SUDAN SUMMIT TO TAKE PLACE IN DAKAR ON AUGUST 9

C O N F I D E N T I A L DAKAR 001903 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/SPG, IO/PSC, AF/RSA, AF/C AND AF/W PARIS FOR POL - D'ELIA E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/08/2016 TAGS: PREL PINS KPKO CD IR SU SG SUBJECT: SUDAN SUMMIT TO TAKE PLACE IN DAKAR ON AUGUST 9 REF: DAKAR 1863 (NOTAL) Classified By: Ambassador Janice L. Jacobs for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (U) President Abdoulaye Wade has invited the Presidents of Sudan, Chad, Gabon and Tanzania, as well as the leaders of the Darfur rebel groups that did not sign the Abuja Darfur peace agreement (DPA) to Dakar for an August 9 summit. The ostensible aim is to achieve a lasting peace in Darfur and to lay the groundwork for re-hatting the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS). ¶2. (C) Wade was in Sudan from August 4 through 8 (reftel) and is in N,djamena today for President Deby Ito,s inauguration. Wade reportedly told the media in Khartoum that his Sudan trip came at the behest of the United States, France and Canada. In fact, while all three countries have demarched him about Sudan, none of the Ambassadors is aware of any specific request to mediate. Interestingly enough, Foreign Minister Gadio invited the UK to witness the summit, but HMG has declined. ¶3. (C) According to Acting Senegalese Foreign Minister Claude Absa Diallo, in Khartoum, Wade pushed unsuccessfully for President Omer El-Bashir to accept re-hatting AMIS as a UN force. Ambassador Diallo told DCM that Wade intends to make another effort in conjunction with the Gabonese and Tanzanian heads of state on August 9. ¶4. (C) COMMENT: Wade continues his conflict resolution efforts, now focusing on Darfur rather than Iran. However, we may hear more about Iran following Prime Minister Macky Sall,s return from Tehran. END COMMENT. JACOBS