VZCZCXRO0423
PP RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHDS #2130/01 2160945
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 040945Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1900
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ADDIS ABABA 002130 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/SPG AND AF/RSA 
LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA WATCHER 
CJTF-HOA FOR POLAD F.COOK 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL MOPS KPKO EAID SU AU
SUBJECT: DARFUR: AU SAYS NEW PLEDGES ALLOW AMIS 
ENHANCEMENT BUT NOT EXTENSION 
 
REF: A. ADDIS ABABA 1961 
     ¶B. STATE 123408 (NOTAL) 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  At his first briefing for donors 
and other partners since the July 18 pledging 
conference for the AU Mission in Sudan (AMIS), the 
head of the African Union's Darfur Integrated Task 
Force (DITF) said that the conference's main outcome 
was the acknowledgement that partners seek transition 
from an AU to a UN-led peacekeeping operation as soon 
as possible.  He also stated that pledges received by 
donors are sufficient to allow AMIS to add two more 
battalions, although not the six requested by the 
Force Commander.  Donors pledged nearly USD 193 
million at the conference, but the total is half what 
the AU had requested for strengthening AMIS and 
extending it to the end of the year.  The UK asserted 
that cash contributions by the UK and Netherlands 
might allow AMIS to continue beyond October.  The head 
of DITF recognized the importance of improving AMIS 
command and control, rather than just adding troops 
and police forces.  AU officials' observations on 
implementation of the Darfur Peace Agreement and the 
current security situation in Darfur will be reported 
septel.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (U) Poloffs and DAO TDYer attended a two-hour 
briefing on July 27 by the African Union Commission's 
Darfur Integrated Task Force for the AU Partners 
Liaison Group (chaired by the EU, and comprised of 
Canada, the U.S., UK, UN, and NATO). 
 
-------------------------------- 
JULY 18 AMIS PLEDGING CONFERENCE 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Boubou Niang, Political Advisor to the AU 
Special Envoy for Darfur, said the July 18 AMIS 
pledging conference in Brussels had been well 
organized, with prior consultations on the 
implementation of the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA):  a 
restricted meeting on security had included "a frank 
exchange" on impediments to DPA implementation. 
Conference participants had urged that the Darfur- 
Darfur Dialogue and Consultation (DDDC) be organized 
as soon as possible, including the appointment of a 
preparatory committee head.  The contact group on 
Sudan had also held a closed meeting.  AU Commission 
Chairperson Konare and UNSYG Annan had co-chaired the 
conference; European Commissioner for Development and 
Humanitarian Aid Louis Michel and EU High 
Representative Javier Solana had also attended. 
 
¶4. (SBU) DITF Head Ambassador Corentin Ki Doulaye said 
that the main outcome of the conference was that 
partners sought transition from AMIS to the UN as soon 
as possible, i.e., in October, as the contact group on 
Sudan had stated and as currently mandated by the AU 
Peace and Security Council (PSC).  On the other hand, 
the UN had stated transition would be difficult in 
October; "so this is a problem we have to manage." 
DITF Chief of Staff Major General Henry Anyidoho noted 
that the UN SYG was to report to the UN Security 
Council by the end of the week.  Ki Doulaye did not 
expect the PSC to meet on AMIS or Darfur until late 
August or early September, explaining that the PSC was 
waiting to see what pledges were delivered.  The Force 
Commander wanted to reorganize AMIS forces into 3 
sectors, which did not require new PSC authorization, 
Ki Doulaye said. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Commodore Binega Mesfin, AU DITF 
Administration Control and Management Center Chief, 
reported on U.S. and UK views at the conference. 
Participants had called for an increase of no more 
than 2 battalions; the U.S. pledge of $116 million 
would be used primarily for improving current 
infrastructure, he said.  Mesfin asserted that the 
U.S. had stated that bilateral assistance would be 
under NATO.  (NOTE: NATO Senior Military Liaison 
Officer questioned whether this was accurate, given 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00002130  002 OF 004 
 
 
recent consultations by NATO DASG Jochems that 
suggested the need to minimize the profile of NATO 
involvement.  END NOTE.)  The UK had noted that the 
next few weeks would be critical: emphasis needed to 
be placed on training, establishment of the AMIS Joint 
Operations Center (JOC), improving police capability, 
and convening a second meeting of the DPA's Joint 
Commission. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
FUNDS ONLY SUFFICIENT FOR THE END OF SEPTEMBER? 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Niang said pledges "fell short" of the AU 
budget:  contrary to assertions by UN SRSG Jan Pronk, 
funds would only allow AMIS to function through 
September--not the end of December.  The AU would 
therefore need to look at other means of financing, 
were it to extend to the end of December as requested 
by the UN.  Apart from a 50 million CFA pledge from 
Congo, AU members themselves had not pledged 
significant amounts, he said. 
 
