VZCZCXRO4645
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUEHLC #0211/01 1341623
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 141623Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1132
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 LIBREVILLE 000211 
 
SIPDIS 
 
KINSHASA PLEASE ALSO PASS BRAZZAVILLE 
NDJAMENA PLEASE ALSO PASS BANGUI 
AF/C PLEASE ALSO PASS MALABO 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/13/2019 
TAGS: PREL KPKO MASS GB TP CD CG CF AO BY EK CM
SUBJECT: CEEAC/ECCAS PURSUES AMBITIOUS AGENDA 
 
REF: A. LIBREVILLE 0034 
     ¶B. 08 LIBREVILLE 0564 
     ¶C. 08 LIBREVILLE 0420 
 
Classified By: Charge d'affaires Nathan Holt for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d 
). 
 
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Summary 
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¶1.  (U) The Economic Community of Central African States 
(ECCAS, or French acronym "CEEAC") is the least developed of 
Africa's major regional organizations with responsibility for 
peace and security issues.  CEEAC is nevertheless pursuing an 
ambitious agenda that includes oversight of a peacekeeping 
mission in the Central African Republic (CAR), the creation 
of a standby peacekeeping brigade, establishment of a 
conflict early warning system, the development of regional 
"centers of excellence", creation a warehouse for materials 
to support regional and continent-wide security operations, 
and the refinement of regional security strategies, including 
maritime strategy.  The European Union (EU) and France are 
CEEAC's major donor partners, and the EU is significantly 
expanding its assistance.  Although CEEAC has significant 
shortcomings, including indifferent support from some member 
states, it has clearly emerged as the focus of Central 
African regional security initiatives.  End Summary. 
 
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Snapshot 
-------- 
 
¶2.  (U) In meetings April 19-22 with CEEAC officials, French 
and Gabonese military officers, and Libreville-based 
diplomats from CEEAC member states, visiting AF/RSA office 
Julie Chalfin and officers from Embassy Libreville obtained a 
snapshot of a fast-evolving organization.  CEEAC, founded in 
1983, was revived after years of dormancy in 1998 and has 
only in the last three years achieved significant traction, 
interlocutors told us.  Member states include Gabon, 
Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Chad, CAR, Sao Tome and 
Principe, Republic of Congo, Burundi, Angola and the 
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).  Angola and DRC are also 
members of the South Africa Development Community (SADC) and 
several member states are also members of the Gulf of Guinea 
Commission.  CEEAC's headquarters is in Libreville. 
 
¶3.  (C) CEEAC Secretary General Sylvain Goma provided a tour 
d'horizon.  He admitted that CEEAC faces challenges that 
surpass the other African sub-regional organizations.  Eight 
of CEEAC's ten member countries are either experiencing or 
recovering from significant periods of conflict and 
instability, he pointed out.  Nevertheless, he argued, CEEAC 
has made important progress.  With assistance from the 
European Union, France and other international partners, 
CEEAC has taken on important regional security 
responsibilities.  While some member states provide the 
organization only lukewarm support, others are more engaged. 
"Step by step," Goma contended, "we are moving forward." 
 
¶4.  (C) CEEAC has taken over responsibility for the MICOPAX 
peacekeeping mission in CAR, Goma pointed out, and "will meet 
the objective" of standing up a regional standby peacekeeping 
brigade by 2010.  Other peace and security initiatives 
dominate CEEAC's agenda, he said, but the organization is not 
limited to those issues.  In addition to peace and security, 
CEEAC has targeted the creation of basic infrastructure 
(particularly roads), improved water supplies, energy 
development and security, environmental protection, food 
security, and expanded trade within the region. 
 
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MICOPAX 
-------- 
 
¶5.  (U) CEEAC's most ambitious initiative is the MICOPAX 
peacekeeping operation in CAR.  CEEAC took over 
responsibility for the operation from another regional 
organization in July 2008.  There are currently 520 members 
of the MICOPAX mission, according to a colonel on CEEAC's 
general staff.  MICOPAX includes military, police and 
civilian components.  The military component, known as FOMAC, 
consists of one company each (approximately 150 troops) from 
Republic of Congo (Brazzaville), Gabon, Cameroon, and Chad. 
Some of these units are scheduled to rotate out in June-July, 
and the composition of the force is likely to change. 
MICOPAX commander Hilaire Mokoko, a vice-admiral from the 
Republic of Congo, is due to be replaced by an as yet 
 
LIBREVILLE 00000211  002 OF 004 
 
 
unidentified Cameroonian general officer in June.  Angola, 
which has long been slated to send a company-size police unit 
to join the mission (Ref. B) has yet to do so.  The civilian 
components of the mission, with a mandate to focus on DDR 
(disarmament, demobilization and reintegration) and 
humanitarian issues, are also not yet in place. 
 
