LESOTHO: INFORMATION ON SECURITY DIALOGUES

UNCLAS MASERU 000410 SIPDIS DEPT FOR PM (CHRISTOPHER PETRONE) AND AF/S E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL LT SUBJECT: LESOTHO: INFORMATION ON SECURITY DIALOGUES REF: STATE 00112900 ¶1. In response to reftel, Embassy Maseru would like to provide the following information. ¶2. The United States has an informal security dialogue with Lesotho, characterized by U.S.-sponsored training and exchanges; HIV prevention programs, including a DOD-funded specialist who sits with the PEPFAR Lesotho team, and whose role is to coordinate HIV/AIDS activities with the Lesotho Defense Force (LDF); and ad hoc meetings with civilian and military officials at all levels to discuss security and military issues. The Defense Attachi and Security Cooperation Offices in Pretoria, South Africa, cover Lesotho and have frequent meetings with military leaders. On-going U.S. defense activities in Lesotho include International Military Education and Training (IMET) Program, the Department of Defense Humanitarian Assistance program, courses by the Defense Institute of International Legal Studies (DIILS),Africa Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS) and Marshall Center seminars. Personnel from the LDF also participated in the US Africa Command sponsored Africa Endeavour 2009 command, control and communications exercise. The LDF has also sent a formal request to participate in the National Guard State Partnership Program. In October 2009, the Commander of the LDF, accompanied by three senior LDF officers, undertook a Distinguished Visitor Orientation Tour (DVOT) to Fort Rucker in Alabama, State Department and the Pentagon in Washington D.C. and the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York. NOLAN