United States Africa Command Public Affairs Office 8 December 2011 USAFRICOM - related news stories

Good morning. Please find attached news clips related to U.S. Africa Command and Africa, along with upcoming events of interest for December 8, 2011. Of interest in todays clips: The Kenyan government approves joining forces with the African Union force in Somalia, South Sudan is demanding the withdrawal of Sudanese troops from border area and Libya vows to disarm Tripoli by end of year. Provided in text format for remote reading. Links work more effectively when this message is viewed as in HTML format. U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs Please send questions or comments to: africom-pao@africom.mil 421-2687 (+49-711-729-2687) -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Top News related to U.S. Africa Command and Africa Kenya troops to join Somalias African Union force (BBC) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16077642 7 December 2011 Kenya's parliament has approved the integration of government troops in Somalia into the African Union (AU) force fighting militant Islamists. South Sudan demands Sudan forces withdraw from Jau (BBC) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16077689 7 December 2011 South Sudan has demanded that Sudanese troops withdraw from a border town in Unity state, which the army spokesman said was occupied over the weekend. Libya to disarm Tripoli by year end (Al Jazeera) http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2011/12/201112623505666411.html 7 December 2011
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Local authorities have set a deadline for armed residents of the capital Tripoli to lay down arms by the end of this month, and urged brigades of revolutionary fighters from outside Tripoli to leave the city by December 20. Libyan officials tell militias to quit Tripoli (France 24) http://www.france24.com/en/20111207-libyan-officials-militias-quit-tripoli-gaddaficapital-security-buhajar 7 December 2011 News Wire Libya's interim government gave regional militias still in the capital until late December to hand over security control and go home. The government threatened to lock down the city if they fail to leave, officials reported Tuesday. Congo opposition welcomes vote results delay (Reuters Africa) http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE7B600420111207 7 December 2011 By Jonny Hogg Democratic Republic of Congo's main opposition party welcomed a delay in election results on Wednesday since this would allow time to make the vote more credible, as relative calm returned to the country's capital. United States Dedicates New Embassy Compound in Djibouti, Republic of Djibouti http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2011/12/178430.htm 7 December 2011 Dept of State Media Note In an important symbol of Americas commitment to an enduring friendship with the people of the Republic of Djibouti, as well as the importance of our bilateral relationship with the Republic of Djibouti Government, the United States dedicated its new Embassy in Djibouti today. ### -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------UN News Service Africa Briefs http://www.un.org/apps/news/region.asp?Region=AFRICA Burundi consolidating peace despite challenges UN envoy 7 December Burundi is making steady progress in consolidating peace after years of conflict, the United Nations top official in the country told the Security Council today, noting that considerable socio-economic challenges remain. UN relief fund allocates $6 million to alleviate food crisis in Niger

