VZCZCXRO9801
OO RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1818 3531543
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 181543Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2567
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 001818 
 
DEPT FOR AF A/S FRAZER, SE WILLIAMSON, AF/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: WILL UNAMID REACH SIXTY-PERCENT BY DECEMBER 31? 
 
REF: A) KHARTOUM 1726 
B) KHARTOUM 1626 
C) KHARTOUM 1694 
D) KHARTOUM 1670 
 
¶1. (SBU) An Reuters article picked up by international media on 
December 17 reported that UNAMID will fail to meet its target 
deployment goal of sixty-percent by the end of 2008.  UNAMID refuted 
this and told Embassy Khartoum on December 18 that UNAMID fully 
anticipates meeting or surpassing the 60 percent target by December 
¶31.  UNAMID currently has 10,937 troops on the ground and 
anticipates receiving 1144 additional troops from Ethiopia and 
Pakistan before December 31, which will bring total troop strength 
to over 61 percent. 
 
¶2. (SBU) On December 18 Poloff contacted Wolfgang Weiszegger, UNAMID 
Deputy Head of Administration, Lt Col Andrew Moeti, Staff Officer of 
J5 Military Plans, and Noureddine Mezni, Spokesperson for UNAMID, to 
follow-up on the Reuters piece and verify whether UNAMID anticipates 
meeting its 60 percent year-end target.  Weiszegger was surprised to 
hear about the Reuters' report and maintained  that "UNAMID is on 
target" to meet the 60 percent goal.  Weiszegger pointed out that 
UNAMID's mandate is for a total of 19,555 military personnel, per 
United Nations Security Resolution 1769 dated July 31, 2007.  Moeti 
reported that the total figure of UNAMID TCC troops on the ground in 
Darfur as of December 18 is 10,937, or 55.93 percent of the 
authorized total.  Moeti expects another 1144 troops to be deployed 
before the end of the year, which will bring total UNAMID troop 
strength to 61.8 percent by December 31.  Moeti provided the 
following break-down on troop deployments expected before the end of 
the year: 
 
Ethiopian Battalion: 
Date of arrival    Number of troops 
December 19   206 
December 20   206 
December 22  206 
December 24   173 
Total:   791 
 
Pakistani Battalion and Hospital 
Date of arrival    Number of troops 
December 19  333 
December 21  19 
Total:   352 
 
¶3. (SBU) Comment:  It is not clear what Reuters' sources used in 
preparing this story.  Although Moeti was categorical in disputing 
the Reuters' report, post notes that despite his confidence that 
UNAMID will surpass 60  percent deployment by December 31, it is 
also possible that, due to unforeseen obstacles, UNAMID may fall 
slightly short of this goal.  However, whether or not UNAMID reaches 
60 percent deployment by December 31 or a few days later is 
immaterial.  The more important issue is whether the battalions 
scheduled for deployment early in 2009 actually arrive on time 
(before the next rainy season that begins in the summer,) and 
whether UNAMID will take advantage of these additional troops to 
improve its operational effectiveness and provide security to 
Darfurians.  UNAMID needs load lists immediately for the battalions 
deploying in early 2009: Burkina Faso, Tanzania, and the second 
Senegalese, Egyptian and Ethiopian battalions.  Post will, of 
course, keep the Department apprised of UNAMID's progress on 
reaching its deployment goal.  End comment. 
ASQUINO