VZCZCXRO8669
OO RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1810/01 3521556
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 171556Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2561
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KHARTOUM 001810 
 
DEPT FOR AF A/S FRAZER, SE WILLIAMSON, SPG 
NSC FOR PITTMAN AND HUDSON 
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC PGOV PREL KPKO SOCI AU UNSC SU
SUBJECT: UNAMID DEPLOYMENT UPDATE 
 
REF: A) KHARTOUM 1726 
B) KHARTOUM 1694 
C) KHARTOUM 1670 
D) KHARTOUM 1522 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: In discussions on December 14-15, UNAMID officials 
told poloff that the mission is still on target to meet its goal of 
60 percent deployment by the end of December 2008. They also remain 
hopeful that 80 percent deployment is possible by March 2009, though 
it appears that this target is increasingly unrealistic.  The flow 
of equipment within Sudan and Darfur continues to proceed smoothly. 
UNAMID officials are concerned that several TCCs have failed to 
provide load lists for their equipment. Deterioration of the runway 
at Nyala airport is an ongoing concern, but UNAMID plans to repair 
it.  UNAMID officials reported that the GOS remains cooperative and 
has not posed any impediments to deployment. End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) On Dec 14-15 Poloff spoke with Colonel Noddy Stafford, 
Chief of Military Plans UNAMID, Lt Col Vincent Tissier, Staff 
Officer for Operational Plans, and Hugo Wyers, Formed Police Unit 
(FPU) Coordinator for Sector North, to discuss UNAMID deployment 
issues. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Stafford told Poloff that UNAMID troop strength has reached 
10,292, up from 9,815 last week. This represents approximately 53 
percent of the envisioned number of "boots on the ground," and 
Stafford believes the 60 percent will "definitely be met" by year 
end. He also thought that the 80 percent deployment could be 
achieved by March, though significant obstacles remain.  Wyers 
reported no change to the Formed Police Unit (FPU) strength of three 
units comprised of 420 staff. Including unarmed personnel, there are 
a total of 1,995 police personnel deployed. 
 
Thai Deployment and the Recent Bangkok Airport Shutdowns 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
¶4. (SBU) UN officials have been working to combat communication 
problems between Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) and UN 
DPKO--most notably the failure of TCCs to provide proper equipment 
load lists to the UN. With that in mind, Stafford and DPKO Liaison 
Lt Col Tim House met with Major General Jerdwud Kraprayoon, Director 
of Thailand's Peace Operations Center, and approximately 40 members 
of his staff December 8-9 to review deployment best practices.  The 
Thai officials were "very receptive," asserting that they would work 
with UN NY to negotiate a date for pre-deployment between mid-Jan 
and mid-Feb, as well as an inspection date for UN officials to 
return and ensure all equipment meets UN standards. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Stafford's visit to Thailand also coincided with the recent 
shutdown of Bangkok's airports due to political unrest, and he was 
part of the UN contingent evacuated from the country.  He noted that 
evacuation procedures from Thailand were "very good," and provided 
him with new insights to apply to UNAMID contingency planning. 
Among the new considerations are what is needed for welfare 
facilities to feed and house evacuees; IT facilities and personnel 
to facilitate computer communications; international calling 
capability to assuage family members; and guidelines for liaising 
with embassies to track personnel movement. 
 
Nyala Runway Needs Repair 
------------------------- 
¶6. (SBU) A Nov 3 report from the United Nations stated that a 
portion of the Nyala airport runway is crumbling.  This area has 
been repaired by the Sudanese Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) three 
times in the past year, but the problem persists. (Note: The damage 
to the runway occurred during the rainy season, making proper 
rehabilitation efforts difficult to implement. Exacerbating the 
problem is the fact that a drainage tunnel passes under the damaged 
portion, weakening the ground above. End Note.) The SCAA has given 
approval to complete the required repairs, and site engineers are 
currently assessing situation. Their tentative plan is to dig out 
the crumbling concrete, refill the runway with good gravel, compact 
the base, and pave over it with asphalt. The work is anticipated to 
take one full day, and the engineers will liaise with the airport 
manager for the most suitable runway closure times (possibly at 
night). 
 
COE Priorities for Equipment Movement 
------------------------------------- 
¶7. (SBU) UNAMID's current prioritization of contingent-owned 
equipment movement is as follows: 1) the Nigerian Level II Hospital; 
2) Chinese and Egyptian Engineers; 3) Ethiopian and Egyptian 
Infantry Battalions; 4) the Nepalese FPU; and 5) the Pakistani 
Engineers and Level III Hospital, as well as the Bangladeshi 
Multi-role Logistics Unit. 
 
