VZCZCXRO8592
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUEHDS #2261/01 2610424
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 180424Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6234
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUEPADJ/CJTF HOA
RUEWMFD/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ADDIS ABABA 002261 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF/FO, AF/RSA, AND PM 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MASS MCAP AU SO
SUBJECT: STRENGTHENING THE AU'S COMMUNICATIONS ARCHITECTURE 
-- PROJECT UPDATE 
 
REF: A. ADDIS ABABA 754 
     ¶B. ADDIS ABABA 853 
     ¶C. ADDIS ABABA 1242 
 
 ¶1. Summary: USAU held its second C3IS workshop on September 
9-11 to continue the U.S. commitment to the 
African Union (AU) to assist in establishing a communications 
architecture for the  African Standby Force (ASF).  The 
meeting brought together civilian and military communication 
experts from the AU, UN, U.S. and the EU, as 
well as members from the AU's Peace and Security Commission 
and Management Information Systems (MIS) department. 
Participants recommended more relief for the current 
communication challenges faced by the AU's mission in 
Somalia, creation of an operations center for the AU's Peace 
and Security Operations Division and finalization of 
a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the US and AU.  In 
addition a proposal was made for a five-year implementation 
plan to develop a network that will provide VSAT-based 
communications services to all the regional planning cells, 
logistics centers, and brigade HQs. End Summary. 
 
Background 
---------- 
 
¶2. As a result of a September 2005 G-8 meeting at the AU, the 
USG and the AU entered into an historical agreement to 
substantially upgrade the integration and communications 
capacity of the AU in executing the AU's "Roadmap for the 
Establishment of the African Standby Force."  From this, the 
U.S. Department of State agreed to support a Command, 
Control, and Communication Information System (C3IS) to 
provide a High Frequency (HF) radio voice network, with a 
follow-on Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) capability, to 
facilitate interoperability and information sharing 
between the AU, the three Regional Economic Communities 
(RECs) and two Regional Mechanisms (RMs), and the ASF 
Brigade headquarters.  This system would link, via voice, 
data, and fax: (i) the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, 
Ethiopia; (ii) the five headquarters of the regional ASF 
brigades; (iii) their subordinate units; and (iv) the 
proposed depot facility.  The backdrop of this program was to 
support regional peacekeeping and counter-narcotics 
efforts through Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI) 
funding.  USAU held a workshop in February 2009 and has 
since held several meetings that have led to improved 
political support for the project and better communications 
for the AMISOM forces. 
 
Current Situation and Proposed Look Forward 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. Since the last workshop, the following developments have 
taken place: 
 
-- An MOA was revised and agreed upon by the AU and USG 
participants in this workshop, and is ready for final 
review by AU and State Department lawyers. 
-- VSAT connection was established successfully in June 2009 
and will be operational again when the AU MIS 
reconnects the link at the Network Operation Center in Addis 
Ababa. 
-- The previously procured equipment that was staged at CECOM 
in New Jersey has been transferred to USAFRICOM in Stuttgart. 
 The ITAR-restricted equipment in this package (Harris 5800 
radios) are ready to be shipped to Burundi and Uganda pending 
USAFRICOM staffing and approval. 
-- The non-restricted equipment that will be utilized to set 
up an initial operations center at the AU is also ready to be 
shipped, with the goal of delivering and installing it within 
the next two months. 
-- An AU Ministers of Defense and Chiefs of Defense 
(MOD/CHOD) meeting was held on May 15 paving the 
way for the AU to accept the C3IS proposal and to move ahead 
with the program. 
-- The group reviewed a general five-year timeline for 
implementation at the various sites. Review of specific 
timelines is pending. 
-- Satellite phones are now functioning in Mogadishu allowing 
the Force Commander to talk to AU leadership. 
-- A UN support package arrived in Mogadishu in August and as 
of September 14, the AMISOM Headquarters unit in Addis 
Ababa is able to dial directly in to the Force Commander's 
desk in Mogadishu.  It will also be able to provide VTC and 
telephone connectivity with encryption via the UN network. 
-- A biweekly working group was established by USAU comprised 
of local AU and State Department personnel to 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00002261  002 OF 003 
 
 
ensure efforts continue forward. 
-- The working group provided technical requirements for the 
future operations room and network center to GTZ (German 
Technical Cooperation), who is funding the construction of 
the new PSOD building . 
-- On August 19, AU Chairperson Jean Ping, Commissioner 
Ramtame Lamamra, and General Ward discussed C3IS.  Lamamra 
emphasized that C3IS is essential to operationalize the ASF 
and he reaffirmed the AU's expectation that the US 
continues to "concretize" its commitment. 
 
