VZCZCXRO3435
PP RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHPA
DE RUEHDS #4179/01 3560807
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 220807Z DEC 05
FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8370
INFO RUEPGBA/USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 2683
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1678
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 6801
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 0174
RUEHTRO/USLO TRIPOLI 0078
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 0175

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADDIS ABABA 004179 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/RSA, PM, EUR/RPG. 
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS. 
USEUCOM FOR MAJ GEN GRATION AND POLAD AMB. YATES. 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL MARR KPKO AU XA
SUBJECT: AU TELLS EUCOM J5 AFRICAN STANDBY FORCE MOVING 
AHEAD 
 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00004179  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION. 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  The AU Commission hopes a series of 
thematic workshops will create enough regional buy-in to 
enable a harmonized approach to the African Standby Force 
(ASF), AU Planning Element Chief of Staff BG Hassan told 
EUCOM J5 Maj Gen Scott Gration and Polad Amb. Yates on 
December 16.  The AU is also undertaking a series of meetings 
with the regions to ensure ASF approaches follow an AU-led 
concept.  Under ASF, each of the AU's five regions will form 
one brigade deployable, with AU authorization, either 
intra-region by the region itself, or inter-region by the AU. 
 End summary. 
 
¶2. (U) Also present were Peace Support Operation Division 
(PSOD) members LTC. Mbaye and Gen. Jaotody, EUCOM Military 
LNO to the AU and Poloff (notetaker). 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
WORKING TO CREATE BUY-IN AND A HARMONIZED APPROACH 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶3. (SBU) BG Hassan, the Chief of Staff of an 
initially-planned five-person AU Planning Element (PLANELM), 
told EUCOM J5 Maj Gen Gration that upcoming workshops on 
doctrine; training and evaluation; logistics; command, 
control, communications and information systems (C3IS); and 
standard operating procedures (SOPs) are necessary to ensure 
member state buy-in and to coordinate ASF requirements.  BG 
Hassan envisions workshops throughout 2006 that will 
culminate in a fall 2006 final coordination conference to 
harmonize positions, though the overall process is expected 
to conclude in 2010.  (Note:  In a separate meeting December 
12, AU PSOD Director Bereng Mtimkulu told G-8 plus 
representatives that late November 2005 technical meetings to 
prepare the ASF workshops were a "good start," but that 
differing levels of regional expertise may present a 
challenge during the workshops themselves.  Workshop 
conclusion documents were forwarded to AF/RSA.  End note.) 
 
¶4. (SBU) BG Hassan said his team plans consultative visits to 
each of the five regions to ensure harmonization of approach 
in implementing ASF brigade formation.  He noted that his 
team had just returned from the central region (led by 
regional economic community (REC) ECCAS) and reached 
agreement on the need for AU-dedicated brigades to form under 
a common concept.  ECCAS also agreed to a forward-deployable 
PLANELM instead of providing all strategic guidance from a 
central headquarters.  BG Hassan said that the Northern 
Region (NASBRIG) has experienced more challenges in getting 
organized due to the lack of a REC to lead the process, but 
has now begun to hold ASF coordination meetings under Libyan 
leadership.  He expressed satisfaction and surprise that the 
Northern Region did not impede agreement on the way forward 
for ASF doctrine during the late-November technical meetings. 
 (Note:  Experts agreed that SADC and Nigerian doctrine would 
serve as the models for ASF.  End note.) 
 
------------------------- 
A GLIMPSE AT ASF STRATEGY 
------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Maj Gen Gration pointed out that holding workshops 
before an overall AU strategy for ASF is in place may result 
in agreement on logistics or other requirements that do not 
ultimately suit the AU's vision for ASF.  BG Hassan responded 
that the AU continues to work on the strategic vision 
document as an overall umbrella for ASF, and that this 
document will need to be approved by the Military Staff 
Committee (MSC) and Peace and Security Council (PSC).  In the 
meantime, he said, ASF efforts will be guided by the ASF 
Roadmap and Framework Document.  BG Hassan said that holding 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00004179  002 OF 002 
 
 
workshops before having a strategy is in place may not be 
ideal, but the AU is using the workshops to bring member 
states together under an AU-led process.  Regions were 
already going their own way on ASF formation, he said, and 
the AU needed to take control of the process in the interest 
of harmonization.  The AU wants to create an ASF that can be 
implementable and stand the test of time, BG Hassan 
commented. 
 
¶6. (SBU) ASF focal point Col. Mbaye elaborated on the AU 
concept for ASF.  He said that the AU envisions one brigade 
per each of the five regions.  A region would be free to 
manage the brigade within the region itself, but not outside 
the region.  According to Col. Mbaye, any deployment would 
still require an AU mandate.  While noting that the AU-RECs 
memorandum of understanding and ASF workshops will clarify 
details, Col. Mbaye said that the AU assumes that each region 
will have its own depot and that the AU will maintain a 
reserve logistics depot in Addis Ababa.  Field Operations 
Director Gen. Jaotody added that the AU shares partner 
concerns about the need for interoperability, and that ASF 
guidance will point to where interoperability should be taken 
into account. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
AU GRATEFUL FOR USG SUPPORT, DIALOGUE TO CONTINUE 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶7. (SBU) BG Hassan said that G8 and USG support for ASF is 
key to its success.  He looked forward to the EUCOM-sponsored 
Africa Endeavor (AE) conference (scheduled for February) as a 
useful contribution to the U.S. partner lead on C3IS.  BG 
Hassan also expressed interest in visiting NATO to learn how 
NATO may be able to contribute to the ASF effort.  BG Hassan 
noted that African ownership is important, but the AU also 
relies on partners for expertise and funding.  He urged 
patience as the AU works to bring its regions together under 
an AU umbrella for ASF. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Maj Gen Gration noted that a dialogue with the AU as 
it further develops ASF strategy is essential to ensure that 
partners deliver the right type of support to the AU.  He 
said that the USG works within the Africa Clearinghouse 
mechanism to coordinate AU assistance.  EUCOM and other 
actors want to deliver support that matches AU intent for 
deployment location, duration and purpose.  Maj Gen Gration 
stated that the USG wants to work within an AU-led process to 
deliver the most effective support possible given limited 
resources.  He encouraged the AU to dialogue regularly with 
the Addis-based EUCOM liaison officer. 
 
¶9. (SBU) BG Hassan agreed with the need to keep partners 
informed as the AU further develops its ASF strategy 
documents.  The AU sees ASF as eventually applicable to not 
only African-led peacekeeping operations and enhanced African 
contribution to UN operations, but also to the global war on 
terror, BG Hassan concluded. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Note:  The AU is looking to lead partners to 
coordinate funding for each of the five ASF workshops and 
relevant pre-meetings.  The AU estimates the cost for the 
USG-led C3IS workshop at USD 123,000.  Budget and related 
documents were sent to AF/RSA.  End note. 
¶11. (U) This cable was cleared by EUCOM Polad Amb. Yates. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
HUDDLESTON