Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09NAIROBI43
2009-01-08 11:25:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Nairobi
Cable title:
EASBRIG UPDATES ITS FRIENDS
how-toVZCZCXRO2121 PP RUEHROV DE RUEHNR #0043/01 0081125 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 081125Z JAN 09 FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8166 INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHAN/AMEMBASSY ANTANANARIVO PRIORITY 0272 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 0460 RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 0355 RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS PRIORITY 2110 RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN PRIORITY 0208 RUEHDR/AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM PRIORITY 6300 RUEHHE/AMEMBASSY HELSINKI PRIORITY 0062 RUEHLGB/AMEMBASSY KIGALI PRIORITY 5238 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 3046 RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID PRIORITY 0132 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 0319 RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 1326 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 2938 RUEHPL/AMEMBASSY PORT LOUIS PRIORITY 1716 RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY 5402 RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM PRIORITY 0535 RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE PRIORITY 1064 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 0739 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC//ISA AFRICA// PRIORITY RHMFIUU/CJTF HOA PRIORITY RUZEFAA/CDR USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE PRIORITY RUZEFAA/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE PRIORITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 NAIROBI 000043
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MARR MASS PREL KE XW
SUBJECT: EASBRIG UPDATES ITS FRIENDS
REF: NAIROBI 1365
-------
Summary
-------
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 NAIROBI 000043
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MARR MASS PREL KE XW
SUBJECT: EASBRIG UPDATES ITS FRIENDS
REF: NAIROBI 1365
--------------
Summary
--------------
1. (U) On November 25, the East African Standby Brigade
(EASBRIG) used the occasion of its first-ever Command Post
Exercise (CPX) to bring donors together for an update on
EASBRIG's progress and to request further support. While the
meeting's agenda focused on capacity building for the
still-nascent organization's core activities -- such as the
2009 Field Training Exercise (FTX) -- internal squabbles over
influence within the organization, questions over the
EASBRIG's political direction, and maritime security (not
currently an EASBRIG focus) were all discussed at length.
EASBRIG's leadership promised to provide a formal request to
donors for FTX support soon. The support request will
include an update on the contributions from EASBRIG member
states, which will be enlightening as most member states are
in serious arrears. It appears that any U.S. support for
EASBRIG will necessarily remain bilateral for the forseeable
future, given the organization's lack of progress toward
becoming a more formalized organization that could be
recognized by a Presidential Determination. The next Friends
of EASBRIG meeting will likely occur in February 2009. End
Summary.
--------------
EASBRIG's First CPX
--------------
2. (U) EASBRIG's first-ever Command Post Exercise (CPX)
served as the backdrop for the November 25 "Friends of
EASBRIG" meeting in Nairobi. Exercise "Amani" (Kiswahili for
"peace") took place November 24-28 with 78 participants from
12 of EASBRIG's 13 member countries (Eritrea did not send any
participants. Other EASBRIG members include Comoros,
Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Rwanda,
Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda). Combined
Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa also sent 10 observers to
the event. In all, approximately 145 observers, VIPs, and
other visitors attended some part of the CPX. The exercise
was based on a fictional African Union request for EASBRIG
intervention in response to insecurity in a failing,
fictional African state. The exercise incorporated military,
police, and civilian components and tested EASBRIG's command
and control mechanisms and the capability of its deployable
brigade headquarters. The CPX also set the stage for a
follow-on Field Training Exercise (FTX),which will include
more troops and require heavy logistics support, at the end
of 2009. An after-action analysis of the exercise is
scheduled for 19-21 January 2009.
3. (U) "Friends" present at the meeting included Belgium,
Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway,
Russia, Sweden, UK, and the United States. "Friends" with
nameplates but not in attendance included China, Finland, and
Spain.
--------------
Progress Updates, Passing the Hat
--------------
4. (U) EASBRIG Coordinating Mechanism (EASBRICOM) Director
Simon Mulongo reported steady progress toward achieving most
of its eight strategic objectives (reftel). To wit: the
NAIROBI 00000043 002 OF 004
Harmonized Policy Framework should be finalized at the next
meeting of the Council of Ministers (scheduled for January
2009); the Government of the Netherlands is providing
technical assistance in command, control, and communications;
the Governments of Norway, Japan and the United Nations
Development Program are providing assistance to the police
and civilian elements of EASBRIG; and Germany is providing
assistance with building EASBRIG's administrative and
financial management capacity.
