36TH UNHCR STANDING COMMITTEE: AFRICA DISCUSSIONS

UNCLAS GENEVA 000597 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR PRM, EMBASSIES FOR REFUGEE OFFICERS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREF PREL SMIG XA SUBJECT: 36TH UNHCR STANDING COMMITTEE: AFRICA DISCUSSIONS REF: A. SECSTATE 36380 ¶B. SECSTATE 36528 ¶C. GENEVA 555 ¶D. GENEVA 556 ¶E. GENEVA 557 ¶F. GENEVA 582 ¶1. (U) Summary: Africa Bureau Director Marjon Kamara and Director of Operations for the Sudan Situation Jean-Marie Fakhouri addressed participants in the 36th Meeting of the Standing Committee (SC) of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on March 8. Both highlighted the difficulties posed by projected severe funding shortfalls this years, and noted the critical relationship between security conditions and delivery of humanitarian services. Each highlighted prospects for significant repatriation in 2006 but cautioned that development actors must engage sooner and more effectively in return areas. The African Union representative reported that Burkina Faso will host a June 1-2 Ministerial meeting on "Protection and Assistance for the Forcibly Displaced in Africa." End summary. Sub-Saharan Africa - - - - - - - - - ¶2. (U) Africa Bureau Director Marjon Kamara noted that severe funding shortages were among the challenges her Bureau and field missions face in 2006. She expressed determination to continue four major repatriation operations which are currently underway: Liberia, Burundi, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC); however, she added the caveat that the success of each will depend on continued peace in return areas and predictable resources for UNHCR and its partners. In Burundi, drought and food shortages have cut into the volume of repatriation from Tanzania and resulted in some backflow of returnees to their former country of asylum. As a further complication, she noted that drought and food shortages in Rwanda have caused the movement of some 20,000 Rwandans into Burundi; although the asylum seekers among them are being screened, few have been found to be in need of international protection. ¶3. (U) Repatriation to DRC got underway in 2005 following a number of historic milestones. The movement continues, with 12,000 returnees thus far in 2006, even though UNHCR has not yet received any donor responses in support of its supplemental budget request. In addition, security must improve in Katanga provinces and the Kivus if repatriation is to continue at a robust pace. UNHCR will capitalize on the dry season in LIBERIA to accelerate returns, and is also scaling back its care and maintenance programs in Guinea and Sierra Leone. The Angola repatriation operation is being resumed in order to assist populations who did not decide to return before the program concluded in 2005. ¶4. (U) Kamara referred to the ongoing gap between humanitarian and development programs, and called for better coordination, especially in areas of return. She said that UNDP was actively engaging in Burundi, Liberia, Uganda, DRC and southern Sudan, and that the African Union was also increasing its focus on post-conflict needs and opportunities. Along with repatriation, UNHCR continues to actively pursue resettlement as a durable solution for appropriate cases and groups, and also continues to work toward self-reliance strategies when and where possible. Although rates of SGBV and malnutrition often decrease in response to self reliance programs, the latter are likely to be among the programs which are cut back because of this year's funding shortfalls. ¶5. (U) In pilot countries where UNHCR has the lead in the IDP cluster approach, UNHCR has had to start the year with "temporary and reimbursable" allocations of funds. Thus far, UNHCR has only received direct donor support for its IDP budget in Liberia. Sudan and Chad - - - - - - - ¶6. (U) Jean-Marie Fakhouri, Director of Operations for the Sudan Situation, recalled that last year at this time he had been very hopeful about Sudan's Darfur Province and satisfied that UNHCR and its partners had succeeded in stabilizing the refugee population in eastern Chad. However, in the intervening year, UNHCR had lost ground in Darfur and the conflict has spilled over into Chad. Ironically, some Chadians recently fled to Darfur for safety, while rape and forced recruitment is occurring in Darfur's IDP camps as well as the countryside. He cited recent estimates that 3.6 million people in Darfur have lost their capacity for self reliance and the region is now totally dependent on WFP food pipelines, which will run dry this month. Although UNHCR's SB for Darfur initially requested $33 million, Fakhouri projected implementation capacity at $18.5 million because of security-driven restrictions on movement of staff. ¶7. (U) Although the food pipeline in Chad is well-resourced through October, Chadian rebels have undermined the civilian nature of some camps, using them for rest and recuperation points as well as recruitment of fighters. In addition, UNHCR assessments indicate that 47,000 refugees from the Central African Republic (C.A.R.) are now in southern Chad. "They are hard to reach and it will be expensive" to assist them. ¶8. (U) Fakhouri reported that, although