Workshop Outcomes 
----------------- 
 
¶4. The head of the AU,s Peace Support Operations Division 
Mr. Sivuyile Bam expressed pleasure with the current efforts 
and opined that the once defunct program is now moving 
forward.  His primary concerns were: 
 
-- Political and policy issues need to be addressed 
immediately by the AU leadership.  MIS and PSOD must 
collaborate to move this project forward.  Politics, rather 
than technology, is now impeding progress. 
-- While the architecture is being designed and the equipment 
procured, the system should be designed to be functional 
across all levels, including the ability to communicate with 
the UN units and facilities. 
-- When the initial field visits are made to the various 
regions, the assessment team should take a close look at not 
only the capability of communication between the AU and the 
regional headquarters, but also how the regional headquarters 
communicate with their member states.  (Note: we reminded Bam 
that the USG had not agreed to provide communications 
equipment linking the RECs/RMs with individual member states, 
and he agreed. 
-- The operations center must be established prior to 
Exercise Amani Africa in March 2010 in order to test 
communications between the AU and the regions. 
-- The AU leadership needs to persuade MIS to provide more 
support to this project.  Bam recommended using USG and UN 
senior leaders to pressure the AU leadership to take more 
ownership of the program and to help improve cooperation 
within the different departments. 
 
¶5. The group asked Bam to give workshop participants a list 
of other donors who are providing funding for communication 
systems so they can coordinate efforts.  For instance, 
participants learned of an EU fund for handheld radios, 
computers and other equipment being procured to support 
Exercise Amani Africa.  This equipment 
which will be left behind after the exercise is over could be 
integrated in to the C3IS program. 
 
¶6. The workshop recommendations were: 
 
-- C3IS should have its own secure network.  In crisis 
situations, PSOD cannot compete with other entities for 
access to scarce network resources.  A dedicated network for 
operations support is required. 
-- HF/VHF radio communications should be improved by 
providing the Harris 5800 radios to Burundi and Uganda 
bilaterally in support of AMISOM.  These should be shipped as 
soon as possible from Stuttgart. 
-- The Strategic Planning Management Unit (SPMU) should 
provide a memo to MIS to request support not only for 
future communication linkages but also to help configure 
several laptops for AMISOM in order for the Force Commander 
and senior leaders to have secure email over the AU domain. 
The laptops are available from the previously procured 
equipment in Stuttgart. 
-- During a field trip to the AU depot, attendees discovered 
unused PRC-77 radios, body armor, and night vision goggles 
that could support AMISOM forces.  The AU leadership was not 
aware of this inventory.  A team of J6 personnel from 
CJTF-HOA should test and inventory the equipment and then 
have the AU deploy it to the field as soon as possible. -- 
Bam should engage senior leadership, including legal counsel, 
on the MOA, CONOPS, and implementation of the PSOD 
building requirements and the initial stand-up of a temporary 
operations center. 
-- There should be a defined supporting policy for the 
technology and coordination of funding available from all 
sources. 
-- Further coordination is needed with GTZ to harmonize its 
proposed master IT plan for the new building and surrounding 
campus. 
-- Before the end of 2009, PSOD should conduct site surveys 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00002261  003 OF 003 
 
 
of the regions.  The technical assessment teams should 
include AU and USG personnel, and identify communications 
capabilities and gaps. 
-- MIS agreed to appoint a key person to address VSAT 
services for PSOD. 
-- The MOA should be sent to the AU Legal department for 
their review and then to Africa Bureau legal in the next 60 
days. 
-- In the next 30 days, the AU should draft a policy that 
outlines with more specificity than the declaration from the 
MOD/CHOD meeting what they want the architecture to look 
like. 
-- USAU should inform U.S. Defense Attaches in the five 
regions about the technical site surveys, and solicit their 
support for these technical teams to visit their areas in 
development of the C3IS program. 
-- PSOD should facilitate the establishment of a temporary 
PSOD Operations Center with basic initial capability and 
enhance it to full capability (i.e. secure voice, internet, 
fax) in the next 90 days. 
-- The AU should establish a PSOD C3I Network Operations 
Center with full capability.  The capability of the PSOD C3IS 
should be extended to the RECs and the RMs.  AFRICOM has 
already submitted a related GPOI request for FY10 funding for 
this purpose. 
-- These recommendations should be presented to the AU 
Commissioner for Peace and Security, the Deputy Chairperson, 
and the directors of MIS, Human Resources, and the Legal 
Counsel for their understanding and agreement in the next 30 
days. 
MEECE