Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10LONDON339
2010-02-12 14:44:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy London
Cable title:
SOMALILAND: UK ASSISTANCE TO POLICE SPECIAL
how-toVZCZCXRO2598 PP RUEHROV RUEHTRO DE RUEHLO #0339/01 0431444 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 121444Z FEB 10 FM AMEMBASSY LONDON TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4954 INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1539 RUCNSOM/SOMALIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHDS/USMISSION USAU ADDIS ABABA PRIORITY RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LONDON 000339
SIPDIS
NOFORN
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E, PM/PPA, AND AF/RSA
NAIROBI FOR SOMALIA UNIT
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/12/2020
TAGS: PREL MASS EAID KPIR SO ET UK
SUBJECT: SOMALILAND: UK ASSISTANCE TO POLICE SPECIAL
PROTECTION UNIT AND COAST GUARD
Classified By: Political Counselor Robin Quinville,
reasons 1.4 (b/d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LONDON 000339
SIPDIS
NOFORN
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E, PM/PPA, AND AF/RSA
NAIROBI FOR SOMALIA UNIT
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/12/2020
TAGS: PREL MASS EAID KPIR SO ET UK
SUBJECT: SOMALILAND: UK ASSISTANCE TO POLICE SPECIAL
PROTECTION UNIT AND COAST GUARD
Classified By: Political Counselor Robin Quinville,
reasons 1.4 (b/d).
1. (C) Summary. In order to increase the UK's and
international community's ability to access Somaliland, the
UK is funding training to the Somaliland Special Protection
Unit (SPU),a branch of the police force, at the level of GBP
375,000 (USD 600,000) in the current fiscal year and GBP
230,000 (USD 368,000) in the next. The UK Ministry of
Defense will conduct the first two phases of the
train-the-trainer training in Ethiopia and the third,
security conditions permitting, in Somaliland in an effort to
reach approximately 450 police officers. Increasing its
support to the Somaliland Coast Guard, the UK is working to
boost capacity in coastal monitoring by providing training on
monitoring, vehicles, communications equipment (which is
interoperable with the land-based police) and increasing
cooperation with Somaliland's land-based police in a GBP
400,000 (USD 640,000) program. Greater support may be
available next year to develop the Coast Guard as an
institution. Once the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
has completed its assessment of Somaliland prisons, the UK
will look to support in the next phase of its programming,
projects to get Somaliland prisons up to international
standards, thereby allowing pirates captured in international
waters by international operations to be processed through
the Somaliland judicial system. End summary.
Special Protection Unit Training
--------------
2. (C/NF) In order to increase the UK's and international
community's ability to access Somaliland, the UK is providing
training to the Somaliland Special Protection Unit (SPU),a
branch of the police force. The UK Ministry of Defense (MOD)
personnel will focus the training on 450 police officers and
will implement the training in three phases. Phase one,
beginning in March 2010, will train approximately 40 officers
in Ethiopia for five weeks. Phase two will provide follow-on
train-the-trainer training to the 20 best officers from phase
one, also in Ethiopia. Phase three, dependent on the
security situation at the time in Somaliland, will be
conducted in Somaliland; UK MOD personnel will oversee and
mentor the Somaliland trainers as they run training for the
larger SPU police officer corps. Financing for the current
fiscal year is approximately GBP 375,000 (USD 600,000) and
for next year is GBP 230,000 (USD 368,000). FCO Counter
Terrorism Department Desk Officer Ben Myers explained that
the SPU was selected because they have a generally decent
level of basic skills and good reputation and to allow for
increased access to Somaliland for British diplomats and
other members of the international community. Myers said
encouraging increased international community presence on the
ground for diplomatic engagement and development assistance
delivery is a key objective of the training.