¶6.  (C) Mokoko's predecessor, Gabonese General Roger-Auguste 
Bibaye, told us that in his opinion Mokoko has not been an 
effective leader.  He also said that Mokoko is hampered by 
CEEAC's collective leadership arrangements, which are more 
complex than those he faced before CEEAC took over.  When he 
was in charge of the peacekeeping mission, Bibaye said, he 
effectively reported only to Gabonese president El Hadj Omar 
Bongo Ondimba.  As in previous meetings (Ref. B), French 
General Claude Reglat and his aides were broadly supportive 
of CEEAC's leadership of MICOPAX.  Reglat commands the French 
Forces in Gabon (FFG), with responsibility for French 
military operations in all CEEAC member countries, including 
logistical support for MICOPAX.  "Yes, we have frustrations. 
But at the end of the day African troops are doing what 
French troops would otherwise have to do," one of Reglat's 
aides commented. 
 
¶7.  (C) In addition to logistical support, French units in 
CAR assist with the maintenance of the mission's equipment. 
The European Union (EU) provides financial support to 
MICOPAX, including a finance and administration cell in 
Bangui and personnel seconded to the CEEAC headquarters in 
Libreville.  A central task for the EU administrative 
personnel is to ensure that all elements of the military and 
police are paid and fed.  CEEAC is responsible for supporting 
the civilian component of the mission, and a portion of 
military and police salaries. 
 
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Regional Standby Peacekeeping Brigade 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (U) Members of CEEAC's military general staff reported 
that the Central African standby force will be "operational" 
by the target date of 2010 set by the African Union (AU). 
CEEAC is responsible for the Central African component of the 
AU's African Standby Force, now rechristened African Standby 
Capacity.  The name is appropriate for CEEAC's force, which 
even when "operational" will consist of discrete units based 
in different countries.  As currently envisioned, the CEEAC 
standby force will be made up of four battalions (a 4,800 
person brigade).  The force will include the following units: 
 infantry (DRC, Chad, Angola Burundi), logistics (Gabon), 
armor (Cameroon), maritime (Cameroon), transport (Angola), 
communications (Republic of Congo), artillery (Republic of 
Congo), and engineering (Republic of Congo).  Police/gendarme 
units are expected to come from Republic of Congo, Cameroon 
and Angola.  Chad will provide a camel unit. 
 
¶9.  (C) CEEAC hopes to deploy its entire 4,800-person brigade 
to an exercise in Angola that has now been rescheduled for 
August 2010, according to sources on the CEEAC general staff. 
 The exercise, "Operation Kwanza", is intended to certify the 
brigade's readiness as a component of the continent-wide 
standby force.  French officials told us the choice of Angola 
is unfortunate, given strained bilateral relations between 
France and Angola.  France would therefore be limited in the 
support it could provide.  CEEAC civilian components, 
including its conflict early warning unit, are expected to 
participate in the exercise, and officials are scheduled to 
meet in Yaounde sometime in May to continue planning. 
Secretary General Goma acknowledged that there have been 
several delays already in "Operation Kwanza."  Gabonese 
General Robert Mangollo M'voulou, however, stated 
emphatically that the exercise "will take place," even if it 
is again postponed.  "This will happen," he stressed.  CEEAC 
officials requested U.S. advisors to assist in the planning 
for Operation Kwanza, as well as communications equipment. 
We promised to convey the requests. 
 
-------------------------------------- 
Regional Training Centers, "Centers of 
Excellence"--and a Logistics Depot 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶10.  (U) CEEAC officials said they intend to set up a 
logistics warehouse in Douala, Cameroon, to maintain supplies 
of food, water, petrol, vehicles, communications equipment, 
uniforms, boots, helmets, flak jackets and spare parts to 
support peacekeeping and other units for rapid deployment. 
Secretary-General Goma said the Douala warehouse is located 
next to the commercial airport, and will serve both the 
 
LIBREVILLE 00000211  003 OF 004 
 
 
Central Africa region and the rest of the African continent. 
A second "continental" warehouse will be located in Nairobi, 
he explained. 
 