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6 December The United Nations relief chief today announced the allocation of $6 million from the world bodys humanitarian fund to support efforts to alleviate the suffering of millions of people facing severe food shortages in Niger. Dozens killed in latest round of ethnic violence in South Sudan UN mission 6 December The United Nations peacekeeping operation in South Sudan is investigating the causes of another spasm of ethnic violence in the new country that has reportedly killed dozens of villagers and displaced many more. (Full Articles on UN Website) ### -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Upcoming Events of Interest: Thursday, 8 DEC 2011 WHAT: Middle East Institute (MEI) publication launch and discussion on The Arab Spring: Implications for U.S. Policy and Interests. WHEN: 12:00 1:30 p.m. SPEAKERS: Allen Keiswetter, Principal Coordinator and author with Charles Dunne; Ambassador Art Hughes; and Ambassador Molly Williamson. WHERE: SEIU Building, Room 2600, 2nd floor, 1800 Massachusetts Avenue, NW CONTACT: 202-785-1141 or information@mei.edu; web site: www.mei.edu SOURCE: MEI event announcement at: http://www.mei.edu/Events/Calendar/tabid/504/vw/3/ItemID/371/d/20111208/Default.as px WHAT: Discussion on Climate Change and Agricultural Adaptation WHEN: Thursday, December 8, 2011, 3:30 p.m. 5:30 p.m. (RSVP by Dec. 7) WHO: Speakers: David Lobell, Stanford University Professor and Fatima Denton (commentator) Team Leader at Climate Change Adaptation in Africa (ACCA) WHERE: Bechtel Conference Center, Encina Hall, Stanford University CONTACT: 650-723-4920 or e-mail: Ashley Dean, ashdean@stanford.edu Media contact: http://events.stanford.edu/events/299/29933/ ### -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------New on www.africom.mil MCAST Trains and Plans for APS with Liberia By Petty Officer 2nd Class Stephen Oleksiak
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U.S. Naval Forces Europe/Africa, 6th Fleet Public Affairs MONROVIA, Liberia, Dec 7, 2011 Members from Maritime Civil Affairs and Security Training (MCAST) Command, assigned to the staff of U.S. Naval Forces Africa, completed a visit to Monrovia, Liberia, December 2011, to discuss future Africa Partnership Station (APS) 2012 civil affairs projects and upgrade the automated identification system (AIS) equipment within the Monrovian harbor. ### -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------FULL TEXT Kenya troops to join Somalias African Union force (BBC) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16077642 7 December 2011 Kenya's parliament has approved the integration of government troops in Somalia into the African Union (AU) force fighting militant Islamists. The decision comes after the AU last week asked Kenyan troops to join its 9,000-strong force in Somalia to battle al-Qaeda-linked group, al-Shabab. The AU has about 9,000 troops in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu. Kenya already has troops in Somalia pursuing al-Shabab which it blames for a spate of recent abductions. Al-Shabab denies the allegation that it is behind kidnappings in Kenya and says it views the presence of Kenyan troops in southern Somalia as an act of war. The BBC's Duncan Munene in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, says parliament's decision shows that Kenya wants to be part of regional initiatives to tackle al-Shabab, which is linked to al-Shabab. 'Untold suffering' The decision is probably also linked to government concerns about the rising cost of military operations in Somalia, our reporter says. Kenya would now expect its operation to be financed by the AU or United Nations, he says. The AU force in Somalia operates under a UN Security Council mandate. Somalia's President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed - a moderate Islamist - initially opposed Kenya's intervention, but later supported it, correspondents say.

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Last week, the AU Peace and Security Council said it had formally asked Kenya to join the AU operation in Somalia. Kenyan military action in south-central Somalia - along with gains made by AU forces in Mogadishu - created an opportunity to end the "untold suffering" of Somalis, it said. It also welcomed Ethiopia's decision to support the AU-Kenyan military campaign in Somalia, the council said. Last month, Ethiopia denied that its troops had returned to Somalia - about two years after they withdrew after suffering heavy casualties. Reports said the troops were in Somalia's Gurel town in Galgudud region and in several other areas as well. Foreign military intervention in Somalia is intended to prevent al-Shabab from overthrowing the weak interim government. Al-Shabab announced a "tactical withdrawal" from Mogadishu in August after fierce fighting with AU forces. Kenyan troops have been active in parts of southern Somalia since October. Kenyan military spokesman, Maj Emmanuel Chirchir, said they intended to capture 10 towns under al-Shabab's control - including the port city of Kismayo. Djibouti and Sierra Leone have also promised to bolster the AU force by sending around 1,500 troops each. AU commanders in Somalia say they need about 20,000 troops to hold on to territory captured from al-Shabab. Somalia has not had a functioning central government for more than 20 years and has been wracked by fighting between various militias.
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South Sudan demands Sudan forces withdraw from Jau (BBC) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16077689 7 December 2011 South Sudan has demanded that Sudanese troops withdraw from a border town in Unity state, which the army spokesman said was occupied over the weekend.

