US embassy cable - 05KINSHASA951

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 000951 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/10/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, KPKO, MARR, CG 
SUBJECT: THIRD INTEGRATED BRIGADE (MOSTLY) READY 
 
REF: KINSHASA 0791 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Roger Meece.  Reason 1.4 (b/d). 
 
1. (C) Summary: Defense Ministers from the DRC, South Africa 
and Belgium, several CIAT ambassadors and military attaches, 
numerous other senior officials, and press participated in 
the graduation of the third FARDC integrated brigade at the 
Kamina (Katanga) training center on June 1. The ceremony had 
been delayed a day due to problems with the Belgian 
Minister,s plane, problematic of a number of problems 
characterizing the Kamina operation.  In fact, Kamina troops 
did not seem up to the standards demonstrated by the 
Angolan-trained brigade in Kitona.  Nonetheless, the ceremony 
marked continuing progress in the process of producing a DRC 
national integrated army.  During the day, South Africa, 
Belgium, the Netherlands, and the DRC signed further 
agreements providing for additional training and support to 
the military training and integration process (details 
septel).  End summary. 
 
A Day Late 
------------ 
 
2. (U)  The Ambassador and DATT participated in June 1 
ceremonies at the Kamina (Katanga province) training base 
marking the graduation of the third integrated FARDC brigade. 
 Training for the brigade had been provided under South 
African and Belgian auspices under terms of a trilateral 
cooperation accord signed last December, and the defense 
ministers from all three countries presided over the 
ceremony.  A number of ambassadors and defense attaches from 
member countries of the International Community to Accompany 
the Transition (CIAT) also attended, as did numerous senior 
MONUC and GDRC military and civilian officials.  Both local 
and international press were also present, a number of the 
latter accompanying Belgian Defense Minister Flahaut. 
 
3. (U) The ceremony was a day late.  All of the invited 
ministers, ambassadors, and other dignitaries had boarded 
Minister Flahaut,s Airbus in Kinshasa May 31 to fly to 
Kamina, only to be informed  subsequently that "technical 
problems" with the plane would require an extensive delay. 
Everyone drove back into Kinshasa.   Most reassembled at 
Ndjili airport June 1 for the successful second effort. 
Several noted that a second Belgian Airbus had been brought 
in during the 24-hour delay, likely bringing parts but as 
well likely serving as a back-up aircarft. 
 
...And Numerous Boots Short 
------------------------------------ 
 
4. (C) The ceremony in Kamina itself proceeded well; however, 
it was clear to all observers that the graduating troops on 
display did not measure up to the standards that had been set 
by the Angolan-trained second integrated brigade soldiers who 
had graduated from training in Kitona a couple of months 
earlier (reftel).  While all of the graduating troops seemed 
to have new uniforms, a substantial number lacked boots, and 
most were without uniform insignia.  At least as 
significantly, other than a ceremonial color guard, none of 
the troops had weapons, and conversations with training 
personnel indicated that there had been very little weapons 
training available to the troops at all.  The relatively poor 
appearance of the troops, especially the conspicuous lack of 
boots, was an obvious embarrassment to the defense ministers. 
 Spotting the Ambassador at one point during the day, GDRC 
Defense Minister Onusumba diverted from his route to express 
personally his chagrin and determination that the problem 
would be fixed.  Some of the problem may be attributed to a 
Belgian/South African approach of "training the trainer" vs. 
the Angolan preference for direct training of the Congolese 
troops.  Widespread rumors also suggest the lack of basic 
equipment arose from the siphoning of GDRC funds that had 
been released to equip these troops. 
 
New Agreements 
----------------- 
 
5. (U) Three new agreements were also signed during the day 
between Belgium, South Africa, the Netherlands, and the DRC 
providing for future additional training, equipment, and 
training center infrastructure improvements.  Details are 
being provided septel. 
 
Comment: Progress, Albeit with Bumps 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
6. (C) While the quality of training and equipment for the 
third integrated brigade in Kamina clearly fell short of the 
ideal, the ceremony did represent another step forward in the 
process of transforming the separate armed factions of the 
former Congolese belligerents into a national army. 
Corresponding DDR programs were also implemented in Kamina 
for those opting out of the integrated army or identified as 
unfit (including child soldiers), as has been the case in 
Kitona.  Related, out of the general fog of disparate 
integration activities that arose of various "emergency 
plans" spawned in late 2004, a bit more coherence is 
emerging, consistent with an ever-evolving national plan.  In 
addition and of critical importance, the integration 
activities are being linked to DDR programs, a linkage 
essential for overall security sector reform progress.  The 
agreements signed in Kamina, while vague, including a new 
Dutch commitment of funds, will further aid continued 
integration progress.  Related, the new European Union 
Security Mission (EUSec) has now been established in 
Kinshasa, clearing the way for further reforms in key areas 
of overall security reform, and pay and logistics support to 
integrated FARDC units.  There is still a very long way to go 
in security reform sector programs, but there are now signs 
of concrete progress for the first time in years, if not 
decades, backed by substantial resource commitments of 
Europeans, South Africa, and Angola.  End comment. 
 
 
 
MEECE