Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09PRETORIA1949
2009-09-25 10:05:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Pretoria
Cable title:  

TOUR D'HORIZON OF PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS IN AFRICA

Tags:  PREL PKO MCAP AU AO NI RW SF SU 
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DE RUEHSA #1949/01 2681005
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 251005Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9682
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHTN/AMCONSUL CAPE TOWN 7169
RUEHDU/AMCONSUL DURBAN 1255
RUEHJO/AMCONSUL JOHANNESBURG 9536
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PRETORIA 001949 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/21/2019
TAGS: PREL PKO MCAP AU AO NI RW SF SU
SUBJECT: TOUR D'HORIZON OF PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS IN AFRICA

PRETORIA 00001949 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Political Counselor Walter N. Pflaumer. Reasons 1.4(b)
and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PRETORIA 001949

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/21/2019
TAGS: PREL PKO MCAP AU AO NI RW SF SU
SUBJECT: TOUR D'HORIZON OF PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS IN AFRICA

PRETORIA 00001949 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Political Counselor Walter N. Pflaumer. Reasons 1.4(b)
and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY. On 18 September, EmbOff met with members of
the Institute for Security Studies' (ISS) Security Sector
Governance Programme to discuss the state of peacekeeping
operations on the African continent. The ISS team lamented
the AU's lack of capacity, the international community's
piece-meal approach to funding only peacekeeping operations
(PKO) to the detriment of other aspects of security like
troop preparedness and peace-building, and the absence of
vision for Africa since former South African President Mbeki
and former Nigerian President Obasanjo's departure. Looking
forward, the ISS argued that political willingness to
contribute to PKOs on the continent are likely to diminish
and that the African Union will continue to flounder without
a complete revamping of priorities. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) On 18 September, EmbOff met with the Institute of
Security Studies' (ISS) Security Sector Programme team to
discuss the current state of peacekeeping operations (PKOs)
on the continent. In attendance were Dr. Naison Ngoma,
Programme Head and a former AU official, Dr. Paul Simon
Handy, Programme Head of ISS' African Security Analysis
Programme, and Colonel Stephen van Neel, who recently joined
the ISS as a senior researcher after spending 21 years in the
South African National Defence Force, part of which time he
was Sector Commander in AMIS and Chief of Staff Cease-fire
Commission in UNAMID. The entire team praised the US for its
contributions to PKOs on the continent, but also was critical
of donor approaches in general, noting that they are not
undertaken holistically, noting they along with the AU focus
too much on peacekeeping, rather than peace-building and
force readiness.

-------------- --------------
AFRICAN PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS: THE FIRE BRIGADE APPROACH
-------------- --------------


3. (C) ISS members all believe the African Union (AU)'s
approach to peacekeeping, while getting better, has a long
way to go. Three key themes of shortcomings emerged:


-- Lack of framework: van Neel said he is concerned with the
overall architecture of the AU Peace and Security Council
(PSC) because key pillars of security outside PKOs, such as
general troop preparedness, are being neglected. He also
noted that the PSC does not pay enough attention to conflict
prevention, nor do they play a role in the AU's policy making
process. Handy added that the AU has not placed enough
emphasis on development, and likely will not because there is
still too much international pressure and incentive to
continue the AU's emphasis on resolution rather than
prevention.

-- Lack of capacity: All criticized the AU's lack of capacity
at every level, highlighting not only the management and
direction of running an effective PKO, but also day-to-day
administrative issues. Funding and political will of the AU
PSC does not seem to be a problem, but rather differing
levels of experience of AU working level officials. Van Neel
noted in particular that the PSC appears unable to detect and
deal with problems before they get out of hand, which Ngoma
summed up as the AU's "fire-brigade approach." Handy added
that it is also unclear how the AU PSC prioritizes issues.
Qthat it is also unclear how the AU PSC prioritizes issues.
All suggested that donors would get more for their money if
it could be filtered down to working-levels of the AU.