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Philip Aguer told the BBC Jau was in South Sudan and warned such aggression could no longer be tolerated. He said Sudan's planes were bombing the area "causing a massive displacement of the civilian population". The fighting is believed to be linked to the recent clashes in Sudan's bordering state of South Kordofan. Khartoum and Juba accuse each other of supporting rebels in the border areas and over the weekend Sudan's military said it had captured a key rebel base in South Kordofan. The border between the north and south has not been officially designated since South South gained independence in July. 'Brink of conflagration' "We have specifically demanded that Khartoum immediately withdraw from Jau, that they release the SPLA soldiers taken prisoner," Col Aguer said. "We also demanded that Khartoum cease acts of aggression that may escalate the situation and drag the two states to the brink of conflagration," he said. Outstanding secession issues Blue Nile and South Kordofan have not had popular consultations about their future, due before the split Abyei has not held a referendum on whether to join north or south, due before the split Sharing oil revenues Exact border demarcation He also urged for the UN and other bodies to push for the final demarcation of the border as this was being used as an excuse by Khartoum "to invade some of the territories that are deep inside South Sudan". "And [as] for the international community, we ask them to exert more pressure on the government of the Republic of Sudan to respect the sovereignty of South Sudan and its territorial integrity."

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Col Aguer said the occupation of Jau took place on 3 December when southern soldiers had been in their barrack. It was the latest in a series of violations by Sudan's armed forces along their common border, the military spokesman said. The Sudanese military said the camp it destroyed on Saturday belonged to the Sudan People's Liberation Army North (SPLA-N) in South Kordofan in a strategic area which was "the gateway to the south". The SPLA-N fought for the creation of South Sudan during the country's long civil war, in which some 1.5 million people died, and was left in the north when the south gained independence. Col Aguer said information about the clashes in the remote area were still coming out and a clearer picture still needed to emerge about the number of people displaced. ### Libya to disarm Tripoli by year end (Al Jazeera) http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2011/12/201112623505666411.html 7 December 2011 Local authorities have set a deadline for armed residents of the capital Tripoli to lay down arms by the end of this month, and urged brigades of revolutionary fighters from outside Tripoli to leave the city by December 20. Libya's government on Tuesday gave its firm support to a two-week deadline for militias to quit Tripoli, backing up a threat from the capital's council to lock down the city if they fail to do so. A public demonstration will be held tomorrow at 4:30 pm in Martyrs' Square in support of... initiatives to clear Tripoli of weapons and the unnecessary presence of militia," a statement from the office of Abdel Rahim al-Kib, the interim prime minister, said on Tuesday. "It is anticipated that the demonstration will escalate each day until December 20. On that day, if the militias have not left the city, the public of Tripoli and the Libyan government will close the whole city to traffic."
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His statement came after he met city council chief and other members of the National Transitional Council (NTC) on the security concerns posed by the presence of armed militias in Tripoli. These militias are said to have led the uprising which toppled Mouammar Gaddafi and their members now man checkpoints across Tripoli and installations at Tripoli international airport. Several militias present in the capital are from other regions of Libya and on Tuesday Abdul Razzak Abuhajar, president of the Tripoli council, urged them to leave the city. "We are grateful for their help but now it is time for them to return to their families and friends to help rebuild their own cities and lives," the statement from Kib's office quoted Abuhajar as saying separately at a news conference. Ministries' support Kib welcomed the city council's initiatives to help clear Tripoli of weapons and militias and "confirmed that the interior and defence ministries will also provide full support to the Tripoli local council," the statement added. On Tuesday, dozens of protesters blocked several main roads in Tripoli to demand fighters from other parts of Libya pull out of the city, which the fighters seized from Gaddafis forces in August. Their action, which triggered huge traffic jams for most of the day, was also aimed at emptying several buildings used by fighters from outside the city as their headquarters. On October 5, Libya's new leaders ordered all heavy weapons be removed from Tripoli, warning their prolonged presence risked giving a bad image to the revolution. Facing international concerns, the NTC has insisted that despite the proliferation of arms on the street, the Gaddafi regime's looted weaponry has not left Libya. Several skirmishes The pressure to disarm former fighters in Tripoli rose after local media reported several skirmishes between various factions. On Sunday, a former fighter was killed in Tripoli in a shootout with members of a brigade of Rojban fighters from the west who wanted the release of a comrade held in a security services building in central Al-Jumhuria Street. Witnesses said dozens of armed men and civilians forced their way to Tripoli's main courthouse and the office of the attorney general, Abdelaziz al-Hasadi, calling for an exfighter allegedly involved in a murder to be freed.