Coast Guard Training
--------------
3. (C/NF) By increasing its support to the Somaliland Coast
Guard, the UK is working to boost capacity in coastal
monitoring by providing training on monitoring, vehicles,
communications equipment (which is interoperable with the
land-based police),and support to increasing cooperation
with Somaliland's land-based police. The coastal monitoring
program is funded by the UK Department of International
Development (DFID) for GBP 400,000 (USD 640,000),which is
possible because the Somaliland Coast Guard is a civilian
agency. The UK's support, which recently sent approximate
ten individuals to a training facility in Yemen, is
complimenting the work UNDP is doing with the land-based
police, according to Foreign Office Security Policy Group
Deputy Head Chris Holtby. Holtby explain the UK has been
supporting the Somaliland Coast Guard, with its four boats,
for some time as it has been helpful in picking up pirates
and processing them through the Somaliland judicial system.
He noted that the main objectives of UK support to the
Somaliland Coast Guard are counter terrorism and regional
stability, but that counter piracy capability is important as
well.
4. (C/NF) In the next fiscal year, the UK is looking to
continue support for the Somaliland Coast Guard through
institution development of the coast guard as an
organization, though final funding approval has not been
LONDON 00000339 002 OF 002
given yet. Holtby explained the UK is also trying to work in
support of productive linkages between the Somaliland and
Puntland Coast Guards, including through meetings and
possibly visits by Puntland authorities to Somaliland, to
provide an incentive for the Puntland Coast Guard to perform
professionally and honestly enough to receive training. He
said that any work with the Puntland authorities would likely
be based on best practices and lessons learned from the
training and programs in Somaliland.
5. (C/NF) Holtby said he understood the Norwegians were
supporting Somaliland's move to declare its territorial
waters an exclusive economic zone, which would establish
Somaliland's fishing rights and establish some sustainability
for its coast guard by creating a revenue generation stream
through taxes. It would also give Somaliland an
international legal basis to police its waters.
Judicial Services
--------------
6. (C/NF) Holtby said that once the UN Office on Drugs and
Crime (UNODC) has completed its assessment of Somaliland
prisons, the UK will look to support the next phase of its
programming to get Somaliland prisons up to international
standards, thereby allowing pirates captured in international
waters by international operations to be processed through
the Somaliland judicial system. Holtby said the FCO has
"amber/green" light approval for "substantial funding," but
will not begin programming until UNODC is ready and the FCO's
internal budget for the project has final approval. He
mentioned that the European Commission may also be interested
in funding the UNODC's next phase of programming.
Visit London's Classified Website:
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Unit ed_Kingdom
SUSMAN
SIPDIS
NOFORN
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E, PM/PPA, AND AF/RSA
NAIROBI FOR SOMALIA UNIT
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/12/2020
TAGS: PREL MASS EAID KPIR SO ET UK
SUBJECT: SOMALILAND: UK ASSISTANCE TO POLICE SPECIAL
PROTECTION UNIT AND COAST GUARD
Classified By: Political Counselor Robin Quinville,
reasons 1.4 (b/d).
1. (C) Summary. In order to increase the UK's and
international community's ability to access Somaliland, the
UK is funding training to the Somaliland Special Protection
Unit (SPU),a branch of the police force, at the level of GBP
375,000 (USD 600,000) in the current fiscal year and GBP
230,000 (USD 368,000) in the next. The UK Ministry of
Defense will conduct the first two phases of the
train-the-trainer training in Ethiopia and the third,
security conditions permitting, in Somaliland in an effort to
reach approximately 450 police officers. Increasing its
support to the Somaliland Coast Guard, the UK is working to
boost capacity in coastal monitoring by providing training on
monitoring, vehicles, communications equipment (which is
interoperable with the land-based police) and increasing
cooperation with Somaliland's land-based police in a GBP
400,000 (USD 640,000) program. Greater support may be
available next year to develop the Coast Guard as an
institution. Once the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
has completed its assessment of Somaliland prisons, the UK
will look to support in the next phase of its programming,
projects to get Somaliland prisons up to international
standards, thereby allowing pirates captured in international
waters by international operations to be processed through
the Somaliland judicial system. End summary.