 
KHARTOUM 00001810  002 OF 003 
 
 
Movement Status in Detail: 
------------------------- 
¶8. (SBU) Last week's Eid Al Adha holiday meant that most contractors 
were unavailable from December 8-12, and movement of equipment came 
to a virtual halt for several days. However, contractors have 
resumed work this week.   Stafford reported no problems with 
cooperation from the GOS.  The following is the current status of 
each unit deploying to Darfur. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Nigerian Level II Hospital:  Of the 96 items being shipped 
to El Geneina, four percent has arrived, while 79 percent is  in 
transit.  Seventeen percent remains in El Obeid, including five 
containers, 12 water tanks, and three watch towers.  Batteries were 
replaced in the 15 vehicles sitting in Nyala and they will be moving 
shortly. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Chinese Engineers:  Of the 246 pieces of equipment being 
shipped to Nyala, 85 percent has reached the final destination, 12 
percent is  still in transit and three percent remains in El Obeid. 
The equipment awaiting transportation includes 4 trailers, a jeep 
and 2 dump trucks.  The IL-76 cargo plane is expected to come 
on-line on December 16, and Stafford hopes the vehicles will be 
moved by air. 
 
¶11. (SBU) Egyptian Engineers:  All of the 323 pieces of equipment 
being shipped from El Obeid to El Fasher via Nyala have reached 
Nyala.  No equipment is currently in transit and the movement 
completion date is estimated at December 25.  The Egyptians are 
waiting for all of their equipment to be installed in El Fasher 
before they deploy their inspection and repair teams.  The equipment 
in Nyala consists of 12 trucks, 3 generators and 15 break/bulk 
items. 
 
¶12. (SBU) Ethiopian Infantry Battalion:  Of the 158 pieces of 
advance party equipment being shipped to Kulbus, 100 percent is at 
the final destination.  Of the 461 pieces of equipment needed to 
support the main body of the Ethiopian Infantry Battalion, as well 
as the Transportation Company and the Logistics Company, five 
percent has arrived in Kulbus with 79 percent in transit and 16 
percent (78 vehicles including 9 APCs) still in El Obeid.  One 
hundred containers and 282 vehicles have been delivered to Nyala or 
are currently en route by train.  Two hundred fifty four vehicles 
are scheduled to be delivered to El Geneina and 91 to Kulbus by 
contracting company 'Agility' by December 20.  Seventy eight 
vehicles are being prepared to be loaded at the El Obeid for 
transport by the next train on December 13.  Nineteen APCs in El 
Obeid should also be loaded on the train December 13.  UNAMID is 
having difficulty transporting portions of a sewage plant and will 
attempt to send the equipment by air to El Geneina and then by road 
to Kulbus.  UNAMID suggested the Ethiopians build a pond as an 
interim solution.  Spoiled food is another problem as two or four 
containers of the six inspected contained food that had gone bad. 
The food containers with non-spoiled food will be sent to El 
Geneina. 
 
¶13. (SBU) Egyptian Battalion 1 Advanced Party:  Of the 41 containers 
and two vehicles being sent to Um Kadada, most will have arrived by 
December 20.  UNAMID is urging the Egyptians to move their own 
equipment using Egyptian resources (which they should be capable of 
as a self-sustaining TCC.) 
 
¶14. (SBU) Egyptian Battalion Main Body:  Of the 385 items being 
shipped to Um Kadada 99 percent is at the final destination with 
only three water plants remaining in El Obeid.  The parts are 
scheduled to be delivered December 15 via MI-26 helicopter. 
 
¶15. (SBU) Egyptian Battalion 2:  All data for this battalion are not 
yet determined.  The original plan was for the equipment to arrive 
in Nyala on December 22, but the shipment was cancelled by the 
Egyptians and has not yet been rescheduled.  The unit will deploy to 
Ed Al Forsan in South Darfur.  Two hundred additional personnel will 
arrive in Nyala on January 31. 
 
¶16. (SBU) Egyptian Transport Company:  Of the 173 pieces of 
equipment scheduled to be shipped to Nyala 99 percent of the 
equipment has been delivered with only one 35-ton fork-lift unable 
to be moved from Port Sudan due to its size.  Movement of this piece 
is TBD. 
 
