SUDAN: UNITED NATIONS LAUNCHES 2007 WORK PLAN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KHARTOUM 002911 SIPDIS AIDAC SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/SPG, PRM, AND ALSO PASS USAID/W USAID FOR DCHA SUDAN TEAM, AFR/SP NAIROBI FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA, USAID/REDSO, AND FAS GENEVA FOR NKYLOH NAIROBI FOR SFO NSC FOR PMARCHAM, MMAGAN, AND TSHORTLEY ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU USUN FOR TMALY BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PREF PGOV PHUM SOCI UN SU SUBJECT: SUDAN: UNITED NATIONS LAUNCHES 2007 WORK PLAN REF: A) Khartoum 02864, B) Khartoum 02875 KHARTOUM 00002911 001.2 OF 003 -------------- Summary and Comment -------------- ¶1. On December 19, 2006, Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary General (DSRSG) and UN Humanitarian Coordinator Manuel da SIPDIS Silva and representatives of the Government of National Unity (GNU) launched the 2007 Work Plan for Sudan, with a budget of USD 1.8 billion. The GNU and Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) will contribute USD 66 million to the Work Plan, which is the result of collaborative assessments and planning. The GNU appealed for greater involvement of Sudanese non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) in humanitarian and development work. Da Silva committed to discussing mechanisms to build the capacity of local organizations, and assured the GNU that the UN will purchase cereal for food distributions locally as much as possible. GNU Minister for Humanitarian Affairs Kosti Manibe announced the extension of the Moratorium on the Voluntary and Humanitarian Work Act of 2006 until January 31, 2008, for NGOs working in Darfur. End summary. -------------- Views from the GNU -------------- ¶2. Manibe opened the Work Plan launch by emphasizing that the plan was a joint effort of the UN, GNU, and GOSS. The GNU and GOSS plan to contribute USD 66 million in addition to unspecified material contributions. He also announced that the "administrative moratorium" for NGOs working in Darfur had been extended for another year, until January 31, 2008. Manibe admitted that the GNU still needed to resolve some administrative problems, and committed the GNU to institutional reform to streamline the issuance of long-term visas, travel permits, work permits, customs clearances, and other documentation that NGOs need. ¶3. Manibe stated that the humanitarian situation in Darfur is his highest priority. His second priority is the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs),both from Northern Sudan to Southern Sudan and within Southern Sudan. He emphasized the large numbers of expected returnees to Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states. The Work Plan includes support for more than 500,000 IDPs and 102,000 refugees expected to return to Southern Sudan and the Three Areas. He noted that some believe the planning figures are lower than the actual number of IDPs who will return home in 2007. ¶4. Manibe stressed that the government needed to be involved in all phases of project design and implementation, and that national NGOs and civil society organizations were important to achieve this. He noted that of the entire Work Plan budget, only USD 2.8 million, or 0.2 percent, was earmarked for Sudanese NGOs. He described this as extremely depressing, and appealed to the UN to address the funding and capacity-building needs of local organizations. He also urged national NGOs to improve their professionalism, become transparent, and develop systems that would encourage donors to trust them with funding. He advised donors to invest in national NGOs, since these organizations will remain in Sudan for the long run. -------------- At Times, Peace Is More Difficult than War -------------- ¶5. The Minister for International Cooperation, Dr. El-Tigani Salih Fedail, noted that peace was a strategic goal for his government and that, at times, peace was more difficult than war. He assured the audience that his government was making all efforts to reach a sustainable peace and was committed to working with the UN. He stressed that Sudan was a member of the UN, and was not in an adversarial relationship with the organization. He stated that Sudan needed a new kind of support to address humanitarian needs and begin recovery and development. In this context, he recalled the concept of ownership and transparency formulated in the Paris Declaration. -------------- The 2007 Work Plan for Sudan -------------- ¶6. The Work Plan covers seven regions and 12 sectors. It addresses KHARTOUM 00002911 002.2 OF 003 humanitarian assistance, particularly in Darfur and the Three Areas, and the shift from recovery to development in other parts of Sudan. The design process increased participation from all stakeholders when compared to the process in previous years. The total cost is estimated at USD 1.8 billion, of which USD 300 million has already been secured. USD 560 million is requested for recovery and development, and USD 1.3 billion is requested for humanitarian assistance. ¶7. Southern Sudan (34 percent of funding request). USD 626 million is proposed for Southern Sudan, with 56 percent of that amount allotted for recovery and development activities, such as rehabilitating physical infrastructure and improving basic social services. The disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) of combatants forms an important element of the program in Southern Sudan, as does the return of more than 600,000 displaced persons, including 102,000 refugees. Half of the returnees will participate in an organized program that the GNU, GOSS, and UN are jointly implementing and financing. (Ref A) ¶8. Darfur (36 percent of funding request). USD 653 million is requested for Darfur's complex emergency. The plan calls for humanitarian assistance for 4 million people. Food aid programs aim to reach 3 million people in Darfur. The UN and partners plan to provide clean