MOZAMBIQUE TO PARTICIPATE IN EXERCISE SHARED ACCORD

C O N F I D E N T I A L MAPUTO 000852

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/30/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPKO MASS MARR MZ
SUBJECT: MOZAMBIQUE TO PARTICIPATE IN EXERCISE SHARED ACCORD

REF: A. MAPUTO 634

B. MAPUTO 284

C. 08 MAPUTO 1074

Classified By: Pol/Econ Chief Matthew Roth, Reasons 1.4(b+d)


1. (C) Summary: On June 15, the Government of Mozambique
(GRM) formally notified Post of its intention to participate
in Exercise Shared Accord 2010 (ESA),a large-scale, U.S.
Africa Command (AFRICOM),bilateral training exercise
designed to enhance multi-national peacekeeping operations
(PKO) readiness which is scheduled to occur between July and
September 2010.

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STATE AND DOD JOINTLY ENCOURAGE GRM COMMITMENT
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2. (C) Foreign Minister Oldemiro Baloi confirmed Mozambique's
intention to participate in ESA by diplomatic note received
on June 15. The GRM,s decision represented the culmination
of several months, effort by Post, and included the personal
intervention of AFRICOM Commander "Kip" Ward. During his
mid-May visit to Maputo, the Commander discussed Mozambique's
involvement in PKO with President Armando Guebuza, Minister
of Defense Filipe Nyussi, and other senior staff members.
They confirmed Mozambique's desire to participate, but
expressed concerns about a lack of training and equipment.
General Ward offered ESA as assistance, and encouraged the
GRM to identify a specific PKO mission in which to take part.

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SUBSTANTIAL PRIOR USG FINANCIAL SUPPORT
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3. (C) The FADM have benefited from extensive USG military
training and assistance. The African Contingency Operations
Training and Assistance (ACOTA) program provided $3 million
in pre-deployment training, plus an additional $3.5 million
in equipment, to 3 battalions, approximately 1,200
participants. The FADM have not taken part in PKO since the
UN 2005 operations in Burundi. Since the GRM,s September
2008 letter to the Secretary General expressing a desire to
participate further, Post and AFRICOM have redoubled efforts
to improve the FADM's readiness and capabilities.

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A BATTALION-LEVEL, 30-DAY PKO EXERCISE
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4. (C) ESA is the latest and most significant USG offer of
assistance to Mozambique. This event is a battalion-level
training exercise designed to develop the military expertise
required to participate effectively in PKO, both at the staff
unit and individual level. Staff skills acquired are
directly applicable to deploying a unit to participate in
PKO. The exercise will last approximately thirty days and is
scheduled to occur between July and September 2010 in order
to accommodate the anticipated local impact of the World Cup
in South Africa.

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ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PLANNED
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5. (C) In August 2009, two mobile field kitchens costing
approximately $150,000 and funded by Foreign Military
Financing will arrive in country. Next month, ACOTA will
send a team to provide two weeks of instructor training to
the FADM, recertifying those who received training in 2007.
The initial ESA planning conference will occur in September,
to be followed over the next 12 months by a series of 4 more
planning conferences.

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COMMENT: TIME FOR GRM TO STEP UP TO PKO
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6. (C) Completion of ESA will represent a significant step
toward creating a Mozambican military unit capable of
participating in PKO. After completion, it will be incumbent
on the GRM to select a future PKO mission. ESA will also
reinforce Mil-Mil ties between the GRM and the USG and may
open the door to increased cooperation, particularly in joint
maritime security efforts to combat narco-trafficking.
AMANI