¶7. (SBU) According to Amb. Ki Doulaye, USD 80-85 
million were needed just to continue AMIS (at its 
current strength) to the end of September.  A USD 170 
million budget for transition had been sent to 
partners; of which the AU had received pledges for 
only half, including pledges for in-kind assistance 
rather than cash.  He explained that while a total of 
USD 181 million had been pledged at Brussels, only a 
portion of that was cash. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Commodore Mesfin attempted to clarify that in 
addition to a shortfall of USD 76 million needed to 
continue operations to the end of September, another 
USD 270 million was needed for September to December. 
Thus, a total of USD 346 million was needed, but the 
AU had only received USD 170 million.  The USD 116 
million in in-kind assistance from the United States 
would be used for upgrading capacity, not for 
transport; little funding would be available for 
operational expenses, Mesfin said.  Partners noted the 
need for a written summary of pledges to avoid 
confusion. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
AMIS ENHANCEMENT, BUT ONLY BY TWO MORE BATTALIONS 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶9. (SBU) Asked whether AMIS would maintain its current 
strength or reinforce, Amb. Ki Doulaye affirmed that, 
as A/S Frazer had stated at the pledging conference, 
AMIS would be enhanced, but by no more than two 
additional battalions.  He noted that on May 15, the 
AU Peace and Security Council had authorized AMIS to 
be reinforced.  "We are able to do it," he said, 
asserting that the U.S. pledge should cover 
accommodations and other necessary expenses.  DITF 
Military Component chief Colonel Mayell Mbaye noted 
two additional battalions, rather than the six more 
originally sought, totaled only 1,000 troops. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Mesfin, AU DITF's chief logistician, said 
the AU needed to present viable options to the PSC. 
He expressed concern that PAE required 42 days to 
mobilize to construct new camps.  Moreover, he said, 
USD 9.1 million were required to construct 35-36 
additional police posts (requiring 3 months lead 
time).  UK poloff noted that unearmarked pledges that 
were restricted to non-military purposes might be used 
for police posts. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
U.S. CONTRIBUTES NEARLY TWO-THIRDS OF NEW PLEDGES 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶11. (U) AU Finance Officer Biscut Tessema said total 
contributions of USD 312 million (in cash and in kind) 
had been made recently, approximately half of which 
had been pledged at the July 18 conference.  She said 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00002130  003 OF 004 
 
 
that USD 181 million in new partner pledges (of which 
approximately USD 78 million are cash contributions) 
had been made July 18: 
 
U.S.USD 116 million(in-kind) 
d) 
EUUSD 39 million(30 mn from APF) 
NetherlandsUSD 26 million(may be in-kind) 
QatarUSD 6.7 million(non-earmarked) 
IrelandUSD 1.9 million(non-earmarked) 
BelgiumUSD 1.3 million(non-earmarked) 
SwedenUSD 1.3 million(non-earmarked) 
ChinaUSD 1 million (non-earmarked) 
CongoUSD 98,000(non-earmarked) 
 
(NOTE: The sum of these pledges is actually USD 193 
million.  END NOTE.) 
 
¶12. (U) According to Biscut, an additional USD 131 
million had been pledged prior to the July 18 
conference: 
 
EUUSD 60.2 million 
-- personnel costs up to July 2006 
 
UKUSD 36 million 
-- 6 million for ground fuel; remainder for airlift of 
Rwandans and other purposes 
 
Netherlands20 million Euros 
-- aircraft lease and communications equipment 
 
CanadaUSD 18 million 
-- aircraft, aviation fuel, DPA implementation 
 
JapanUSD 8.6 million 
-- public information, humanitarian assistance, DITF 
 
FranceUSD 2.6 million(non-earmarked) 
 
USUSD 1 million 
-- Abuja peace talks (April 2006) 
 
ItalyUSD 320,500 
talks (April 2006) 
 