donors pledged $4.5 billion (sic) in Oslo in 2004, little money has reached the region to date. There is "not a gap but a gulf" between humanitarian and development efforts in the south. Despite the lack of infrastructure and development, pressure for return by refugees in neighboring countries is strong. UNHCR has established 10 offices in southern Sudan and has signed tripartite agreements with four neighboring states. Fakhouri acknowledged that it will be difficult for UNHCR to achieve its goal of 58,000 returns by the end of May, and cautioned that returns can cause new conflict if badly done. He emphasized the need for "robust attention" to the provisions of the peace agreement, and concluded by noting that the Vice President of Southern Sudan has asked UNHCR to assist with the return of IDPs currently in the north. Delegation remarks - - - - - - - - - ¶9. (U) The chair did not open the floor for delegation comments and questions until both Kamara and Fakhouri had spoken. Among comments from African states, the following were of note: Ethiopia: -- asserted that UNHCR budget cuts have damaged operations there; -- reported that repatriation of Sudanese refugees from Ethiopia will commence this month. Uganda: -- appreciated the High Commissioner's two visits in the short time since taking office; -- emphasized its efforts to stop rebel activities in northern Uganda. DRC: -- was encouraged by the joint mission of UNHCR, UNICEF and WFP top leaders last month; -- welcomed international willingness to contribute to its recovery. Sudan: -- stressed great resource needs in eastern Sudan, speaking for the allotted five minutes but not addressing issues raised by Fakhouri about security in western Sudan. Kenya: -- observed that conflict resolution is the prelude to repatriation; -- noted that, despite progress, massive outflows still occur in parts of Africa. The African Union: -- stated that it will hold a June 1 and 2 Ministerial Meeting in Burkina Faso on "Protection and Assistance for the Forcibly Displaced in Africa;" -- advised that the ministerial was intended to mobilize public opinion for protection, identify gaps, formulate strategies, review past progress and difficulties, and build a legal framework for addressing IDP populations; -- lamented the devastating effect of budget cuts and called for a roundtable on resource mobilization for food, water and health programs. ¶10. (U) Donor statements tended to focus on UNHCR's need to do a better job with the resources available and to keep donors fully informed. Using points provided in Ref A, the US delegation: -- expressed grave concern about the impact of budget shortfalls on UNHCR programs in Africa; -- urged traditional and non-traditional donors to make an exceptional effort to support UNHCR programs there; -- expressed deep concern about WFP resources for refugees, particularly in light of droughts in east and southern Africa, and urged donor support; -- expressed interest in the IDP cluster lead approach and noted that the USG is working to come up with additional resources to support these efforts; -- conveyed appreciation to the Government of Tanzania for its long-standing hospitality to Burundi refugees; -- urged continued patience and hospitality as drought, continued insecurity in some regions, and lack of infrastructure are contributing to a slow down of repatriation; -- noted the USG has contributed $5.6 million to UNHCR for its 2006 program in Burundi, and expressed appreciation to UNHCR for the excellent job it did of bringing donors and partners together in the recent Country Operation Plan (COP) exercise; -- noted the return of thousands of refugees to the DRC and USG intent to do our best to support UNHCR's supplementary appeal for Congolese repatriation this year; - commended UNHCR for its close coordination with and strong support of its implementing partners on refugee return and reintegration activities in Liberia; -- expressed support for UNHCR's continued efforts to provide assistance to refugees in Cote d'Ivoire given on-going insecurity and UNHCR facility losses during January attacks; -- welcomed the promotional phase of the Liberian repatriation process and urged concerted mass information campaign activities to accelerate returns during the dry season; -- acknowledged the efforts made by UNHCR under challenging conditions in eastern Chad to meet the needs of refugees; -- urged UNHCR to redouble its efforts to relocate refugees from Oure Cassoni and Am Nabak camps in eastern Chad; -- applauded UNHCR's efforts to assist displaced Sudanese in Darfur and noted that, although skeptical at first, the USG believes that UNHCR has proven a valuable asset to protection and relief operations there; -- noted UNHCR's report of new Chadian refugees and asked for additional information on this situation; -- acknowledged progress in obtaining signatures on tripartite agreements for southern Sudan repatriation,. -- noted that the USG contributed $18 million to UNHCR's Sudan repatriation appeal in 2005, and planned to provide support again in 2006; -- encouraged other donors to contribute to UNHCR's supplementary appeal in support of durable reintegration for those ready to return to southern Sudan this year. Moley