SWAZILAND PARTICIPATION IN ILEA

UNCLAS MBABANE 000136 DEPT FOR DS TRAINING CENTER, NANCY STOUT, INL/C/CG AND DS/IP/AF E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC SNAR MGMT SUBJECT: SWAZILAND PARTICIPATION IN ILEA ¶1. Post wishes to extent its gratitude to the Gaborone International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) for their continued support to the Royal Swaziland Police Service (RSPS). U.S. Embassy Mbabane is one of the only missions in Swaziland that provides law enforcement training to local authorities. ¶2. In the summer of 2010, South Africa will host the World Cup soccer competition. Swaziland will not host any of the main events, but an influx of tourists is expected to spill into the country as a result of the games in South Africa. In preparation for the World Cup, ILEA arranged for two Swazi police officers to attend the Personnel and Facility Security course sponsored by Diplomatic Security Service. This much needed training focused on security aspects that Swaziland can expect to encounter during the soccer event. ¶3. Swaziland's airport has been rated as one of the most insecure airports in Africa by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration. In anticipation of the 2010 influx of tourists, Post asked for, and received, two slots for the ILEA Airport Interdiction course taught this past March. The participants of the course commented that this was the best airport security training they have received to date. ¶4. The ILEA program has forged a strong relationship between the RSPS and the Regional Security Office. This relationship was evident during the recent Africa Command visit by General Ward in Swaziland, the highest ranking official visit to post in many years. The alumni of the Law Enforcement Executive Development Program (LEEDP) and the Airport Interdiction course greatly facilitated security and logistical support for the visit. Requests for aircraft clearance, weapons permits, police escorts and access to secure facilities were obtained with ease from our police contacts. ¶5. The Regional Security Officer was able to attend two ILEA LEEDP graduations in the last eight months. This was a great opportunity to see the Swazi students in the classroom environment and to sit down with them as a group to discuss policing concerns. It was also an occasion to get to know each person on an individual level. The ILEA training has been a great asset for building relations with our RSPS counterparts, as well as facilitating in the improvement of their policing programs. Post commends ILEA and its dedication to providing key training to our respective law enforcement entities in country. PARKER