R 270703Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 4904
INFO CJTF HOA
HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
SECDEF WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS ADDIS ABABA 001242 
 
 
STATE FOR AF/RSA - MIKE BITTRICK 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MASS MCAP SO AU
SUBJECT: USAU: COMMAND AND CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR AU -- UPDATE 
 
REF: A. ADDIS ABABA 754 
     ¶B. ADDIS ABABA 853 
 
¶1. The Command, Control, and Communications Information 
System Project (C3IS) is progressing steadily.  Since the 
last update (ref B), the project has been presented to the 
African Union Ministers of Defense and Chiefs of Defense on 
May 11-15 in Addis Ababa.  The project was approved by the 
Ministers to proceed accordingly.  Currently, USAU is holding 
biweekly meetings with key communications experts and 
managers from the AU, EU, UN, and the U.S. 
 
¶2. A budget has been proposed to AF/RSA to advise on future 
costs associated with the project.  An MOU has been drafted 
and was presented to AU Peace and Security Commissioner 
Ramtane Lamamra who presented the project at the MOD/CHOD 
conference last week.  AFRICOM and Mitre Corporation are 
collaborating to take control of the previously bought 
communication gear and ship it to Stuttgart in order to 
distribute the non-ITAR restricted equipment to the AU.  To 
accommodate the equipment, a secure warehouse has been 
identified at the AU and space allocated to store the 
equipment once it arrives.  Senior AU officials have been 
briefed on the plans to build a temporary operations center 
located on the AU premises behind the logistics base. 
 
¶3. In June, a review will begin of the new Peace and Security 
building sponsored by the German GTZ agency to ensure that 
the blueprints contain proper specifications to accommodate a 
large enough space and wiring needed for the new Operations 
Center room.  In order to provide immediate relief for 
Somalia, we are attempting to procure airtime cards for the 
AMISOM Commanders' satellite phones.  Also, contractor EMC 
Corporation is planning to go back to Mogadishu to reset 
another modem and hopefully repair the failing VSAT. 
 
¶4. Going forward, aside from the biweekly meetings, an 
interim workshop has been scheduled for August 4-6 at USAU 
which will include all participants from the last workshop. 
Lastly, the AU plans to send their Communications Officer Lt. 
Col. Tembo to do a site survey of communication capabilities 
at the five regional headquarters in June.  USAU will provide 
another update in July. 
 
 
YAMAMOTO