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The prosecutor fled before being caught by angry demonstrators who demanded that he sign a release order for the accused. "This incident is very worrying. There is evidence of the deteriorating security situation in Tripoli," a local journalist said. Kib's office said the local military councils have begun to establish roadblocks and checkpoints in parts of Tripoli. "Some streets face total closure. Others will prevent the movement of any armed vehicles except those of the ministry of the interior and ministry of defence," it said. Libya's interim interior minister Fawzi Abdelali had said last week that 50,000 of former fighters will be integrated into security forces in the near term. ### Libyan officials tell militias to quit Tripoli (France 24) http://www.france24.com/en/20111207-libyan-officials-militias-quit-tripoli-gaddaficapital-security-buhajar 7 December 2011 News Wire REUTERS - Libyas interim government, under pressure to disarm Tripoli and restore the country after months of civil war, has given regional militias lingering in the capital until late December to hand over security and go home, officials said on Tuesday. Nearly two months after Muammar Gaddafi was killed, the new government is still unable to impose its authority on the ground, leaving security in the hands of militias who answer only to themselves and often wage turf wars with their rivals. Prime Minister Abdurrahim El-Keib has met officials from Tripolis local council to discuss ways of sending home hundreds of out-of-town fighters who have taken a pseudo-police force in the capital, setting up checkpoints across the city. There is a schedule for this process, Abdul Razzak Buhajar, head of Tripoli local council, told a news conference. When asked about the timeframe, he said: In December ... We have to be patient. Recent spats of violence have demonstrated that militias remain the biggest threat to Libyas security despite attempts by the newly formed government to get them under control. On Tuesday, protesters blocked off several streets in Tripoli, demanding that fighters from other parts of the country pull out of the capital.

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They will not allow any weapons to go in or out of the capital, Buhajar said. Vital sites such as airports will be protected by the defence ministry or interior ministry. He did not say how the interim government planned to persuade the militiamen to leave, or what would happen if they refused but added there were plans to integrate them in state security forces if they wanted to. Buhajar said Tripoli residents would hold a rally on Wednesday in the central Martyrs Square to support initiatives to clear Tripoli of weapons and call for out-of-town fighters to leave. A government statement quoted Buhajar as saying: It is anticipated that the demonstration will escalate day by day until Dec. 20. On this day, if militias have not left the city, the public of Tripoli and Libyan government will close the whole city to traffic. Buhajar said only armed vehicles belonging to the Interior and Defence Ministries would be allowed to circulate around the city. Interior Minister Fawzi Abd Al All told Reuters that fully clearing Tripoli of weapons was a national task and all ministries, particularly defence, had to take part. He said the process would necessitate huge preparations. The excess military power should be reduced; the revolutionary checkpoints have to be relocated as many are stationed in civilian and military sites, he said. I believe that the revolutionaries wanted to convey a certain message to certain entities and I believe that the message was conveyed clearly. I believe that this matter will be cleared peacefully." ### Congo opposition welcomes vote results delay (Reuters Africa) http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE7B600420111207 7 December 2011 by Jonny Hogg KINSHASA (Reuters) - Democratic Republic of Congo's main opposition party welcomed a delay in election results on Wednesday since this would allow time to make the vote more credible, as relative calm returned to the country's capital. Violence has flared in the vast, impoverished central African country amid allegations of fraud and logistical hurdles, raising worries the first locally organised election since a 1998-2003 war could trigger further bloodshed. "This delay is the search for truth, it's not a deliberate act," said Remy Masamba, a spokesman for the UDPS, the party of main opposition challenger Etienne Tshisekedi.
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"We think the international community has taken hold of the situation and started to push for more transparency, a minimum of credibility." Congo's electoral body had been due to declare complete preliminary results on Tuesday, but delayed it by 48 hours because it had not received official tallies from all 63,000 polling stations across a country more than half the size of the European Union. With nearly 90 percent of ballot papers counted, President Joseph Kabila has just under half the vote and leads Tshisekedi by 15 points, the National Election Commission said. The opposition has rejected the figures repeatedly as "fantasy". Britain and the United States have urged the country's electoral commission to publish the results details, polling station by polling station, to ensure credibility. "We are pressing the electoral commission to publish . polling station by polling station the results so any necessary appeals by those taking part can take place," Andrew Mitchell, Britain's secretary of state for international development, told parliament. Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said on Twitter that the "release of the results as soon as possible, polling station by polling station, (is) critical." At least 18 people have been killed in election-related violence, according to Human Rights Watch, and neighbouring Congo Republic has prepared a refugee camp in case an escalation triggers an exodus from the capital Kinshasa. WORRIES REMAIN Kinshasa remained largely locked down on Wednesday, with rows of shops emptied of stock and the city's normally gridlocked roads empty. Police fired teargas at UDPS supporters after blocking off their route to the party's headquarters, a few hundred metres from Tshisekedi's house, a Reuters witness said. Security fears also meant many of the Kinshasa's battered minibuses and taxis were not running, with people finding it hard to move around town, said Eugenie Mandondo, a waitress at a bar in the centre of the city. "If it carries on like this, how are we going to come to work? We'll have to stay at home," she said. The massive presence of security forces has, however, failed to reassure ordinary residents, according to Eva Moke, who sells CDs in the central market. "They don't protect the people, so the more we see, the more we're scared," he said of the trucks full of teargas toting police, which have patrolled the city in recent days.

