PRIME MINISTER TELLS ADMINISTRATOR FORE "WE WILL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ADDIS ABABA 003386

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/24/2017
TAGS: PREL PHUM EAID ET SU
SUBJECT: PRIME MINISTER TELLS ADMINISTRATOR FORE "WE WILL
NOT LET PEOPLE DIE" IN THE OGADEN


Classified By: Ambassador Donald Yamamoto for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).

Summary:

1. (C) Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance and USAID
Administrator Fore questioned Ethiopia's Prime Minister Meles
on reports of imminent starvation of children and that only
half of the necessary food assistance is reaching the
afflicted area of the Ogaden. The Prime Minister stressed
that he would "not let people die" from starvation in the
Somalia region of Ethiopia. He said he diverted trucks
supporting Ethiopian troops in Somalia to help deliver food.
The Prime Minister questioned the alarmist reports from NGOs
of anticipated starvation in the region, asserting that food
is indeed getting to the area. Food deliveries were being
escorted by the Ethiopian military for security and to
prevent &leakage8 or food stolen by or purposely delivered
to the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) rebel group.
Fore said the U.S. Mission would share assessments and
exchange information on the situation in the Ogaden with the
Prime Minister's office, which Meles welcomed.


2. (C) On Sudan and the idea of a high level IGAD summit, the
Prime Minister remarked that this was tried before and failed
because Sudanese President Bashir viewed this as an
internationalization of Sudan's problems and would undercut
the CPA, which has a clearly defined mechanism to address
problem resolution. The USAID Director Fore and Prime
Minister Meles also spoke about a proposed public-private
entrepreneurs' fund to promote small and medium enterprise
and a possible USG-sponsored education summit, inviting
university presidents and academic leaders from around the
world, including Ethiopia. End Summary.

Prime Minister: We will not let people die from starvation


3. (C) Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance and USAID
Administrator Henrietta Fore praised the strategic
partnership between the U.S. and Ethiopia, but noted that as
friends, the U.S. was committed to working with and assisting
Ethiopia meet the humanitarian crisis in the Ogaden. The
Administrator spoke of reports of the imminent starvation of
children, that only one half of the needed food aid was
reaching the afflicted area, and a number of World Food
Program (WFP) food trucks were still not able to reach the
needy people due to lack of escorts and obstacles. The Prime
Minister remarked that his government took the NGO reports of
pending disaster seriously, though questioned their accuracy.
Nevertheless, while ordering the investigation of the
situation as well as the NGOs that made the claims, the Prime
Minister said the GOE had ordered stepped up food deliveries.
He note that the GOE diverted trucks supporting Ethiopian
troops in Somalia to help deliver food aid to the Somali
region of Ethiopia. The PM noted that the Ogaden faces
chronic food shortages conceding that the counter insurgency
operations against the ONLF have made the situation more
difficult. But there is sufficient food in the pipeline, he
said, to avert any crisis and Ethiopia would not allow people
to die of starvation. The Prime Minister called the NGO
warnings alarmist and inaccurate. NGOs usually raise the
worst case scenario on the situation in the Ogaden, and he
said much less emergency food aid is actually necessary. The
Administrator pledges the USG's support in gaining first hand
reports of the humanitarian situation in the Ogaden.


4. (C) Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance and USAID
Administrator Fore and USAID Mission Director Anders noted
that WFP trucks were not able to deliver food to primary
feeding sites due to the requirement for military escort.
Director Anders said WFP was cognizant of the dangers from
landmines and counterinsurgency operations, but felt it could
deliver food quickly and safely to some of the primary
feeding sites without military escorts. The Prime Minister
explained why escorts by the Ethiopian military (ENDF )
Ethiopian National Defense Force) were necessary. First, he
said, the ENDF provides force protection and enhances
security for the trucks making deliveries. Further, it
prevents &leakage8 of food aid stolen by or purposely
provided to the ONLF. Prime Minister Meles said the GOE was
engaged in a counter insurgency operation in the Ogaden and
the ONLF posed a serious security threat to the country and
the stability of the region. Military escorts were denying
food to the ONLF and keeping track of the trucks. Of the over
80 trucks which delivered food to the region, the Prime
Minister said the GOE knew exactly where the trucks were and

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of any problems encountered. The military escorts would be
suspended only once the security situation had improved
and/or if the military escorts prevented food from reaching
the targeted beneficiaries.

The Ogaden is a Security Challenge, Coordinating on
Information


5. (C) Prime Minister Meles elaborated on the counter
insurgency operation and the importance to national security
and the safety of NGOs and others working in the Ogaden. He
noted that recently Ethiopia was collecting information and
looking at NGOs to eliminate support for the ONLF. While
currently some nineteen NGOs operate in the region, a few
other NGOs were suspected of supporting the ONLF by providing
food and material and facilitating cash deliveries. The Prime
Minister said a few NGOs negotiated with the ONLF to ensure
the safety of their people in the field. The Prime Minister
asserted that such actions were known and not acted on three
months ago because they were not viewed as detracting from
security. Now, however, NGOs and others who support the ONLF
are contributing to insecurity and pose a security threat by
assisting the ONLF rebel group.