¶17. (SBU) Nepalese FPU:  Of the 144 pieces of equipment scheduled 
for delivery to Nyala, 83 percent has been delivered.  Nothing is 
presently in transit.  Seventeen OT-64 APCs are still awaiting 
transportation from Port Sudan until the GON arranges to provide 
three trainers to train the Nepalese drivers. 
 
 
KHARTOUM 00001810  003 OF 003 
 
 
¶18. (SBU) Pakistani Engineer Company:  Of the 356 pieces of 
equipment scheduled to be delivered to El Geneina, none has been 
delivered to the final destination.  Sixteen percent is in transit 
and 84 percent is still in El Obeid.  The prioritized equipment list 
has been provided to a contractor who will deliver all equipment 
except the heavy vehicles by mid-Dec.  When all the containers have 
been delivered, personnel will be deployed to the El Geneina Super 
camp to construct the Pakistani Level III Hospital. 
 
¶19. (SBU) Pakistani Level III Hospital:  Thirty percent of their 
prefabricated "accommodation units" has been received in Nyala, but 
further data on what else has moved are  pending.  The load list 
consists of 160 containers, 28 vehicles and break/bulk equipment. 
New York has authorized the movement of this equipment by air -- 53 
out of 67 flights have been completed so far.  The contractor has 
increased the number of flights to three every two days into Nyala. 
The contingent's main body of personnel is due to be deployed 
mid-December. 
 
¶20. (SBU) Bangladesh Multi-Role Logistics Unit:  Of the 413 pieces 
of equipment scheduled to be moved to Nyala, 94 percent has reached 
its destination with one percent remaining in El Obeid and five 
percent in Port Sudan.  One container of ammunition remains in El 
Fasher and will require approval to be moved by air.  UNAMID is 
planning to unload the container and move the ammunition via MI-8 
helicopter to Nyala. 
 
Other Equipment Movement 
------------------------ 
 
¶21. (SBU) Indonesian FPU:  Of the 191 pieces of equipment scheduled 
for delivery to El Fasher, 96 percent has been delivered with no 
equipment in transit.  The four percent remaining consists of one 
forklift, two trucks, and three containers of ammunition and 
awaiting transportation in El Obeid.  The equipment is scheduled to 
be delivered mid-Dec, and a decision on moving the ammunition via 
air is still pending. 
 
¶22. (SBU) Nigerian FPUs 1 and 2:  100 percent equipment has arrived 
in Port Sudan and is scheduled to move to El Geneina and Zalinje by 
mid January.  Two large shipments of containers are scheduled for 
transport this week. 
 
FPU Operational News 
-------------------- 
¶23.  (SBU)  Members of the Indonesian FPU in El Fasher are 
continuing to patrol Zam Zam, Al Salaam, and Abu Shouk 
internally-displaced persons (IDP) camps, and Wyers reports this 
activity is "increasing the level of trust for the FPU within the 
community."  The Indonesians also offered gestures of good-will 
during the EID holiday, donating ten sheep for slaughter and 
providing Muslim reading material in all three camps.  Many of the 
Bangladeshi and Nepalese FPU members have also departed for the 
holiday season, and Wyers anticipates FPU activities will be 
"sluggish" until after Jan 1.  Wyers reported no difficulties with 
the GOS. 
 
Planning for Future Operations 
------------------------------ 
¶24. (SBU) Lt Col Tissier reported visits from Nepalese and Nigerian 
reconnaissance parties had been postponed due to unspecified visa 
issues.  The Burkina Faso visit is now scheduled from December 13 to 
17 in Sector West, and officials will visit Foro Baranga and Habila 
sites.  (Note: The land has not yet been secured in Habila, so the 
team will simply over fly the area. End Note.) The reconnaissance 
party for the Italian air lift offer arrived in El Fasher on Dec 7, 
but has not yet provided information of their findings. 
 
¶25. (SBU) The South African contingent has successfully completed a 
rotation in which 586 troops returned home and were replaced by 599 
new troops on the ground.  The rotation of the Rwandan battalions 
was completed for the three Rwandan battalions on Decemeber 12.  The 
Senegalese rotation will take place from December 20 to 23. 
 
Comment: 
-------- 
¶26. (SBU) To expedite deployment in West Darfur, UNAMID needs C-130 
or C-17 aircraft that can land on dirt runways of 2,000 meters. 
Also required would be the associated load handling equipment.  Once 
the equipment backlog is cleared, continued progress in deployment 
will depend on Senegal, Tanzania and Burkina Faso providing their 
load lists to DPKO and UNAMID.  Follow-up with these countries is 
urgently required. 
 
ASQUINO