-- Lack of funding for African militaries: All blamed the
donor community for funding PKOs at the neglect of other more
basic security needs. Ngoma noted manpower is not the issue
since there are over 3 million men "under arms" on the
continent, but that African militaries continue to be
hampered by lack of funding and logistics needed to
contribute to PKOs, most notably airlift equipment.

--------------
UN HYBRIDS SHORTFALLS
--------------


4. (C) Turning to Sudan, van Neel was critical of how UN
'hybridization' in general, but especially in Sudan, has
unfolded, though not necessarily the concept. He believes
increasing a PKO mandate and then re-hatting peacekeepers has
had no impact. "Wearing a green beret one day, then a blue
one the next doesn't change anything," he said. Likewise,

PRETORIA 00001949 002.2 OF 002


elevating a mission's importance or mandate on paper doesn't
guarantee results on the ground. Ngoma also added that
hybridization does not address other problems like government
obstruction as is the case in Sudan. Having said that,
however, van Neel admitted the UN has a better system than
the AU with better intelligence.

-------------- --------------
PKOS SUFFER FROM LACK OF VISION, FUNDING, AND COMMITMENT
-------------- --------------


5. (C) Handy sees an emerging trend of African governments
becoming more reticent to contribute to PKOs. South Africa
and Nigeria, he said, are the most prominent examples and at
the same time, the two most important contributors to PKOs on
the continent. "Remove Nigeria from the equation and West
African PKOs disappear, remove South Africa and all PKOs
would suffer," he said. (NOTE: Dr. Ngoma took issue with
Handy's analysis, arguing that smaller African countries,
like Rwanda and Ghana, are just as important. END NOTE)
Handy believes the lack of willingness to engage on South
Africa's and Nigeria's part is a direct result of the change
of leadership in these countries. Both former Nigerian
President Obasanjo and former South African President Mbeki
had visions for Africa which they could articulate, he said.
AU Chairman Qadhafi, he said, does not have a vision, but
will nevertheless have an enormous impact on the AU because
Qadhafi faces no real challengers. (NOTE: Handy mentioned
there is much talk about Angola's recent attempts to be seen
as a player on the continent, though he admitted that Angolan
remains a black hole to him. "All we know is that they can
win wars," to which Ngoma quipped, "or at least how not to
lose them." Handy said everyone agrees that "Angola is in
the room, but never speaks." As a result, Handy said no one
can articulate what Angola exactly wants. END NOTE)


6. (C) Handy also argued that regional bodies like SADC and
ECOWAS, however, still have potential, though they lack
funding. Handy argued that ECOWAS, and Nigeria for driving
it, have not gotten the recognition they deserve because in
many ways, he said, ECOWAS has been even more advanced than
the AU at creating an institutional framework, even to the
point where some states have even given up part of their
sovereignty to ECOWAS. Ngoma also noted that there is
recognition by military commanders all over the continent
that they need to harmonize their doctrines, procedures, and
execution of operations if they are to be successful in
multi-national PKOs. He also added there is keen interest on
ECOWAS' part in doing a joint military planning exercise like
the ongoing SADC brigade exercise, but they are waiting for
funding. (NOTE: SADC is holding a multi-national military
exercise in South Africa from 1 to 29 September to increase
the readiness of its forces in accordance with the AU roadmap
toward establishing the SADC Brigade. END NOTE)

--------------
AMISON ATTACK AN INTELLIGENCE FAILURE
--------------


7. (C) The timing of the Embassy's meeting took place the day
after the 17 September suicide attack on AMISON in Mogadishu
and all ISS members were focused on the future of AMISON.
Van Neel called the attack an "intelligence failure," and all
QVan Neel called the attack an "intelligence failure," and all
agreed that the attack is likely to make AMISON less
effective because peacekeepers will now likely restrict
themselves to the base. Ngoma also believes that it might
make other countries hesitant to contribute troops to Somalia
or other hotspots in the future. All also noted that the
Shebab Islamist movement was in the process of fragmenting,
but that Saleh Nabhan's death has given the movement a morale
boost and an opportunity to regroup again with renewed hatred
for the US as a common enemy. END NOTE)
GIPS