INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Request Funding to Increase Local Guard Force Program And

Published: Tue 17 Apr 2007 06:32 AM
VZCZCXYZ0005
RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHDS #1165/01 1070632
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 170632Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5655
UNCLAS ADDIS ABABA 001165
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR DS/IP/AF, AF/EX AND DS/IP/OPO/FPD
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AFIN ABLD ABUD ASEC ET
SUBJECT: REQUEST FUNDING TO INCREASE LOCAL GUARD FORCE PROGRAM AND
OTHER SECURITY REQUIREMENTS TO SUPPORT INCREASED/GROWING DIPLOMATIC
PRESENCE IN ADDIS ABABA
1. This is an action request. See paragraph 12 for action
requested.
2. SUMMARY: Over the past several months, Embassy Addis Ababa
acquired 17 additional off-compound residences to support new
positions assigned to Post and provide housing for personnel who
previously resided on the Chancery compound and are being relocated
in preparation for construction of the NEC (the majority of
on-compound residences are scheduled to be demolished). By the
summer 2007, Embassy Addis Ababa will acquire a total of 34
additional off-compound residences to support a combination of new
positions assigned to post (as well as personnel being relocated
from the Embassy compound), and will have a total of 125 off
compound residential locations spread out over three separate
residential districts of the city. Over the past year the Embassy
spent over 24,000 USD for Local Guard force (LGF) overtime to meet
additional security requirements, primarily related to staffing
posts at recently acquired residences. This expense will increase
as the Mission continues to grow and the RSO office is required to
meet increased security requirements. Our already stretched LGF
will be unable to meet this requirement if it is not provided
additional personnel and equipment. In order to provide necessary
security support for the increased number of residences and USDH
personnel, RSO Addis Ababa requires additional Local Guard Force
(LGF) personnel and resources. END SUMMARY.
3. The 34 additional off-compound residences are as follows:
---------------------------------------
U.S Mission to the African Union (USAU)
---------------------------------------
Since November 2006, the Embassy has acquired 3 residences to
support USAU as follows:
USAU COM
USAU POL/ECON
USAU OMS
By summer 2007, the Embassy will acquire 4 additional residences to
support USAU as follows:
USAU DCM
USAU PAO
USAU HEALTH OFFICER
USAID FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT OFFICER
All above residences (with the exception of the USAU COM) will be
assigned 12 hour, 7 day guard coverage. The USAU COM residence will
be assigned 3 guards on duty, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
-----
USAID
-----
Since November 2006, the Embassy has acquired 5 residences to
support USAID as follows:
USAID FOOD FOR PEACE
USAID DEPUTY CONTRACTING OFFICER
USAID COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER
USAID HIV ADVISOR
USAID Financial Management Officer
By Summer 2007, the Embassy will acquire 1 additional residences to
support USAID as follows:
USAID CONTRACTING OFFICER
All above USAID residences will be assigned 12 hour, 7 day guard
coverage.
-------------------------------------------
AFRICAN CENTER FOR STRATEGIC STUDIES (ACSS)
-------------------------------------------
Since November 2006, the Embassy has acquired 1 residence to support
ACSS as follows:
ACSS Director
By Summer 2007, the Embassy will acquire 1 additional residences to
support ACSS as follows:
ACSS Deputy Director
All above ACSS residences will be assigned 12 hour, 7 day guard
coverage.
--------------------------------------------- ------
COMBINED JOINT TASK FORCE HORN OF AFRICA (CJTF HOA)
--------------------------------------------- ------
By Summer 2007, the Embassy will acquire 1 additional residences to
support CJTF HOA as follows:
CJTF HOA NCOIC
All above CJTF HOA residences will be assigned 12 hour, 7 day guard
coverage.
-----------------------------
REGIONAL AFFAIRS OFFICE (RAO)
-----------------------------
Since November 2006, the Embassy has acquired 3 residences to
support RAO as follows:
RAO DEPUTY
RAO ANALYST
RAO ANALYST
By summer 2007, the Embassy will acquire 2 additional residences to
support RAO as follows:
RAO SECURITY OFFICER
RAO ADMIN OFFICER
All above RAO residences will be assigned 12 hour, 7 day guard
coverage.
