US embassy cable - 02ADDISABABA2418

C O N F I D E N T I A L ADDIS ABABA 002418 
 
STATE FOR AF, AF/RSA, S/CT 
TREASURY FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS DAS JAMES FALL 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/12/2012 
TAGS: PTER, PREL, OAU, XA 
SUBJECT: (C) COUNTER-TERRORISM:  COOPERATING WITH AFRICAN 
UNION 
 
REF: A. A) STATE 128067 
     B. B) 01 ADDIS 3495 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POLOFF RICHARD BELL; REASON 1.5 (D) 
 
1.  (C) ACTION REQUEST - SEE PARAGRAPH 4. 
 
2.  (C)  REF A SOLICITED IDEAS ON HOW TO PROMOTE 
COUNTER-TERRORISM COOPERATION WITH REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS. 
LAST NOVEMBER, REF B FORWARDED AN INFORMAL PROPOSAL BY OAU 
ASST. SECGEN FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS SAID DJINNIT TO CONVENE A 
MEETING OF OFFICIALS FROM ALL OAU MEMBER STATES WHO HAVE 
OPERATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ASPECTS OF THE FIGHT AGAINST 
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM, E.G. BORDER SECURITY (CUSTOMS AND 
IMMIGRATION), FINANCIAL-TRANSACTION MONITORING, JUDICIAL 
COOPERATION, AND (PERHAPS SEPARATELY) INTELLIGENCE SHARING. 
ON DECEMBER 11, HOWEVER, TREASURY DAS JAMES FALL (WHO WAS 
HERE PRIMARILY TO DISCUSS BILATERAL COOPERATION WITH 
ETHIOPIA) MET WITH OAU ASST. SECGEN FOR COMMUNITY AFFAIRS 
LAWRENCE AGUBUZU, WHO EXPRESSED THE VIEW THAT 
COUNTER-TERRORISM COOPERATION IS BEST UNDERTAKEN BILATERALLY. 
 NONETHELESS, THE AFRICAN UNION (AU, INTO WHICH THE OAU HAS 
OFFICIALLY TRANSFORMED ITSELF AS OF JULY 9) IS PLANNING TO 
HOLD A MEETING ALONG THE LINES PROPOSED BY DJINNIT, IN 
ALGIERS SEPTEMBER 11-14.  NORWAY AND SPAIN HAVE PROVIDED 
FINANCIAL SUPPORT TOWARDS THIS EVENT, AND A PREPARATORY 
MEETING WAS HELD IN ADDIS ABABA AROUND THE BEGINNING OF MAY. 
 
3.  (C) WE SEE VALUE IN COOPERATING WITH THE AU: 
 
- TO REINFORCE CONTINUALLY THE MESSAGE THAT THE GLOBAL WAR ON 
TERRORISM (GWOT) IS A MATTER OF SHARED INTEREST FOR ALL OF 
US, AS WELL AS OF OVER-RIDING IMPORTANCE TO THE USG; 
 
- TO NUDGE THE AFRICAN STATES COLLECTIVELY IN THE RIGHT 
DIRECTION (E.G. RATIFY AND ENFORCE ALL THE APPLICABLE 
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS, FULLY ENFORCE UNSCR 1373); 
 
- TO HELP THE AFRICAN STATES GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF 
WHAT THEIR OBLIGATIONS ARE; 
 
- TO HELP US GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THEIR 
LIMITATIONS/NEEDS ARE. 
 
4.  (C)  ACTION REQUESTED:  STATE DEPT. PLEASE ADVISE IF 
THERE IS ANY INTEREST IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE ALGIERS 
MEETING, AND HOW WE SHOULD FOLLOW UP AT THIS END. 
 
 
NAGY