5. (U) EASBRIG still needs help in building its Rapid
Deployment Capacity (RDC),Mulongo said. While the Kenyan
Rapid Deployment force is nearly complete, they are the only
one that is. Mulongo identified Uganda, Rwanda, and Ethiopia
as next on the priority list. (Note: The UK is already
supporting Uganda's efforts and Mulongo, a Ugandan, has asked
us in the past to do the same. End Note.) The development
of EASBRIG's logistics base has also hit a snag, Mulongo
said, because of a disagreement with Ethiopia as to how
EASBRIG's logistics support system will work. Instead of
housing EASBRIG's logistics base in Addis Ababa, as
originally envisioned, a study has recommended that the
logistics base should be deconcentrated into three zones
(north, central, and south) and only store minimal equipment
-- most of it would be outsourced.
6. (U) EASBRIG's number one priority for 2009, Mulongo said,
will be mounting a massive FTX that will involve the
deployment of 1,500-2,000 troops and cost USD 7-8 million.
The FTX will be a test of EASBRIG's logistics and financial
management capacity in particular, Mulongo said. The
exercise is expected to take place in two countries -- one
for mounting, the other for operations -- but those countries
have not yet been determined. Mulongo said that EASBRICOM
will present a set of options to the Council of Ministers to
decide on in January 2009. Likely options include Ethiopia
and Djibouti, Uganda and Burundi, Kenya and Uganda, or Kenya
alone. Mulongo promised the Friends he would present a
formal request for support in the near term which would
include a budget estimate and an update on the contributions
from EASBRIG member states. (Note: The latter will be
enlightening, as most member states are in serious arrears in
their annual dues. End Note.)
--------------
EASBRIG Response to Piracy?
--------------
7. (U) During his opening remarks for the CPX, Kenyan
Minister of Foreign Affairs Moses Wetangula highlighted the
dangers posed to the region's trade routes by pirates and he
urged EASBRIG to include counter-piracy capacity in its
operational framework.
8. (U) The maritime issue also arose during the Friends
meeting: Mulongo proposed the addition of both maritime and
air capability to the list of EASBRIG's strategic objectives.
Reaction from the Friends was mixed: the UK representative
said that EASBRIG needs to focus on existing priorities so
that efforts are not diffused to the point where EASBRIG
fails to deliver on its core mandate. Others were more open:
the Nordic countries are devising a unified approach to
EASBRIG and hope to capitalize on their strengths, which
would include building naval and coast guard capacity.
--------------
Ethiopia's Discontent
NAIROBI 00000043 003 OF 004
--------------
9. (U) Ethiopia expressed serious discontent with the way
EASBRIG is moving forward during EASBRIG policy organ
meetings held in Kigali in August. Ethiopia's complaints
took up so much time during the meeting of the chiefs of
defense staff, they were unable to discuss policy
recommendations to the Council of Ministers -- a serious
disruption EASBRIG's decisionmaking process, Mulongo said.
When asked to explain the nature of dispute to the Friends,
Mulongo provided a document containing what he said were a
summary of Ethiopia's specific claims.
10. (U) The claims center on Ethiopia's perception that Kenya
is trying to control EASBRIG and disempower Ethiopia within
the organization. Ethiopia reportedly claimed that they had
not received funding to start up the logistics base in Addis
Ababa because there is an initiative to move the base to
Kenya; the Kenya-based EASBRIG planning element has taken
over the mandate of the Ethiopia-based EASBRIG headquarters;
Kenya-based EASBRICOM has allowed foreigners (particularly
the British) to overwhelm the organization with foreign
advisors; and that Kenya is trying to shift the focus of
EASBRIG toward the East African Community (EAC) in order to
marginalize Ethiopia (which is not a member). The Ethiopians
reportedly requested that Mulongo be relieved of his
position, and that the UK should cease their involvement in
and leadership of EASBRIG.
