VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTO #0271 0630739
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 040739Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY MAPUTO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5067
INFO RUEHLI/AMEMBASSY LISBON 1273
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEHTO/USDAO MAPUTO MZ
RHMFITT/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE

UNCLAS MAPUTO 000271 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
FOR AF/S HTREGER, AF/RSA/ACOTA AND EUR/WE NFETCHKO 
DAO LISBON FOR RVILLALOBOS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL MZ
SUBJECT: MOZAMBIQUE: THIRD ACOTA TRAINING ITERATION 
COMPLETED; INTEREST IN FUTURE PROGRAMS REMAINS HIGH 
 
REF: A. MAPUTO 67 
 
     ¶B. 05 MAPUTO 909 
 
¶1. (SBU) The African Contingency Operations and Training 
Assistance (ACOTA) program successfully concluded its third 
training iteration in Mozambique on February 24.  A battalion 
staff, including the commander and over 30 staff and senior 
non-commissioned officers, participated in the seven-week 
peace keeping operations (PKO) training program. 
Approximately 20 Mozambican Defense Forces (FADM) 
instructors, assisted by a small team of ACOTA trainers, 
conducted the training, which consisted of four classroom 
modules.  A three-man team of mentors from EUCOM, led by 
Lieutenant Colonel Douglas Jackson, participated in the 
two-week Command Post and Computer Assisted Command Post 
Exercises (CPX/CAX) from February 13 to 24.  On February 21 
Portuguese Defense Attache Colonel Pinelo accompanied US 
Defense Attache Major Jones to the training site to observe 
the CAX module.  Colonel Pinelo stated he was impressed by 
the level and sophistication of instruction, and indicated he 
would report as much to Lisbon. 
 
¶2. (U) This classroom-only ACOTA session followed two 
complete, five-phase ACOTA training iterations held 
April-July 2005 and August-November 2005, respectively.  Two 
separate composite PKO battalions, numbering approximately 
600 soldiers and officers in total, received PKO skills 
training, including Peace Support Operations (PSO) Soldier 
Skills Field Training.  Despite initial shortcomings in FADM 
participation and some logistical hiccups (ref B), both the 
FADM and Post were pleased with the ultimate success of the 
training program.  Interest in the program remains high and 
FADM has been clear in conveying its hope that additional 
iterations of the ACOTA will follow in the near future. 
Planning is currently underway for an AOCTA program office 
visit to discuss future training iterations. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Comment: ACOTA has been a very high-profile program 
for the USG in Mozambique.  It has the attention of the 
Minister of Defense as well as President Guebuza, both of 
whom hope to see Mozambique emerge as a true PKO player in 
the region.  Mozambican forces were deployed in Burundi 
between October 2003 and December 2005, and there are reports 
that a 50-man police contingent will be sent to Darfur soon. 
Post also understands that the GRM is looking at other PKO 
operations as well, including deployment to the Sudan under 
the UN and participation in the SADC Standby Brigade. 
However logistical issues will continue to make Mozambique's 
participation in such operations dependent on outside 
assistance (ref A). 
La Lime