R 181208Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY OUAGADOUGOU
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 4492
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
INFO DARFUR COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN

UNCLAS OUAGADOUGOU 001136 
 
 
DEPT FOR AF/RSA MIKE BITTRICK, CHIP BECK, AND MIKE CORDIER 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK FOR GLENN SADOWSKI 
ABIDJAN FOR DATT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MASS KPKO PGOV PREL ASEC UV
SUBJECT: BURKINA FASO: UPDATE OF PEACE KEEPING BATTALION READINESS 
 
REF: OUAGADOUGOU 962; KHARTOUM 001726 
 
 
¶1.  The following summarizes the status of the first of three 
ACOTA-trained Burkina Faso infantry battalions scheduled to 
participate in UNAMID peace support operations. 
 
¶A.  Equipment:  All ACOTA- and SPG-funded and procured equipment has 
been received except:  1 battalion aid station, 15 pistol belts with 
suspenders, 1 rough terrain forklift, 1 low-bed trailer, 800 combat 
helmets, 800 bullet proof vests, 4 armored personnel carriers for 
training, 26 armored personnel carriers to be deployed with the 
battalion; also communications equipment, including: 10 VHF base 
stations, 4 VHF repeater stations, 41 VHF transceivers for vehicles, 
and 10 HF base stations.  The battalion aid station and pistol belts 
with suspenders are scheduled to arrive in early January, 2009, the 
rough terrain forklift and low-bed trailer are scheduled to arrive 
on 20 December, the combat helmets and bullet proof vests, the 4 
training and 26 armored personnel carriers to be deployed are 
scheduled to arrive on December 18, 2008 and early January, 2009 
respectively, and the communications equipment is scheduled to 
arrive on December 30 (with the exception of the VHF base station, 
which does not yet have a delivery date).  Based on the most recent 
UNDPKO UNAMID Infantry Battalion major equipment requirement list, 
the BF battalion has on hand all required equipment (except that 
mentioned above).  All equipment on hand has been painted white 
according to UNDPKO specifications.  Post understands that the APCs 
are being painted at the factory. 
 
¶B.  Training completed:  In October and November, 2008, ACOTA 
provided the following additional training to the battalion 
scheduled to deploy first:  1) New Equipment Training; 2) 
Pre-Deployment and Staff training; and 3) Combat Engineer Training. 
 
¶C. Training scheduled:  ACOTA has scheduled the following training 
in January-February 2009:  1)  peace support operations for a 
mechanized company January 12-23; 2) peace support operations 
inventory training on February 3-6; 4) Field Medic training on 
February 9-20; 5) PSO Pre-deployment PSSOST Refresher training 
(original training was done in 2007)   February 23-March 13; 6) 
Pre-deployment staff refresher training  February 9-27;  and 7) 
deployment mentoring  March 16-20, 2009.  The Ministry of Defense 
(MOD) has agreed in principle to the training listed above, but 
notes that the dates may need to change because their equipment will 
need to be ready to deploy on February 9, the projected material 
readiness date.   The MOD has informally told Post that all training 
that uses equipment should be completed by this date.  Furthermore, 
PAE has scheduled new equipment training for all major PAE-provided 
equipment, including vehicles, communications, water treatment, and 
one battalion aid station.  This training will be conducted December 
18, 2008-January 22, 2009. 
 
¶D.  Ongoing training:  Thirty section chiefs from the battalion were 
enrolled in English at the MOD (IMET-funded) English teaching 
laboratory from August-October, 2008 for intensive training. 
English will be reinforced for the section chiefs at each 
regrouping, during pre-deployment planning, and for a three-week 
intensive course in January, 2009. 
 
¶E.  Preparation for deployment:  Two contractor experts spent five 
weeks with the Burkinabe battalion and MOD staff assisting them with 
deployment planning and providing other training, including combat 
engineering.  ACOTA has proposed a trainer for January to focus on 
ensuring accurate load list and cargo readiness date submissions for 
the contingency owned equipment.  Post understands that the UNDPKO 
has sent a UN logistics contractor to assist with the same tasks. 
The UN contractor will return to Burkina Faso to assist with 
pre-deployment tasks in February.  Post strongly supports this joint 
effort. 
 