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Diplomats including the head of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Congo met both Kabila and Tshisekedi on Monday, but have refused to say what was discussed. The November 28 polls were poorly organised and suffered from widespread irregularities and fraud, according to the EU and Carter Center observer missions, but monitors have stopped short of calling for results to be annulled. Many problems were caused by a lack of preparation, observers say, after the electoral commission scrambled to organise the vote in time to announce a winner on December 6, the fifth anniversary of Kabila's inauguration. The opposition has previously said it would not recognise Kabila as president after his five-year constitutional mandate expires, but UDPS spokesman Masamba said that decision had been reversed. ### United States Dedicates New Embassy Compound in Djibouti, Republic of Djibouti http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2011/12/178430.htm 7 December 2011 Dept of State Media Note In an important symbol of Americas commitment to an enduring friendship with the people of the Republic of Djibouti, as well as the importance of our bilateral relationship with the Republic of Djibouti Government, the United States dedicated its new Embassy in Djibouti today.U.S. Ambassador Geeta Pasi presided at the ceremony, joining Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf; and Managing Director for the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) Planning and Real Estate Directorate, Jay Hicks. The multi-building complex including a Chancery, a Marine Security Guard Quarters, a General Services Office annex, Compound Access Control buildings, and a utility building - has quickly become a platform to increase U.S. interaction with the Djiboutian people. The Embassys permanent art collection celebrates the exchange of artistic expression between the United States and the Republic of Djibouti through 33 works by 23 Djiboutian and American artists, curated by OBOs Office of Art in Embassies. Occupying a 10-acre site in the New Haramus neighborhood, the new facility creates a secure, sustainable, and pleasant workplace for over 100 employees. The new Embassy incorporates numerous sustainable features, most notably water conservation through the use of water-saving drip irrigation and re-use of cleansed waste water for irrigation. The facility is registered with the Green Building Certification Institute and will pursue Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification. Caddell Construction Company of Montgomery, Alabama constructed the project, which was designed by Integrus Architecture of Spokane, Washington. The $147 million project generated jobs in both the United States and Republic of Djibouti.

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Since the 1999 enactment of the Secure Embassy Construction and Counterterrorism Act, the Department has moved more than 26,000 people into safer facilities. OBO has completed 88 diplomatic facilities and has an additional 40 projects in design or construction. OBOs mission is to provide safe, secure, and functional facilities for the conduct of U.S. diplomacy and the promotion of U.S. interests worldwide. These facilities represent American values and the best in American architecture, engineering, technology, sustainability, art, culture, and construction execution. For further information, please visit the OBO website at http://www.state.gov/obo
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