Special Protection Unit Training
--------------
2. (C/NF) In order to increase the UK's and international
community's ability to access Somaliland, the UK is providing
training to the Somaliland Special Protection Unit (SPU),a
branch of the police force. The UK Ministry of Defense (MOD)
personnel will focus the training on 450 police officers and
will implement the training in three phases. Phase one,
beginning in March 2010, will train approximately 40 officers
in Ethiopia for five weeks. Phase two will provide follow-on
train-the-trainer training to the 20 best officers from phase
one, also in Ethiopia. Phase three, dependent on the
security situation at the time in Somaliland, will be
conducted in Somaliland; UK MOD personnel will oversee and
mentor the Somaliland trainers as they run training for the
larger SPU police officer corps. Financing for the current
fiscal year is approximately GBP 375,000 (USD 600,000) and
for next year is GBP 230,000 (USD 368,000). FCO Counter
Terrorism Department Desk Officer Ben Myers explained that
the SPU was selected because they have a generally decent
level of basic skills and good reputation and to allow for
increased access to Somaliland for British diplomats and
other members of the international community. Myers said
encouraging increased international community presence on the
ground for diplomatic engagement and development assistance
delivery is a key objective of the training.
Coast Guard Training
--------------
3. (C/NF) By increasing its support to the Somaliland Coast
Guard, the UK is working to boost capacity in coastal
monitoring by providing training on monitoring, vehicles,
communications equipment (which is interoperable with the
land-based police),and support to increasing cooperation
with Somaliland's land-based police. The coastal monitoring
program is funded by the UK Department of International
Development (DFID) for GBP 400,000 (USD 640,000),which is
possible because the Somaliland Coast Guard is a civilian
agency. The UK's support, which recently sent approximate
ten individuals to a training facility in Yemen, is
complimenting the work UNDP is doing with the land-based
police, according to Foreign Office Security Policy Group
Deputy Head Chris Holtby. Holtby explain the UK has been
supporting the Somaliland Coast Guard, with its four boats,
for some time as it has been helpful in picking up pirates
and processing them through the Somaliland judicial system.
He noted that the main objectives of UK support to the
Somaliland Coast Guard are counter terrorism and regional
stability, but that counter piracy capability is important as
well.
4. (C/NF) In the next fiscal year, the UK is looking to
continue support for the Somaliland Coast Guard through
institution development of the coast guard as an
organization, though final funding approval has not been
LONDON 00000339 002 OF 002
given yet. Holtby explained the UK is also trying to work in
support of productive linkages between the Somaliland and
Puntland Coast Guards, including through meetings and
possibly visits by Puntland authorities to Somaliland, to
provide an incentive for the Puntland Coast Guard to perform
professionally and honestly enough to receive training. He
said that any work with the Puntland authorities would likely
be based on best practices and lessons learned from the
training and programs in Somaliland.
5. (C/NF) Holtby said he understood the Norwegians were
supporting Somaliland's move to declare its territorial
waters an exclusive economic zone, which would establish
Somaliland's fishing rights and establish some sustainability
for its coast guard by creating a revenue generation stream
through taxes. It would also give Somaliland an
international legal basis to police its waters.
Judicial Services
--------------
6. (C/NF) Holtby said that once the UN Office on Drugs and
Crime (UNODC) has completed its assessment of Somaliland
prisons, the UK will look to support the next phase of its
programming to get Somaliland prisons up to international
standards, thereby allowing pirates captured in international
waters by international operations to be processed through
the Somaliland judicial system. Holtby said the FCO has
"amber/green" light approval for "substantial funding," but
will not begin programming until UNODC is ready and the FCO's
internal budget for the project has final approval. He
mentioned that the European Commission may also be interested
in funding the UNODC's next phase of programming.
Visit London's Classified Website:
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Unit ed_Kingdom
SUSMAN