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MISCELLANEOUS
-------------
Since November 2006, the Embassy has acquired 2 residences to
support miscellaneous requirements as follows:
DCM
ARSO
By summer 2007, the Embassy will acquire 7 additional residences to
support miscellaneous requirements as follows:
DATT NCO
DEPUTY POL/ECON OFFICER
POL/ECON OFFICER
MSG DET COMMANDER
RSO STS
VICE COUNSUL
COM OMS
All above residences will be assigned 12 hour, 7 day guard
coverage.
-----------
PEACE CORPS
-----------
Since November 2006, the Embassy has acquired 3 residences to
support Peace Corps requirements as follows:
COUNTRY DIRECTOR
ADMIN OFFICER
COMMUNITY HEALTH OFFICER
By summer 2007, the Embassy will acquire 1 additional residence to
support Peace Corps requirements as follows:
DEPUTY DIRECTOR
All above Peace Corp residences will be assigned 12 hour, 7 day
guard coverage.
-----------------------------------------
ADDITIONAL LGF AND SECURITY REQUIREMENTS
-----------------------------------------
4. The increased U.S. Mission presence in Addis Ababa will require
one additional LGF Mobile Patrol on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week. Our existing 3 LGF mobile patrol teams are already stretched
to the limit, providing security patrol services to over 100
locations and responding to calls for assistance throughout the 4
geographic regions (Entoto, Bole, Old Airport and Piazza) of Addis
Ababa the Embassy maintains official and residential locations. By
the end of summer 2007 the Embassy expect to have a total of 125
residential compounds. Addis Ababa hosts the third largest US
diplomatic presence in Africa, with over 500 U.S. Direct Hire (USDH)
personnel and their members of household under Chief of Mission
(COM) authority. Local traffic conditions are becoming increasingly
congested, delaying response times to an unacceptable level. Local
police response is not reliable and generally deficient to support
our requirements. In order to provide personnel under COM authority
a reasonable level of security services under local conditions, RSO
Addis Ababa requests funding assistance to implement an additional
mobile patrol team (to include employing additional LGF personnel,
purchasing an additional LGF patrol vehicle and operating expenses).
A LGF mobile patrol team requires two LGF personnel on duty (a
driver and a supervisor) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To staff
this post, we will require 7 additional LGF personnel. A LGF patrol
vehicle will cost 25,000 USD to purchase, and 5,800 USD to operate
for one year. Total amount required to stand-up an additional LGF
mobile patrol team is 73,700 USD.
5. The USAU COM residence requires 3 guards on duty, 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week. To staff these posts, we will require 10.5 LGF
personnel. Total amount to stand up LGF support for USAU COM
residence is 43,000 USD per year.
6. Each of the additional 33 residences will have one LGF personnel
on duty, 12 hours a day (1830 to 0630), 7 days a week. To staff
these posts, we will require 1.75 LGF personnel per residential
location for a total of 57.75 LGF personnel. The total cost
(salary, benefits, uniforms and miscellaneous equipment) to employ
one LGF residential personnel for a year is 4,100 USD. Total
amount required to stand up LGF presence at 33 residences is 236,755
USD per year.
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LGF UNIFORMS
------------
7. Additional guards require additional uniforms and related
equipment. Each new guard requires the following:
BDU Pants, 2 each per year: 60.00 USD
Polo Shirt, 4 each per year: 60.00 USD
Parka, 1 each every 3 years: 40.00 USD
Windbreaker, 1 each every 3 years: 18.00 USD
Flight jacket: 1 each every 3 years: 30.00 USD
Security cap: 1 each every 1 year: 8.00 USD
Sweater: 1 each every 2 years: 40.00 USD
Socks: 2 each every year: 10.00 USD
Raincoat: 1 each every 2 years: 14.00 USD
Safety Boots: 1 each every 2 years: 65.00 USD
Equipment Belt: 1 each until worn out: 25.00 USD
Uniform trouser belt: 1 each until worn out: 7.00 USD
Radio Carrier: 1 each until worn out: 27.00 USD
Whistle: 1 each until worn out: 8.00 USD
Baton Holder: 1 each until worn out: 4.00 USD
Flashlight holder: 1 each until worn out: 4.00 USD
TOTAL AMOUNT REQUIRED UNIFORM/EQUIP EACH GUARD: 420 USD
TOTAL AMOUNT REQUIRED UNIFORM/EQUIP 70 GUARDS: 29,400 USD
------------------------------------------
RESIDENTIAL PHYSICAL SECURITY REQUIREMENTS
------------------------------------------
8. The average cost to complete security improvements at one newly
acquired residence is as follows:
SECURITY GRILLS: 3500 USD
RAZOR WIRE: 1700 USD
LOCKS: 400 USD
SECURITY ALARM: 1400 USD
SRWF 700 USD
TOTAL: 7700 USD
Local property owners are generally reluctant to complete required
physical security improvements as part of the lease agreement. The
Embassy actively favors leasing residences that already meet most of
our physical security requirements, with limited success. Before
acquiring a residence, the Embassy aggressively negotiates with the
landlord to complete required physical security improvements as part
of the lease agreement. On the rare occasion they do, it is cost
prohibitive and reduces (in some cases eliminates) the GSO's ability
to negotiate favorable lease terms and conditions in the locally
competitive and property owner friendly real estate market. RSO
Addis Ababa requires 261,800 USD to complete physical security
improvements to 34 newly acquired residences.
