CANADA INTERESTED IN COOPERATING ON DARFUR WOMEN'S

UNCLAS OTTAWA 002928 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREF PREL EAID SU CA SUBJECT: CANADA INTERESTED IN COOPERATING ON DARFUR WOMEN'S PROJECTS REF: STATE 172323 ¶1. (U) As requested in reftel, poloff met with officials from Foreign Affairs Canada (FAC) and the Canadian International Development Agency(CIDA) on 23 September to discuss U.S. initiatives to counter violence against women in Darfur, and to solicit Canada's support for such initiatives. Canadian participants included Sanja Gavric from CIDA's East African and the Horn branch; Foreign Affairs Director for Gender Mainstreaming in the Human Rights, Humanitarian Affairs and International Equality Division Ginette Saucier; FAC Human Security Program desk officer Jessica Frasier; and Sudan Task Force Deputy Director Shannon Smith. ¶2. (U) Ms. Smith noted that the GoC has recently committed CA $260 million (approx. USD 221 million) over two years to provide humanitarian aid to Sudan in support of the comprehensive peace agreement and the African Union's mission (AMIS). The largest share of the funds CA $80 million is being distributed through international organizations, while CA $156 million is allocated to the AMIS mission. A "minimum" of CA $14 million over two years has been pledged for peace-building projects, some of which may be implemented in Darfur. An additional CA$10 million will be allocated for to-be-determined small scale projects under the Additional Peace Process Support for Sudan (APPSS) program. Canadian Charge d'Affaires in Sudan David Ross was expected to provide project recommendations during a visit to Ottawa the week of October 3. ¶3. (U) Ms. Fraser said that the Human Security Office is currently evaluating several proposals for Darfur that would address gender violence. They include rule of law projects with a Sudanese security force training component, a reconciliation for peace and coexistence project, a children's rights project, peace building workshops and a women's dialogue project. Rapid implementation of at least one of these projects is anticipated prior to the planned November visit to the region of Canadian Special Envoy for the Sudanese Peace Process, Senator Mobina Jaffer. The FAC representatives expressed interest in learning more about USG support and funding for media programming and radio broadcasts. Visit Canada's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/ottawa WILKINS