DARFUR: IRISH EU PRESIDENCY STRONGLY ENGAGED

UNCLAS DUBLIN 000850 SIPDIS DEPT PLEASE PASS ALL AFRICAN DIPLOMATIC POSTS COLLECTIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL EAID PHUM PROV SUBJECT: DARFUR: IRISH EU PRESIDENCY STRONGLY ENGAGED REF: STATE 122317 ¶1. Poloff delivered reftel points to Don Sexton, of the Emergency and Recovery Unit in the DFA's Development Cooperation Division, on June 3. Sexton said Ireland agreed with the urgency of the situation and was participating in the Donor's Consultative Meeting on Darfur in Geneva today in both its Presidential and national capacities. ¶2. Sexton said that Development Minister Tom Kitt, speaking at the Geneva meeting on behalf of the EU Development Ministers, will announce 10 million Euro in new funding through ECHO, on top of the 3.2 million Euro already given in support of humanitarian operations. Ireland itself has pledged an additional 1.5 million Euro, on top of the 1 million Euro they announced a few weeks ago, of which 750,000 Euro went to the consolidated appeal. Sexton pointed out that Irish NGOs are strongly engaged on Darfur, which explains the large Irish contribution relative to the EU as a whole. ¶3. EU Development Ministers, meeting in Dublin on June 1, discussed Darfur before Kitt traveled to Geneva for the meeting today. Sexton reported that Kitt had spoken recently with USAID Andrew Natsios regarding Darfur and that they were together in Geneva now. ¶4. Key issues for the EU are human security and protection, humanitarian access and protection for aid workers, and respect for human rights. Sexton noted that the Africa Union requested funding to support deployment of its "cease-fire mechanism" in Darfur. EU Development Ministers have approved the request, which is being fast-tracked through the EU's Africa Peace Facility now. KENNY