11. (U) The Chiefs of Defense Staff deliberated over
Ethiopia's complaints for two days, and in the end forwarded
them to the Council of Defense Ministers, who in turn asked
Ethiopia to substantiate the allegations. In the meantime,
Ethiopia has reportedly approached Kenya and Uganda
bilaterally attempting to resolve the situation, but EASBRIG
will continue with business as usual until the allegations
are substantiated. Mulongo said that the Council of
Ministers asked Ethiopia to respond with "hard evidence" by
September 15, and Ethiopia's claims would then be considered
at a subsequent meeting in Khartoum within two months. To
date, the Ethiopians have yet to provide the information
requested, and the Khartoum meeting has been postponed to
allow more time to engage with Addis, Mulongo said.
--------------
Political Direction for EASBRIG
--------------
12. (U) Ethiopia's complaints about perceived Kenyan
dominance -- and the negative effect it has had on EASBRIG's
cohesion -- point to the larger issue of political will and
capacity among member countries to support EASBRIG in a way
that will make it an effective regional force. EASBRIG
member countries have their own security problems, and they
are often at odds with one another. Sudan and Somalia are
both plagued by internal conflict, and the national armies of
Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Djibouti have experienced armed
conflict with one another. Of the 13 EASBRIG countries, only
Kenya has kept up with its annual dues. Burundi and Somalia
have paid no dues since 2005. EASBRICOM itself not linked to
any regional organizations, such as the Intergovernmental
Authority on Development (IGAD) or the EAC.
13. (U) Assistant Minister of Defense, General (retired)
Joseph Nkaisserry was open about EASBRIG's weaknesses: he
told the Friends that EASBRIG's diversity will make it
difficult to coalesce around a unified purpose, member states
NAIROBI 00000043 004 OF 004
had limited funding to support the organization, and that
EASBRIG member states are in conflict. That said, EASBRIG
states are sensitive to outside pressure, and regional
ownership of stability operations is important, Nkaisserry
asserted.
--------------
Prospects for Direct U.S. Support
--------------
14. (U) Mulongo criticized the United States for being "so
strict (about recognizing EASBRIG)." "It will cause delays
in support for EASBRIG. Can't you just proceed (based on the
recognition of) the EASBRIG Memorandum of Understanding?" he
asked. After PolOff made it clear that U.S. assistance to
EASBRIG will remain bilateral for the forseeable future,
Mulongo asked that bilateral assistance to EASBRIG members at
least be transparent and accountable.
15. (SBU) Comment: There are no indications that EASBRIG is
getting any closer to constituting itself as the kind of
organization that could be recognized by a Presidential
Determination and thereby become eligible for direct U.S.
support. We will forward EASBRIG's FTX support request once
we receive it and will highlight potentially productive areas
for support. The next Friends meeting, tentatively scheduled
for February 2009, will focus on how donors can support the
exercise.
16. (SBU) Comment, cont: At this point, keeping our support
for EASBRIG bilateral makes sense for reasons other than our
own legal restrictions. End Comment.
RANNEBERGER
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MARR MASS PREL KE XW
SUBJECT: EASBRIG UPDATES ITS FRIENDS
REF: NAIROBI 1365
--------------
Summary
--------------
1. (U) On November 25, the East African Standby Brigade
(EASBRIG) used the occasion of its first-ever Command Post
Exercise (CPX) to bring donors together for an update on
EASBRIG's progress and to request further support. While the
meeting's agenda focused on capacity building for the
still-nascent organization's core activities -- such as the
2009 Field Training Exercise (FTX) -- internal squabbles over
influence within the organization, questions over the
EASBRIG's political direction, and maritime security (not
currently an EASBRIG focus) were all discussed at length.
EASBRIG's leadership promised to provide a formal request to
donors for FTX support soon. The support request will
include an update on the contributions from EASBRIG member
states, which will be enlightening as most member states are
in serious arrears. It appears that any U.S. support for
EASBRIG will necessarily remain bilateral for the forseeable
future, given the organization's lack of progress toward
becoming a more formalized organization that could be
recognized by a Presidential Determination. The next Friends
of EASBRIG meeting will likely occur in February 2009. End
Summary.
