UN ON SUDAN: 'PLEASE GIVE US MONEY'

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000944

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: NI PGOV PREL SU UNSC
SUBJECT: UN ON SUDAN: 'PLEASE GIVE US MONEY'

REF: 05/04/2006 BRUNO-DEPARTMENT E-MAIL ON SUDAN WORK

PLAN

USUN NEW Y 00000944 001.2 OF 002



1. (SBU) SUMMARY AND GUIDANCE REQUEST. Secretary-General
(SYG) Annan hosted a May 4 meeting of the Group of Friends of
Darfur to drum financial support for the humanitarian
assistance program in Darfur, which, according OCHA U/SYG
Egeland, is facing a $500 million funding shortfall. DPKO
A/SYG Annabi announced plans for a pledging conference
between June 6-8 in Brussels, and the UN is actively seeking
U.S. reaction to this proposal. Tanzanian PermRep Mahiga
made a convincing argument for securing Government of
National Unity (GNU) support for a UN technical assessment
mission to Darfur by couching it in terms of implementing an
expected Abuja agreement and of strengthening African Union
Mission (AMIS) forces on the ground. USUN seeks guidance on
how to respond to DPKO's proposed dates for a pledging
conference. END SUMMARY AND GUIDANCE REQUEST.


2. (SBU) SYG Annan opened a May 4 meeting of the Group of
Friends of Darfur (an organization 'founded' by the UK) with
a plea for immediate pledges to support the complicated
situation in Sudan, including concluding and implementing an
Abuja accord; strengthening AMIS; and proceeding with
planning for an eventual UN mission in Darfur. On this
score, Annan noted continued GNU intransigence and reported
he was writing to Sudanese President al-Bashir for his
support. Annan encouraged other partners to do the same.


3. (SBU) Most delegations who responded treated AMIS
transition as a done deal, speaking to the need for DPKO to
forge ahead on contingency planning and for the GNU to desist
from its opposition to a UN force. The UK and Portugal spoke
to the importance of having a 'Plan B' in the event that
Abuja did not prove successful, citing 'Responsibility to
Protect' obligations. The Egyptian delegate spoke to the
need for a sustainable peace in order to ensure smooth
transition and receptivity of potential troop contributors.
Germany vowed to continue air transport and logistical
support to AMIS during the transition and noted NATO's
willingness to do the same. French PR de La Sabliere urged
the UN to accelerate preparations for deployment of its
forces to Darfur since an Abuja agreement was on the horizon.
The Arab League representative, however, made no mention of
transition, suggesting instead that the GNU be commended for
its 'flexibility' in supporting the initial peace proposal in
Abuja.


4. (SBU) The most eloquent plea for the need for transition
planning to proceed came from Tanzanian PR Mahiga, who argued
that the GNU would be helping to implement the expected Abuja
agreement by allowing the UN assessment mission to take
place. While the AU needed to inform the UN of what the
requirements were for it to remain on the ground until the UN
could take over, a team on the ground would be needed to
confirm this request, making an immediate assessment mission
an integral past of enhancing AMIS. The Nigerian
representative endorsed this stance, as did Ambassador Bolton.


5. (SBU) SYG Annan also noted that the humanitarian program
in Sudan was 'losing ground every day,' citing limited access
by humanitarian organizations to affected populations,
funding shortfalls, spillover of the Darfur conflict to Chad
and GNU restrictions as obstacles. OCHA U/SYG Egeland
elaborated on these points (drawing from his April 20 Council
briefing),warning that in the face of a $500 million funding
shortfall, UN agencies would effectively run out of money 'in
the coming weeks.' Egeland acknowledged U.S. contributions
but said that more donors were needed, distributing a
comparative analysis of funding for the Work Plan for Sudan

USUN NEW Y 00000944 002.2 OF 002


between 2005 and 2006 (refmail).


6. (SBU) Egeland appealed to donors to encourage their
respective Parliaments to dedicate funds (after German PR
Pleuger blamed his country's '$0' entry for 2006 commitments
on lack of a budget). Egeland also solicited donors'
assistance in convincing the GNU to lift restrictions against
NGOs, especially the need to reinstitute the Norwegian
Refugee Council in the Kalma camp. He encouraged non-Western
powers (i.e., Arab countries) to be more pro-active with the
GNU in this regard, proposing a joint meeting with Gulf
countries. Egeland made a point of welcoming Libya as a
donor.


7. (SBU) DPKO A/SYG Annabi declared that despite the UN's own
promise of assistance to the AU (beginning with establishment
of a Joint Operations Center for AMIS operations),a pledging
conference was a necessity, especially given the complexity
of the security arrangements that would be involved in any
Abuja agreement. He noted he had spoken with AU Peace and
Security Council Ambassador Djinnit about a possible June
6/7/8 date for such a conference, to be held in Brussels,
pending EU agreement. Annabi had also proposed to Djinnit
that the conference be preceded by an 'Abuja Implementation
Planning Meeting' in Addis Ababa under AU auspices to
determine additional requirements (such as troop-to-task and
cost) an accord could produce. The conclusions of this
meeting, Annabi offered, could form the basis of the
subsequent Brussels conference.


8. (SBU) Some donors relayed their forthcoming offers of
support. UK PermRep Jones Parry said that the UK had
recently promised 20 million pounds in AMIS support but
cautioned that AMIS would require more sustained support from
all donors, since, in his estimation, it would not be able to
hand over to the UN until at least January 2007. Norwegian
PR Lovald indicated his government was prepared to offer
additional funding, and the Netherlands representative noted
his country had just committed 10 million euros. The EC said
that while it had already met its Oslo pledges, it would
consider further funding. The Italian PermRep announced GOI
plans to contribute $300,000.
BOLTON