--------------
RADIOS FOR LGF
--------------
9. Currently the LGF has 155 hand held two-way radio units to
support operations at the Embassy, USAID, CDC, Warehouse, 3 mobile
patrols and approximately 100 residential locations. The Embassy has
not purchased any two-way radio equipment for the LGF since early
2004. Some of these radios units have exceeded their useful service
life and are no longer fully functional or reliable. Each of the
newly acquired residential locations will require one hand held
radio for LGF use. We require a total of 40 new handheld replacement
radios for LGF use. Each handheld radio unit costs 800 USD,
including a radio, battery, charger and programming. LGF operations
also require 2 base station radios (16,000 USD) to support
operations at the GSO warehouse and Peace Corps compound. Total
amount required to bring the LGF hand held radio network up-to-date
will require 75,200 USD.
--------------------------------
RESIDENTIAL SECURITY COORDINATOR
--------------------------------
10. By the end of summer of 2007, post will have over 120
residential units consisting of single unit houses (multiple unit
compounds are not readily available on the local real estate market)
spread out over an ever increasing geographic area. The majority of
these residences do not meet physical security standards, or are
otherwise deficient. While the RSOs conduct initial surveys of all
residences before they are acquired, we lack the time to
sufficiently conduct follow up meetings with landlords, contractors
and GSO to verify the necessary security work is completed before
occupancy. Over the past couple of years, more then half of the
houses acquired failed to receive adequate attention in regards to
ensuring physical security standards were met and maintained. To
correct this deficiency, RSO Addis Ababa requests funding assistance
to establish an Eligible Family Member (EFM) Residential Security
Coordinator (RSC) position. In addition to ensuring the residences
meet physical security standards, the RSC will supervise a local
staff of two residential security technicians, oversee an annual
budget of approximately 261,000 USD, manage a large inventory of
residential security equipment, manage a large number of pending
work requests with post's GSO, manage on-going and consecutive
projects completed by outside contractors as well as provide
residential security briefings and orientation to occupants at their
homes.
11. The requested EFM RSC positions will require the following
funding assistance tom establish:
-35,000 USD for salary benefits and start up costs;
-5,300 USD for furniture and equipment
Total amount request to establish an EFM RSC position: 40,300 USD
-----------------------
TOTAL FUNDING REQUESTED
-----------------------
12. In Summary, Addis Ababa RSO requests the following funding
assistance to Post's LGF and security program:
73,700 USD for an additional mobile patrol vehicle and staff;
75,200 USD for LGF radios;
261,800 USD for residential security upgrades;
43,000 USD for residential guards at the USAU COM's residence;
236,775 USD for residential guards at the thirty three new official
residences;
29,400 USD for LGF uniforms/equipment;
43,300 to establish an EFM RSC position.
TOTAL AMOUNT REQUESTED: $763,175.00.
------------
RSO COMMENTS
------------
13. RSO Addis Ababa requests the Department's approval in regards
to the above requirements, and provides the following comments:
-Currently there are no viable alternatives other than employing
FSN/PSC guards. The majority of local security guard companies in
Addis Ababa provide services at a very low standard in regards to
personnel, management, uniforms, training, equipment and lack the
experience and qualifications to protect diplomatic personnel and
facilities. There is only one semi-reasonable local company that
provides contract security services; even this firm falls short of
meeting the requirements of the Embassy in all aspects.