drinking water to 1.3 million and education to 50,000 children. ¶9. Center, East, and Three Areas (18 percent of funding request). USD 248 million is planned for infrastructure rehabilitation and early recovery activities, with 38 percent of that funding designated for food security and livelihoods activities. Assistance is planned for communities with the greatest need, rather than those with the largest number of returnees. ¶10. National Programs (12 percent of funding request). USD 223 million is requested for programs implemented throughout Sudan, such as cross-sector support for returnees, DDR, mine action, human rights, and the rule of law. -------------- -------------- Passionate Appeal from the Humanitarian Coordinator -------------- -------------- ¶11. In his closing statement, da Silva compared the situation in Darfur with sailing in a storm, awaiting the last big "boom" marking the end of the storm and the beginning of calm. He stated that Darfur is now at the end of the storm and that, "The ship is not sinking." Da Silva pointed out that while the total appeal figure was high, this year's Work Plan requested USD 400 million less for humanitarian assistance than last year's plan. He commended the GNU and GOSS on their USD 51 million contribution to assist 102,000 returning refugees. He also reported that donor commitments in 2006 surpassed the overall pledged figures, and that Sudan received 32 percent of humanitarian assistance worldwide in 2006. He closed by saying, "We are moving forward in a difficult storm. Don't give up, believe in achieving peace." -------------- The GNU's Closing Statements -------------- ¶12. Manibe acknowledged the daunting challenge ahead and the level of difficulty in the operating environment in Darfur. He assured the audience that the GNU is contacting directly those who have not signed the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) to address of issues left unresolved in Abuja. He further commented on the regional significance of the conflict, which has spread to Chad and the Central African Republic. He ended with an appeal to include national organizations in the humanitarian assistance and recovery process, to build their capacity, and to encourage them to be more professional. He pledged to ask other ministries to include Sudanese NGOs and CBOs in the recovery process, stating that local organizations could construct health centers and schools, or distribute books. ¶13. The Minister for International Cooperation, Dr. El-Tigani Salih Fedail, made a cryptic statement, saying that it was easy to blame the government for not providing security, but that in reality other elements were at play and providing support to the "wrongdoers." He stressed the need to focus on the implementation of the DPA, disarm the various factions, secure the area, and provide humanitarian KHARTOUM 00002911 003.2 OF 003 assistance. He stated that no number of troops can solve the problem in Darfur, and that the government's partners needed to deliver on their promises. He stated that the government had to do its best to help. ¶14. The Minister requested a predictable aid flow with consultation on all levels. He wants to see a consolidation of government and Sudanese NGO capacity at the state level, and requested the cooperation of international NGOs to achieve this goal. He stated that to achieve this, foreign assistance in the form of budgetary support is the only option. (Comment: This consolidation puts in question the independence of the national NGOs. End comment.) ¶15. The Minister then requested a thorough market survey to determine what amount of food aid would be appropriate for Sudan, in order to avoid an oversupply of the market. He expressed concern for the large volume of imported humanitarian food aid. He noted that Sudan had two very good cereal harvests in 2005 and 2006, and that the cereals needed for food aid could be purchased in Sudan. ¶16. A representative of the Southern Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (SSRRC) stressed that the south needed programs to support returns. He noted that the Work Plan did not meet all of the South's needs. He stated that while Southern Sudan appreciated the help the UN provided during the war, much support was still necessary. ¶17. The GNU Humanitarian Aid Commissioner, Hassabo Mohamed Abd Elrahman, attacked the humanitarian community with a tirade about lack of transparency, underutilization of funds, excessive administrative costs (60 to 65 percent, according to him),and the need to give a larger portion of the work to national NGOs and CBOs. He stressed that Sudanese organizations know the environment and operate at a much lower cost than international organizations. He pushed for an early return of the displaced people to settle and participate in the elections. ¶18. As reported Ref B, CDA Hume congratulated the UN on the Work Plan and stated that the USG support to these programs is unflagging. He expressed appreciation for the extension of the moratorium, saying that it would assist partners, including the United States, in addressing the pressing humanitarian needs of Darfur. CDA Hume noted his concerns about the deteriorating security situation in Darfur, which threatens the international community's ability to deliver assistance to the people of Darfur. Finally, he urged the GNU to continue to meet its promises to prepare for the census in 2007 and the elections by the end of 2009. He urged the GNU to conduct the census without delay. ¶19. In a second round of concluding remarks, da Silva responded to the GNU's request for local cereal purchases with a confirmation that some donors and the UN were in the process of negotiating local purchase contracts, and that an amount not greater than one-third of the need would be purchased locally. Da Silva also offered to meet with Sudanese NGOs to discuss mechanisms to improve their capacity. He ended the event by urging all to continue to believe in lasting peace. HUME