VZCZCXRO0663
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHLG #0299 1091415
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 191415Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4112
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 0970
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEHLMC/MCC WASHDC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0543

UNCLAS LILONGWE 000299 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF/S 
STATE FOR ACOTA 
STATE FOR AF/RSA MIKE BITTRICK 
STATE FOR INR/AA RITA BYRNES 
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: IO KDEM MARR PGOV MI
SUBJECT: MALAWI PKO DEPLOYMENT POSSIBILITIES 
 
REF: A. STATE 51828 
     ¶B. LILONGWE 124 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: According to MOD officials, Malawi is still 
planning on sending an MDF battalion to join the PKO mission 
in Darfur, though there are currently no plans to deploy to 
Somalia.  Minister of Defense Davies Katsonga is currently in 
Addis Ababa, in part to discuss the mission with African 
Union officials and hopefully develop a timeline for Malawi's 
deployment. After Katsonga returns to Malawi on April 24, 
post plans to confirm the results of his trip to Ethiopia, as 
well as engage with other contacts on the issue.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Poloff spoke with Ministry of Defense Principal 
Secretary Patrick Kachimera on April 19 to discuss Malawi's 
 
SIPDIS 
PKO plans, and possible deployments to Darfur or Somalia. 
Kachimera reiterated Malawi's concerns over joining the 
mission to Somalia--i.e., the GOM has received no formal 
request from the AU and still has questions over its capacity 
to deploy.  However, he was much more positive about joining 
the mission to Darfur.  Kachimera said that Malawi is 
committed to deploying a battalion to Darfur, and plans to 
"dispatch a senior MDF official" to Addis Ababa for planning 
purposes. 
 
¶3. (SBU) However, Kachimera went on to say that the main 
obstacle to deployment is still the acquisition of Armored 
Personnel Carriers.  Though the MOD has ordered twelve APCs 
from South Africa with Taiwanese funding, these have yet to 
be delivered.  Kachimera also said that the MDF is ideally 
seeking a total of twenty-four APCs, and asked PolOff for USG 
funding for the remaining twelve.  PolOff reiterated previous 
stated policy that the USG can't commit additional resources 
until definitive deployment plans are put in place. 
Taiwanese Defense Attache Menghao Hsu confirmed the APC 
procurement delay, but said that the MOD had told Taiwan that 
they might be able to deploy with only the 12 APCs, and use 
conventional vehicles for additional transport.  Kachimera 
said that the MOD would make a public announcement regarding 
the deployment after they had determined a specific 
deployment date/plan, which he hoped the Minister would bring 
from Addis Ababa. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Comment: While Kachimera confidently proclaimed that 
the planned deployment to Darfur is "definite", his certainty 
should be taken with a grain of salt.  The APC issue is still 
a very real obstacle to deployment, and it is not a certainty 
that the GOM is willing to move ahead with only the 12 APCs 
they have on order.  Also, past proclamations by the MOD 
(reftel B) regarding PKO deployments have been overruled by 
President Mutharika, calling into question the extent of the 
Ministry's authority.  Regardless, post will try to confirm 
the results of Katsonga's trip to Ethiopia upon his return 
next week, and also work with our other contacts to clarify 
GOM policy and plans. End Comment. 
EASTHAM