Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PORTAUPRINCE1266
2006-07-13 17:34:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Port Au Prince
Cable title:  

GOH PREPARES FOR JULY 25 DONORS, CONFERENCE

Tags:  EAID ECON PREL HA 
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VZCZCXRO8229
PP RUEHQU
DE RUEHPU #1266/01 1941734
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 131734Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3495
INFO RUEHZH/HAITI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 1111
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA PRIORITY 0956
RUEHQU/AMCONSUL QUEBEC PRIORITY 0508
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 001266 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CAR
EB/IFD
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR LAC/CAR
TREASURY FOR JEFFERY LEVINE
COMMERCE FOR SCOTT SMITH

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ECON PREL HA
SUBJECT: GOH PREPARES FOR JULY 25 DONORS, CONFERENCE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 001266

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CAR
EB/IFD
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR LAC/CAR
TREASURY FOR JEFFERY LEVINE
COMMERCE FOR SCOTT SMITH

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ECON PREL HA
SUBJECT: GOH PREPARES FOR JULY 25 DONORS, CONFERENCE


1. (U) This message is sensitive but unclassified: please
protect accordingly.


2. (SBU) Summary: The GOH is beginning to get into high gear
for the July 25 Donors' Conference. Minister of Finance
Daniel Dorsainvil outlined the GOH's priorities for the
Conference: closing the financing gap, allocating existing
donor activities to the Social Appeasement Program (French
acronym, PAS),and finding new investments for the extension
of the Interim Cooperation Framework (ICF) through 2007.
Dorsainvil said his personal priority is to leave the
Conference with an honest assessment of the pledges -- how
much will be available and when. The Haitian National Police
and UN Police are working together to ensure that proper
security measures are in place for the Donors' Conference.
As the Conference logistics come together, the expectations
of certain GOH officials are increasing. However,
Dorsainvil's modest goals for the Conference results were a
refreshing sign of realism. End Summary.

GOH Preparations Underway
- - - - - - - - - -


3. (U) The GOH is moving into high gear for the July 25
Donors' Conference. According to the lead organizer, Anthony
Dessources from the Ministry of Planning, there are no major
crises, but some glitches remain. In this week's planning
meeting, the six committees -- conference document, support,
security, public relations, protocol, and budget -- shared
information and tracked last-minute logistical concerns, like
parking and a timely translation of the conference document.
The GOH circulated the conference document in its latest
draft form, which is still very general and lacks budget
figures. (Note: Details have been forwarded to WHA/CAR and
AID/LAC by email. End note.) The Executive Core Donors'
Group will meet with the Ministries of Finance and Planning
on July 13 to press them for final documents, including
budget figures, by early next week.

MOF Dorsainvil Outlines GOH Priorities
- - - - - - - - - -


4. (SBU) Minister of Finance Daniel Dorsainvil told A/DCM
and Econoff July 10 that the GOH has three priorities for the

Donors' Conference:

-- closing the financing gap of USD 18 million for this year
and USD 104.5 million for the 2006/2007 fiscal year, which he
said could drop to USD 40 million if the GOH obtains debt
relief. (Note: Dorsainvil's 2006 figures differ somewhat
from others we have seen. Per septel, International Monetary
Fund Resident Representative Ugo Fasano reported a financing
gap of USD 111.5 million. End note.) Dorsainvil said he is
not yet confident the GOH has donor commitments to close the
financing gap even for this fiscal year. (Separately, the EU
delegation told us that the EU plans to contribute 10 million
Euros toward this year's deficit, with additional funds under
consideration for 2006/2007.)

-- allocating existing donor activities to the Social
Appeasement Program (French acronym, PAS). Dorsainvil
explained the PAS as a vehicle to quickly disburse donor
funds that are already in the pipeline. He acknowledged that
donors cannot easily mobilize new funds to support the PAS
and at this stage can only, at best, re-package existing
commitments under the PAS rubric. (Separately, Fasano told
us that his GOH contacts did indeed report new funds to be
provided to the PAS as a subject of the government's broader
infrastructure rehabilitation project.)

-- finding new investments for the extension of the Interim
Cooperation Framework (ICF),which will tackle broader
problems like security and justice.


5. (SBU) Dorsainvil said his personal priority is to leave
the Donors' Conference with an honest assessment of the
pledges -- how much is available and when it will be
disbursed. More than large numbers, he wants the right
numbers and "predictability," so that he can properly adjust
next year's budget. Already he said that he had given each

PORT AU PR 00001266 002 OF 002


line ministry a budget ceiling, following consultations with
an International Monetary Fund team that visited Haiti in
June. These envelopes will be discussed at a cabinet meeting
July 12, Dorsainvil said.

Security Plan Ready
- - - - - - - - - -


6. (U) The Haitian National Police (HNP) and UN Police
(UNPol) have joined forces to ensure that proper security
measures are in place for the July 24 and 25 conference
dates. The HNP will post over 400 police to the conference
site, intensify patrols, and reinforce static points in the
capital. UNPol will station an extra 100 police around
Port-au-Prince with an additional 25 at the conference site.


7. (SBU) Comment: The GOH is urgently making last-minute
preparations for the Donors' Conference. However, as the
logistical preparations come together, the GOH's expectations
for the conference results are increasing. Dorsainvil is a
savvy and experienced politician who has realistic goals for
the up-coming Donors' Conference, but it is not clear that
other government officials have such modest expectations.
Post will continue to remind GOH officials that although the
international community supports Haiti, it is government
action and not donors' pledges that will indicate to
parliamentarians, the private sector and the population at
large that the country is finally moving forward.
SANDERSON