-At present time there are no expatriate companies in Ethiopia that
provide contract security services. The GOE would most likely be
reluctant to approve and receive foreign firms that provide contract
security services in their county. This is not likely to change in
the near term;
-There is no viable substitute to posting guards at Embassy houses
during evening hours. The crime rating for Ethiopia is high and the
terrorism rating for Ethiopia remains a serious concern. All other
residences in Addis Ababa occupied by diplomatic and international
entities as well as wealthier Ethiopians employ 24 hour guards. If
the Embassy can not meet this requirement, residences occupied by
COM personnel will become soft targets and more vulnerable to
hostile intrusion or attack;
-The majority of diplomatic missions and international entities in
resident in Addis Ababa employ in-house guards forces for the same
reason we do - there are no other viable alternatives.
-Embassy personnel already pay for guards out of their own pocket
during the daytime hours (when they are more likely to be away from
their residences), it is reasonable and prudent for the USG to
provide professional, well-trained and equipped guards during the
evening hours when they are more likely to be at home);
-Automatic gate openers and central alarm monitoring systems do not
exist in Ethiopia. There are no companies in Ethiopia that provide
these goods and services. Furthermore, the Embassy lacks the
logistical ability and technical expertise to implement and maintain
this type of equipment;
-One can not count on local police patrols and response capabilities
to adequately ensure the security and safety of COM residences,
personnel and their families. Ethiopia is a developing country with
limited resources and abilities. Most working level law enforcement
and security personnel are less then well trained, and do not speak
English (most USDH personnel do not speak Amharic). The USG has an
obligation to take adequate measures towards ensuring the safety and
security of diplomatic personnel and facilities. A robust and
capable LGF is our first line of defense, as well as the first
responders we rely on when encountering routine situations as well
as emergency incidents;
-Clustered/compound housing is not available in the locally
competitive and property owner friendly real estate market. RSO
Addis Ababa already works with Post management towards ensuring
residences we acquire are located in the three residential districts
where we already have houses. However, as we expand our diplomatic
presence, the area in which we maintain residences will undoubtedly
expand as well;
-Local traffic conditions (heavy congestion) and increased number of
USDH personnel and locations requires additional patrol coverage to
ensure timely response in the event of an emergency. We are already
doing everything possible to maximize our three existing mobile
patrols; we require an additional fourth patrol mobile patrol to
support this growing Mission;
-There is no replacement for maintaining a LGF radio network. Cells
phones are expensive to purchase and maintain. During times of
crisis local land line and cell phone networks become quickly
overloaded and are frequently shut off by the host country
government as a means of rumor control. There has not been any
upgrades to the LGF radio network for over 3 years, some of the
equipment is due to be replaced and additional equipment is required
to support the growing number of locations protected by the LGF;
-With the already large and growing number of Embassy residences, it
is impossible for the RSOs to stay on top of ensuring residential
security requirements are met and maintained. Meetings with
contractors and the GSO is time consuming, as is traveling to the
residences through heavy traffic and the large geographic region in
which they are located. Without the EFM RST positions, the RSOs are
faced with neglecting other responsibilities, to include; managing a
large LGF managing physical and procedural security at five official
locations (Embassy, USAID, CDC, Peace Corps and GSO Warehouse) and
other areas requiring direct attention by USDH RSO personnel;
-Without the requested LGF support the RSO will be unable to meet
providing reasonable level of security for the Embassy. Under
current staffing, the LGF is already stretched beyond its capacity.
In order to sustain current operations, we are forced to deny leave
requests and accumulate a large amount of overtime. For the longer
term (especially as the Mission continues to grow), this situation
is not sustainable for reasons of morale and economics.
12. The RSO urgently requires the above funding assistance in order
to provide USG diplomatic personnel and their families a continued
reasonable level of security. There are serious security concerns
confronting U.S. diplomatic personnel throughout the region,
including Addis Ababa. With out additional LGF and security
resources to meet the demands of this already large and rapidly
growing mission, we will not be able to meet our obligations of
ensuring the security of US diplomatic personnel family members and
facilities.
YAMAMOTO
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