6. (C) The Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance and USAID
Administrator asked Prime Minister Meles on information of
individuals and groups knowingly or unwittingly connected
with the ONLF. The Prime Minister replied that he lacks
information about the support of the ONLF abroad and how it
collects funds in the U.S. and other places. But the GOE will
continue to focus on its counter insurgency operations
without placing people at undue risk and that he would not
allow people to die. The Prime Minister said there is
hardship for the NGOs working in the Ogaden, such as
restrictions placed on their operations. But this is
necessary, Meles noted, to prevent famine conditions and
ensure security. On pastoralist livelihood, the Prime
Minister remarked that due to insecurity created by the ONLF,
the GOE could not protect the nomadic pastoralists. But as
the security threat from the ONLF is contained, the GOE will
be able to protect and guarantee the livelihood of these
pastoralists.

Proposal for Coordination to Enhance Accuracy of Information


7. (C) The Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance and USAID
Administrator added that we need to get accurate information
about the pockets of famine like conditions. Administrator
Fore raised four areas of cooperation in providing the Prime
Minister our assessment of the situation in the Ogaden region
and exchanging of information to enhance accuracy of
information. (1) Accurate information must be obtained on
food deliveries being made to primary and secondary food
distribution sites. (2) To address the GOE's concern over
&leakage8 of food aid to the ONLF, NGOs and delivery
agencies like WFP should provide reports of problems
encountered and how much food is reaching food distribution
sites. (3) The Prime Minister suggested information on food
delivered and not delivered, and information at what point
mortality rates would increase. (4) information on
individuals and others providing support for the ONLF, i.e.
an assessment of the threat from the ONLF should be reviewed.

Sudan: An IGAD Summit not productive


8. (C) The Administrator asked about the prospects for peace
in Sudan. Assistant Administrator Almquist asked about the
possibility of a high level IGAD summit supporting peace and
stability efforts in the Sudan. Meles said first that the
situation in Sudan is not clear and that President Bashir is
now very much unpredictable. Meles will see Bashir and
special envoy Daniel Arap Moi in December. Implementing the
CPA is critical to peace, Meles said, but the north is taking
advantage of and playing on the weak and divisive south.
Making the situation more complex, the National Congress
Party (NCP) is antagonistic to the U.S. Meles said it is
getting harder to understand President Bashir and more
difficult to persuade him to act in the interest of regional
stability. He had helped persuade Bashir to accept UN
peacekeeping operations. But now it is too difficult to speak
with Bashir. An IGAD Summit would not be worthwhile. Meles
explained that he advocated this idea before but President
Bashir protested that it would internationalize Sudan's
problems and besides, the CPA had a clearly defined mechanism

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for resolving problems. On President Bashir supporting the
return to their villages of Internally Displaced Persons
(IDP),Meles replied that the North would expect the
international community to pay for programs to support
returns and would not be likely to put its own resources
toward this, even though the NCP would like the camps
dismantled.

Entrepreneur Fund and Meeting of Academic Leaders


9. (SBU) The Administrator raised a USAID proposal to create
a public-private entrepreneurs' fund to promote small and
medium-sized enterprises. Meles praised the idea as important
in enhancing development. The Administrator also raised the
idea of a USG-sponsored education summit in the spring in the
U.S., inviting university presidents and academic leaders
from around the world, including Ethiopia. Meles welcomed
this idea and said that Ethiopia was interested in distance
learning opportunities. India has a program in Ethiopia, but
it is expensive. Currently, Emory University has a program
for exchanges with Addis Ababa University and other ties with
American institutions was viewed positively.

Comment:

10.(C) The Prime Minister provided an opening for detailed
cooperation and information sharing on the situation in the
Ogaden to ensure accuracy of information as well as the
ability to gather information on the Ogaden. We will pursue
this opening to help facilitate continued efforts to open up
the Ogaden. The U.S. Mission has taken the lead in
coordinating information with UN Agencies, NGOs and
diplomatic corps, as well as working with the GOE to open
corridors for humanitarian aid relief. Ultimately, opening of
commercial food and livestock traffic, principally with
Somalia, will alleviate problems. But counter insurgency
operations against the ONLF which receives aid from Somali
clans opposed to Ethiopia, will make this effort difficult
until the GOE feels that it has the counter insurgency
program under control. End comment.

11.(U) Participants: Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and Chief of
Staff Gebretensai; Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance and
USAID Administrator Henrietta Fore; Assistant Administrator
Kate Almquist; Special Assistant Barbara Feinstein, USAID
Director Glenn Anders, and Ambassador (notetaker).


12. (U) Director Fore has cleared this cable.
YAMAMOTO