¶11.  (U) CEEAC also hopes to take advantage of existing 
facilities in member states to develop several "centers of 
excellence" for regional peace and security forces.  Cameroon 
is scheduled to host a center for strategic training and a 
police/gendarme training center.  Gabon will host a school 
for general staff and a center for military health training. 
Angola has promised to host a center for operational 
training, and the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) is on tap 
for a "center of excellence" in civil engineering. 
Equatorial Guinea volunteered to host the center for naval 
training. 
 
¶12.  (C) Libreville-based EU officials told us they are 
providing significant financial support for the centers of 
excellence.  The EU will provide about 15 million euro in 
support for MICOPAX during 2009, EU rep Thierry Mathisse 
explained, and an additional 15 million euro for its "Peace 
and Security Support Program."  The EU is currently 
conducting a thorough audit of CEEAC operations, he added, 
examining the organization's system of accounts, procurement 
procedures, internal controls and external auditing 
arrangements.  "CEEAC was an empty shell four years ago," 
Mathisse said.  "It still has weaknesses, but its progress 
has also been impressive." 
 
----------------------- 
Early Warning Mechanism 
----------------------- 
 
¶13.  (U) CEEAC's Early Warning Mechanism for Central Africa 
(known by its French acronym "MARAC") has a small 
headquarters staff in Libreville and hopes to establish 
"correspondents" in each member state.  Correspondent teams 
will include members of the host nation government, 
representatives from civil society, and early warning experts 
from outside the country.  A team of analysts in Libreville 
will collect the data submitted by correspondents and report 
to CEEAC leadership irregular or alarming activity.  The 
first countries scheduled to have correspondents are DRC, 
Chad, CAR, Burundi and Cameroon.  CEEAC officials said they 
are currently establishing correspondent teams and setting up 
communications between Libreville and these locations. 
 
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Defense Doctrine and Maritime Security 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶14.  (C) CEEAC officials, including members of the military 
general staff, admitted that the organization needs to do 
more to develop its military doctrine and security 
strategies.  Some of this analysis is occurring in the 
context of planning for Operation Kwanza, officials 
explained.  Other analysis is happening in a more piecemeal 
fashion.  Maritime threats, for instance, have been an 
increasing focus.  Threats include pirate and bandit 
activity, including maritime attacks in Cameroon and 
Equatorial Guinea, illegal immigration, illegal fishing, oil 
bunkering, toxic deposits, lack of respect for maritime law 
and trafficking of weapons, drugs and other contraband. 
CEEAC has divided the region into maritime four zones, and 
identified Gabon, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Sao Tome 
(or "Zone D") as their priority sub-region.  Ministers of 
Defense from these four countries met in Cameroon May 5 and 
signed a protocol to establish a sub-regional maritime 
operations center in Douala, Cameroon, and joint patrolling 
operations.  CEEAC officials also told us they need 
helicopters, more patrol boats, and a 24 hour watch center 
capability. 
 
--------------------------- 
Complex Governing Structure 
--------------------------- 
 
¶15.  (C) Since 1999, CEEAC has incorporated COPAX, the 
Council for Peace and Security in Central Africa, as the 
mechanism for political and military cooperation among member 
states.  COPAX does not constitute a separate organization. 
CEEAC's "COPAX Protocol" of 2000 sets out complex mechanisms 
for guiding the CEEAC peace and security policy.  These 
mechanisms include three coordinating committees.  The first 
committee, called the Defense and Security Commission, is 
made up of Chiefs of Defense and other senior security 
officials who meet at least every six months and provide 
technical input to CEEAC political leadership.  The second 
committee, called the Council of Ministers, is made up of 
 
LIBREVILLE 00000211  004 OF 004 
 
 
ministers of defense, interior and foreign affairs from each 
country.  The third committee, made up of Heads of State, is 
the highest decision making body of CEEAC and is responsible 
for ratifying decisions recommended by the other committees. 
 
¶16.  (C) DRC President Joseph Kabila currently chairs what is 
formally known as the "Conference of Heads of State and 
Government."  A CEEAC insider told us that because Chadian 
president Idriss Deby is next in line for the chairmanship, 
Kabila and others have hesitated to organize a heads of state 
conference and pass the torch to Deby.  The current illness 
of Gabonese President Bongo is likely to further delay the 
next meeting, which in principle should occur within the next 
two months. 
 
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Comment 
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¶17.  (C) CEEAC's plans are ambitious and continue to exceed 
its capacity to execute effectively.  The renascent 
organization is making headway, however, and deserves 
increasing international engagement and support--including 
ours.  In any cse, with continuing instability in several 
CEEAC member states and a cadre of aging presidents in others 
(including Gabon), the need for a regional focus on Central 
Africa's security problems remains high.  End Comment. 
REDDICK