--------------
EASBRIG's First CPX
--------------
2. (U) EASBRIG's first-ever Command Post Exercise (CPX)
served as the backdrop for the November 25 "Friends of
EASBRIG" meeting in Nairobi. Exercise "Amani" (Kiswahili for
"peace") took place November 24-28 with 78 participants from
12 of EASBRIG's 13 member countries (Eritrea did not send any
participants. Other EASBRIG members include Comoros,
Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Rwanda,
Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda). Combined
Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa also sent 10 observers to
the event. In all, approximately 145 observers, VIPs, and
other visitors attended some part of the CPX. The exercise
was based on a fictional African Union request for EASBRIG
intervention in response to insecurity in a failing,
fictional African state. The exercise incorporated military,
police, and civilian components and tested EASBRIG's command
and control mechanisms and the capability of its deployable
brigade headquarters. The CPX also set the stage for a
follow-on Field Training Exercise (FTX),which will include
more troops and require heavy logistics support, at the end
of 2009. An after-action analysis of the exercise is
scheduled for 19-21 January 2009.
3. (U) "Friends" present at the meeting included Belgium,
Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway,
Russia, Sweden, UK, and the United States. "Friends" with
nameplates but not in attendance included China, Finland, and
Spain.
--------------
Progress Updates, Passing the Hat
--------------
4. (U) EASBRIG Coordinating Mechanism (EASBRICOM) Director
Simon Mulongo reported steady progress toward achieving most
of its eight strategic objectives (reftel). To wit: the
NAIROBI 00000043 002 OF 004
Harmonized Policy Framework should be finalized at the next
meeting of the Council of Ministers (scheduled for January
2009); the Government of the Netherlands is providing
technical assistance in command, control, and communications;
the Governments of Norway, Japan and the United Nations
Development Program are providing assistance to the police
and civilian elements of EASBRIG; and Germany is providing
assistance with building EASBRIG's administrative and
financial management capacity.
5. (U) EASBRIG still needs help in building its Rapid
Deployment Capacity (RDC),Mulongo said. While the Kenyan
Rapid Deployment force is nearly complete, they are the only
one that is. Mulongo identified Uganda, Rwanda, and Ethiopia
as next on the priority list. (Note: The UK is already
supporting Uganda's efforts and Mulongo, a Ugandan, has asked
us in the past to do the same. End Note.) The development
of EASBRIG's logistics base has also hit a snag, Mulongo
said, because of a disagreement with Ethiopia as to how
EASBRIG's logistics support system will work. Instead of
housing EASBRIG's logistics base in Addis Ababa, as
originally envisioned, a study has recommended that the
logistics base should be deconcentrated into three zones
(north, central, and south) and only store minimal equipment
-- most of it would be outsourced.
6. (U) EASBRIG's number one priority for 2009, Mulongo said,
will be mounting a massive FTX that will involve the
deployment of 1,500-2,000 troops and cost USD 7-8 million.
The FTX will be a test of EASBRIG's logistics and financial
management capacity in particular, Mulongo said. The
exercise is expected to take place in two countries -- one
for mounting, the other for operations -- but those countries
have not yet been determined. Mulongo said that EASBRICOM
will present a set of options to the Council of Ministers to
decide on in January 2009. Likely options include Ethiopia
and Djibouti, Uganda and Burundi, Kenya and Uganda, or Kenya
alone. Mulongo promised the Friends he would present a
formal request for support in the near term which would
include a budget estimate and an update on the contributions
from EASBRIG member states. (Note: The latter will be
enlightening, as most member states are in serious arrears in
their annual dues. End Note.)
--------------
EASBRIG Response to Piracy?
--------------
7. (U) During his opening remarks for the CPX, Kenyan
Minister of Foreign Affairs Moses Wetangula highlighted the
dangers posed to the region's trade routes by pirates and he
urged EASBRIG to include counter-piracy capacity in its
operational framework.
8. (U) The maritime issue also arose during the Friends
meeting: Mulongo proposed the addition of both maritime and
air capability to the list of EASBRIG's strategic objectives.
Reaction from the Friends was mixed: the UK representative
said that EASBRIG needs to focus on existing priorities so
that efforts are not diffused to the point where EASBRIG
fails to deliver on its core mandate. Others were more open:
the Nordic countries are devising a unified approach to
EASBRIG and hope to capitalize on their strengths, which
would include building naval and coast guard capacity.
