikara confirmed the details of media reports to PolOff. He said the GOR would continue to offer training to small numbers of Somali military (note: approximately 90 Somali military personnel have been trained by the Rwanda Defence Forces - RDF),but that the RDF was "too stretched" to offer any kind of peacekeeping support in Somalia. Rutikara said his office will be the point of contact for joint efforts between the two countries, but that no formal mechanisms had yet been established for such assistance. He surmised that, in the near future, additional Somali contingents would come to Rwanda to learn more about GOR efforts at reconciliation, and how to adapt them to the situation in Somalia. Rutikara said in regard to the GOR,s support for Somalia and its peacekeeping efforts in Darfur that, "wherever we are able to provide assistance, we shall do it." ¶2. (C) In a separate meeting, senior members of the RDF told Charge and DATT that the GOR was willing to provide further military support to Somali forces, but that they would have to train at least four brigades for up to six months for it to be "meaningful assistance" toward the creation of an effective Somali military force. No plans are in place to expand RDF efforts beyond the training of small contingents, although the RDF would consider doing so. ¶3. (SBU) Comment: The RDF has major commitments in Darfur, and may in the near future mount further joint operations with the Congolese military in eastern Congo (reftel). The RDF is already committed to providing training to Burundi and Liberia - significant assistance at this time to the Transitional Government's military would likely strain Rwandan resources. End comment. SIM