Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10ADDISABABA267
2010-02-09 09:50:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Addis Ababa
Cable title:  

USAU: DJIBOUTIAN LEADER DISCUSSES TROOP COMMITMENT

Tags:  PREL MOPS KPKO DJ SO AU 
pdf how-to read a cable
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ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 090950Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7698
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEPADJ/CJTF HOA
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUZEFAA/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
C O N F I D E N T I A L ADDIS ABABA 000267 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/FO, AF/RSA, AND AF/E
NSC FOR MGAVIN
LONDON FOR PLORD
PARIS FOR WBAIN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/08/2020
TAGS: PREL MOPS KPKO DJ SO AU
SUBJECT: USAU: DJIBOUTIAN LEADER DISCUSSES TROOP COMMITMENT
TO AMISOM

REF: A. DJIBOUTI 127

B. DJIBOUTI 52

Classified By: USAU AMBASSADOR MICHAEL A. BATTLE, REASONS 1.4 (A),(B),
AND (D).

This message is from USAU Ambassador Michael A. Battle.

C O N F I D E N T I A L ADDIS ABABA 000267

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/FO, AF/RSA, AND AF/E
NSC FOR MGAVIN
LONDON FOR PLORD
PARIS FOR WBAIN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/08/2020
TAGS: PREL MOPS KPKO DJ SO AU
SUBJECT: USAU: DJIBOUTIAN LEADER DISCUSSES TROOP COMMITMENT
TO AMISOM

REF: A. DJIBOUTI 127

B. DJIBOUTI 52

Classified By: USAU AMBASSADOR MICHAEL A. BATTLE, REASONS 1.4 (A),(B),
AND (D).

This message is from USAU Ambassador Michael A. Battle.


1. (C) On the margins of the African Union Summit in Addis
Ababa on February 1, Djiboutian President Ismael Omar Guelleh
and Foreign Minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf reviewed with USAU
A/DCM the Government of Djibouti's plan for deploying troops
to Somalia as part of the African Union Mission in Somalia
(AMISOM). Guelleh said the GODJ is "considering" the use of
three battalions. (Note: Both Guelleh and FM Youssouf used
the figure of 500 per battalion, whereas reftels cited
numbers approximating 450 and 465. End Note.). Guelleh said
the first battalion would be deployed to Mogadishu, and a
second battalion would be used to reinforce the first, if
needed. Guelleh did not specify whether the reinforcement
battalion would be based in Djibouti or somewhere in Somalia.
He also spoke of a third (rotation) battalion of 500 soldiers.


2. (C) In the ensuing exchange, which took place outside
partitioned cubicles where the U.S. and Djiboutian
delegations were holding their respective bilateral meetings,
Guelleh went on to characterize Mogadishu as a very different
battleground, one that required significantly better
equipment and training for troops being deployed there.
Guelleh made references to urban warfare and guerrilla
tactics. He also said it would be important to receive U.S.
Africa Contingency Operations Training and Assistance (ACOTA)
support for Djibouti, echoing his message to Assistant
Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs
Alexander Vershbow during his visit to Djibouti on January 24
(ref A). Guelleh and Youssouf acknowledged that it would be
irresponsible for the GODJ to send troops into Mogadishu
without readying them for the unique conditions they would
face.


3. (C) AU Chairperson Jean Ping, who has personally appealed
to African heads of state to contribute troops to AMISOM, has
announced publicly that Djibouti would be sending 450 troops
to AMISOM. Ping has yet to state publicly that the GODJ's
contribution may actually be larger.


4. (C) On a purely domestic political note, Guelleh responded
to a question about the coming presidential election in
Djibouti by saying with confidence that he was looking
forward to the campaign and that it would be competitive.
YATES