U.S. Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ambassador James Entwistle, made his first visit to U.S. Africa Command headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany May 5-6, 2011.

Entwistle met with AFRICOM leadership during his two-day visit to discuss continued cooperation between the command, the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC). The ambassador, who was appointed to the position six months ago, also briefed the many challenges facing the Congolese people.

Along with security, the ambassador said during an interview, the biggest challenge is, "how do we get [the Congolese security forces] to a point where they can protect their own borders?"

Entwistle noted there are still areas in the vast country, which is the size of the United States east of the Mississippi River, that have not completely recovered from the war 15 years ago.

"They had statistically the worse war since World War II played out on Congolese soil," Entwistle said. "I think our overwhelming objective is to do everything we can to make sure that something like that never happens again."

Although he offered the best way to accomplish that objective is by gradually helping the Congolese people with the process of nation building, including developing a professional military and police force, and building up important civilian institutions like the courts, Entwistle emphasized the role of the U.S.

"I constantly remind the Congolese people: It's a partnership. We're not here to do anything for you, we're here to do things with you," the ambassador stated.

"If we're doing a certain kind of training, 10 years from now we're doing the same training in the same country, that's failure in my opinion if they haven't taken it on themselves, taken ownership of it," he continued.

He equally stressed that this partnership is defined as "standing with the Congolese and helping them as they decide what kind of country they want and how they are going to get there."

The Congolese government is taking steps in this direction, beginning work to create stability in all parts of the country and to protect citizens from groups that seek to destroy that security. According to the ambassador, the DRC is planning to deploy U.S.-trained troops to Dungu to fight against the Lord's Resistance Army, a regional extremist group that has been terrorizing the northeastern part of the Congo.

"They are putting them in the field and in harm's way, which was the understanding that we would train them so that they would be used," the ambassador said of the U.S.-trained Light Infantry Battalion (LIB). "And I'm quite pleased with this decision by President [Joseph] Kabila and the Congolese government to move them up there. That's exactly what we had in mind."

The LIB was trained by the United States in 2010. The Department of State funded an eight-month train-and-equip mission for the LIB which was managed and executed by U.S. Special Operations Command Africa, a sub-unified command of AFRICOM. The train-and-equip mission is one aspect of a long-term, multiagency, international approach to promote defense sector reform in the country and assist the DRC government in its ongoing efforts to transform the FARDC.

Entwistle is looking to AFRICOM to continue to build a professional relationship with the Congolese military through regular, sustained training, joint activities and information exchanges.

"I think in some ways that the most important thing is that we have a continuity of contact so that our militaries are always in touch, not just when there is a need or a crisis, but so that contact between our two militaries becomes a routine part of the relationship," he said.

This relationship is important because the FARDC faces many challenges. Entwistle explained that many elements of the FARDC are poorly trained, poorly equipped and spread out over a large country. The FARDC also faces the additional challenge of integrating some of its former enemies into the force.

"But I think that's where we can help on that -- continuing the training relationship," Entwistle suggested. "And I don't mean just how you operate in the field, but rule of law, leadership, professional development. I think that's one thing we, the U.S. government does quite well, and I think it's quite relevant in the Congo."

One of Entwistle's goals is to help the Congolese army and security forces build up their own skills so that they will be viewed as positive images in their country, "something that the Congolese people see as there to help them rather to exploit them," he added.

The Congolese people are continuing to evoke change as they face their second presidential election in November. Although the vastness of the country poses organizational and logistical challenges to the election, such as registering voters and distributing ballot boxes, the ambassador said he is confident that they are up to the challenge.

"I'm optimistic," said Entwistle. He hopes that through a successful election that the Congolese people will come to expect that an election will be held every five years when they can vote for their president.

"That helps to develop the kind of institutional expectation that I think is crucial," added Entwistle.

He acknowledges all the training in areas such as health and education, and assistance relationships from many other countries, but his message to the Congolese people is clear: "It's a partnership … we're here to do things with you."

"There are huge challenges," he concluded, "but huge potential."

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