-The MOD has informed the Embassy that its load list will be 
complete on January 5, 2009 pending information from the U.S. on 
remaining delivery dates and on the procurement of additional 
equipment not originally identified as a UNDPKO requirement or 
identified by MOD as being a need but not a DPKO requirement.  The 
MOD has agreed to seek clarification from UNDPKO on any changes in 
equipment requirements and Post will discuss the results with SPG 
and ACOTA. 
 
-The MOD has requested from ACOTA and PAE a complete list of donated 
equipment with the unit price of each item and its delivery date 
(both past and future dates). Post understands the unit price is 
required for the load list.  The MOD would like to have the above 
information by December 26, 2008, to help it complete its load list 
by January 5, 2009.  Post has forwarded this request for information 
to both PAE and ACOTA. 
 
-Post understands that the UN has scheduled a pre-deployment visit 
for 9-13 February and that the cargo readiness date will be 24 
February.  The MOD told Post that the MOU with DPKO is in 
negotiation and that it hopes to sign the final document soon after 
the UN completes its pre-deployment inspection. 
 
-Embassy staff has carefully reviewed with Burkina Faso MOD staff 
the DPKO Infantry Battalion requirements (para. 4 of the document 
entitled UNAMID Infantry Battalion) and has the following concern: 
MOD staff believes there may have been changes to the original 
UNDPKO requirements list.  To address this concern, Embassy staff 
has asked the MOD to coordinate with the military attache posted to 
the Burkinabe Mission to the UN.  (See details in para. 2.C. below). 
 Despite these difficulties, they appear to be well prepared to 
carry out all of the other requirements. 
 
¶2.  The Ministry of Defense made several additional requests on 
October 7, as reported in reftel.  The status of those requests is 
as follows: 
 
¶A.  Approximately 2.5 million dollars to build a camp in Darfur. 
After consultation with AF/RSA, ACOTA, and USUN, the Ambassador 
informed the Minister of Defense that material will be provided by 
the UN and the battalion will provide the labor.  She pointed out 
that ACOTA had recently trained the engineer company to perform 
basic combat engineering, which includes setting up a base camp 
until a more permanent camp and infrastructure is provided. 
 
¶B.  Funding for per diem of battalion staff while training and 
awaiting deployment:  After consultation with AF/RSA/ACOTA, 
Ambassador informed the MOD that ACOTA would try to fund per diem 
only for those who were undergoing ACOTA-training during the 
pre-deployment phase. 
 
¶C.  Funding for additional equipment:  the MOD identified 1 sewage 
truck, 2 layered tents with air conditioners and washing facilities, 
and 1 medium cargo trailer as being items they hope to have but that 
are not on the UNDPKO requirements list.  Concerning these items, 
MOD staff said they believe the UNDPKO requirements have changed, 
but they agreed to confirm this with UNDPKO directly. (See para 1.E. 
above). 
 
-In addition to these items, the MOD has asked for the following 
equipment that is on the UNDPKO UNAMID Infantry Battalion 
requirements list but numbers are not specified in that document: 63 
fans or air conditioners to go with the tents (the UN list says that 
tents must have cooling systems but does not specify what kind), 5 
laptop computers, 7 desktop computers, 3 photocopiers, 2 fax 
machines, 6 printers, and 6 scanners (this is in addition to office 
equipment that was already purchased by ACOTA for training 
purposes). 
 
-The Ambassador intends to inform the Minister of Defense in writing 
that the U.S. will not purchase any further equipment or offer any 
additional financial assistance prior to Burkina Faso's first 
deployment except for per diem costs associated with remaining ACOTA 
pre-deployment training. 
 
¶3. Embassy Ouagadougou stands ready to assist any and all efforts to 
ensure the battalion is deployed to Darfur as soon as possible. 
 
JACKSON