GHANA ON SOMALIA, SUDAN, ZIMBABWE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ACCRA 000613 SIPDIS SIPDIS EMBASSY ADDIS FOR USAU E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/17/2017 TAGS: GH PHUM PREL UNHCR ZI KPKO CT CD UNSC AU SO SUBJECT: GHANA ON SOMALIA, SUDAN, ZIMBABWE REF: A. STATE 30382 ¶B. STATE 33268 ¶C. STATE 33367 Classified By: Ambassador Pamela E. Bridgewater for reasons 1.4 d and e . ¶1. (C) Summary: On March 16, Ambassador met with Deputy Foreign Minister Akwasi Osei-Adjei (the Foreign Minister was out of the country) to discuss Somalia, Sudan and Zimbabwe. The Deputy Minister said Ghana would issue statements on Somalia and Zimbabwe by Mach 19 and was committed to resolving the Darfur risis through the AU an UN. End summary. Soalia -------------- ¶2. (C) Osei-Adjei said he had soken with President Kufuor who agreed that Ghana needed to make a strong statement against the attack on AMISOM forces, both as AU Chair and as a country which has committed to sending troops to Somalia. Ghana plans to issue such a statement March 16 or 19, he said. Zimbabwe -------------- ¶3. (C) Ambassdor delivered ref B demarche, emphasizing USG concern at the highest levels about Zimbabwe's security situation. She urged the GOG, as AU Chair and an active member of the UN Human Rights Council, to take a leadership position in condemning the recent brutal attacks. Ghana's stance on this matter would be an important part of its legacy as AU Chair, she said, noting President Kufuor's recent statement that the attacks were "embarrassing." Osei-Adjei thought the attack on Morgan Tsvangirai was "more than embarrassing - it was a disaster" and said the GOG would issue a statement on Zimbabwe by March 19. He had hoped Africa had moved beyond the era of one-man authoritarian rule and that the AU and Human Rights Council would take a strong stand on Zimbabwe, which he said Ghana would be willing to sponsor. Sudan -------------- ¶4. (C) In response to ref C demarche on President Bashir's rejection of a "Heavy Support Package" for Darfur, Osei-Adjei agreed with the urgent need to solve the Darfur problem, stressing that national sovereignty should not be the issue and that "enough is enough." President Kufuor has personally engaged on this issue and will use his influence as AU Chair to work for a solution through AU mechanisms. Osei-Adjei pointed out that Ghana co-sponsored the UN resolution on Darfur and supports a hybrid force, and that "Sudan has never forgiven us for it." Ghana will look at any new UN Security Council resolutions objectively, he added. BRIDGEWATER