--------------
Ethiopia's Discontent
NAIROBI 00000043 003 OF 004
--------------
9. (U) Ethiopia expressed serious discontent with the way
EASBRIG is moving forward during EASBRIG policy organ
meetings held in Kigali in August. Ethiopia's complaints
took up so much time during the meeting of the chiefs of
defense staff, they were unable to discuss policy
recommendations to the Council of Ministers -- a serious
disruption EASBRIG's decisionmaking process, Mulongo said.
When asked to explain the nature of dispute to the Friends,
Mulongo provided a document containing what he said were a
summary of Ethiopia's specific claims.
10. (U) The claims center on Ethiopia's perception that Kenya
is trying to control EASBRIG and disempower Ethiopia within
the organization. Ethiopia reportedly claimed that they had
not received funding to start up the logistics base in Addis
Ababa because there is an initiative to move the base to
Kenya; the Kenya-based EASBRIG planning element has taken
over the mandate of the Ethiopia-based EASBRIG headquarters;
Kenya-based EASBRICOM has allowed foreigners (particularly
the British) to overwhelm the organization with foreign
advisors; and that Kenya is trying to shift the focus of
EASBRIG toward the East African Community (EAC) in order to
marginalize Ethiopia (which is not a member). The Ethiopians
reportedly requested that Mulongo be relieved of his
position, and that the UK should cease their involvement in
and leadership of EASBRIG.
11. (U) The Chiefs of Defense Staff deliberated over
Ethiopia's complaints for two days, and in the end forwarded
them to the Council of Defense Ministers, who in turn asked
Ethiopia to substantiate the allegations. In the meantime,
Ethiopia has reportedly approached Kenya and Uganda
bilaterally attempting to resolve the situation, but EASBRIG
will continue with business as usual until the allegations
are substantiated. Mulongo said that the Council of
Ministers asked Ethiopia to respond with "hard evidence" by
September 15, and Ethiopia's claims would then be considered
at a subsequent meeting in Khartoum within two months. To
date, the Ethiopians have yet to provide the information
requested, and the Khartoum meeting has been postponed to
allow more time to engage with Addis, Mulongo said.
--------------
Political Direction for EASBRIG
--------------
12. (U) Ethiopia's complaints about perceived Kenyan
dominance -- and the negative effect it has had on EASBRIG's
cohesion -- point to the larger issue of political will and
capacity among member countries to support EASBRIG in a way
that will make it an effective regional force. EASBRIG
member countries have their own security problems, and they
are often at odds with one another. Sudan and Somalia are
both plagued by internal conflict, and the national armies of
Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Djibouti have experienced armed
conflict with one another. Of the 13 EASBRIG countries, only
Kenya has kept up with its annual dues. Burundi and Somalia
have paid no dues since 2005. EASBRICOM itself not linked to
any regional organizations, such as the Intergovernmental
Authority on Development (IGAD) or the EAC.
13. (U) Assistant Minister of Defense, General (retired)
Joseph Nkaisserry was open about EASBRIG's weaknesses: he
told the Friends that EASBRIG's diversity will make it
difficult to coalesce around a unified purpose, member states
NAIROBI 00000043 004 OF 004
had limited funding to support the organization, and that
EASBRIG member states are in conflict. That said, EASBRIG
states are sensitive to outside pressure, and regional
ownership of stability operations is important, Nkaisserry
asserted.
--------------
Prospects for Direct U.S. Support
--------------
14. (U) Mulongo criticized the United States for being "so
strict (about recognizing EASBRIG)." "It will cause delays
in support for EASBRIG. Can't you just proceed (based on the
recognition of) the EASBRIG Memorandum of Understanding?" he
asked. After PolOff made it clear that U.S. assistance to
EASBRIG will remain bilateral for the forseeable future,
Mulongo asked that bilateral assistance to EASBRIG members at
least be transparent and accountable.
15. (SBU) Comment: There are no indications that EASBRIG is
getting any closer to constituting itself as the kind of
organization that could be recognized by a Presidential
Determination and thereby become eligible for direct U.S.
support. We will forward EASBRIG's FTX support request once
we receive it and will highlight potentially productive areas
for support. The next Friends meeting, tentatively scheduled
for February 2009, will focus on how donors can support the
exercise.
16. (SBU) Comment, cont: At this point, keeping our support
for EASBRIG bilateral makes sense for reasons other than our
own legal restrictions. End Comment.
RANNEBERGER