ItalyQQUSD 320,500 
-- Darfur-Darfur Dialogue 
 
Germanystrategic airlift; 2 CIVPOL; cash TBD 
 
(NOTE: AU DITF obviously has not taken into account 
previous U.S. in-kind contributions related to camp 
construction and strategic airlift, etc.  END NOTE.) 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
UK: CASH WILL LET AMIS CONTINUE BEYOND OCTOBER 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶13. (SBU) UK poloff declared the UK's intent that the 
majority of both its 20 million pound pledge and of a 
pledge from the Netherlands would be given as cash, to 
sustain AMIS beyond October.  EU POLAD noted that 30 
million Euros newly pledged by the EU for AMIS would 
be taken from the African Peace Facility (APF) from 
funds previously earmarked for potential AU operations 
in the DRC or Somalia. 
 
------------------------------------------ 
400-500 AWAIT BACK PAY DESPITE END OF TOUR 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶14. (SBU) Biscut said the new pledges allowed AMIS to 
be sustained through September.  If pledges from the 
e 
Netherlands and the UK were made in cash, AMIS could 
be sustained to October, she added.  She said that 
funds from the EU had not been received on time; the 
first tranche had only been transferred the previous 
week.  Major General Anyidoho observed that June 
allowances had not yet been paid to AMIS peacekeepers. 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00002130  004 OF 004 
 
 
Col. Mbaye reported that 400-500 peacekeepers awaiting 
back pay had not yet rotated out of Darfur, even 
though their tours of duty had ended. 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
ROTATION STILL NEEDED REGARDLESS OF TRANSITION 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶15. (SBU) Asked whether AMIS would proceed with 
contingency plans to continue to the end of December 
2006, Ki Doulaye said that, on the one hand, the PSC 
would ask if resources were sufficient; if lacking, 
the PSC would say "let the UN come."  On the other 
hand, the UN stated transition could not occur until 
January, and the Government of Sudan had still not 
approved transition.  Ki Doulaye tasked Mbaye with 
preparing contingency plans for: 
-- reinforcing AMIS by two additional battalions; 
-- re-hatting forces already on the ground; and 
-- the possible withdrawal of AMIS. 
 
¶16. (SBU) Ki Doulaye observed that whether a 
transition occurred or not, the protection force would 
still rotate in the fall.  Asked whether the U.S. 
offer to provide strategic airlift for two Rwandan 
battalions referred to additional battalions, Ki 
Doulaye responded that the offer was for routine 
rotation.  Troop contributing countries (TCCs) needed 
a training program to ensure that troops rotating in 
met UN standards, he added.  He noted that the United 
States had stated that the UN could start with those 
personnel already on the ground in Darfur; force 
generation would not be needed.  Col. Mbaye said the 
AU had distributed guidelines to TCCs; some had agreed 
to conduct pre-deployment training.  Mbaye noted that 
UN U/SYG Guehenno had said there was no way to 
transition before January. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
ENHANCING COMMAND AND CONTROL, NOT JUST STRENGTH 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶17. (SBU) Karl Mario Nobin, DITF Head of Police, 
observed that the number of civilian police (CIVPOL) 
in AMIS remained at 1,425 rather than the 1,560 
authorized, and far below the 2,200 called for by the 
new concept of operations (CONOPS) for AMIS.  In 
response, Ki Doulaye underscored that the CONOPS had 
not been approved; furthermore, the organization and 
structure of AMIS was important, not just a focus on 
numbers, he said.  Ki Doulaye said that AU leadership 
had not been keen on solely increasing AMIS force 
strength by a multiple of two or three:  AMIS would 
experience the same problems with 15,000 troops as it 
currently did with 7,000 troops.  While adding two 
battalions was acceptable, the AU was "not in the 
mood" for adding six battalions; partners had also 
emphasized the need to "organize better," he said. 
 
¶18. (SBU) COMMENT:  Amb. Ki Doulaye's references to 
U.S. statements at the AMIS pledging conference, his 
acknowledgement that modest enhancement (by two 
battalions, not six) of AMIS can be achieved with the 
resources pledged, and his recognition that partners 
seek transition in October, underscore that active 
engagement with AU officials has succeeded in 
conveying USG policy priorities.  In the absence of 
any PSC meeting on Darfur planned in the near future, 
the AU's official position continues to be that the 
mandate of AMIS expires at the end of September.  On 
the other hand, the UK's assertion that its cash 
contribution is intended to allow AMIS to continue 
beyond October, shows that even our closest partners 
may think otherwise.  END COMMENT. 
 
HUDDLESTON