AMBASSADOR DELIVERS ADMINISTRATOR FORE'S OGADEN

UNCLAS ADDIS ABABA 003454 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS USAID FOR ADMINISTRATOR FORE AND SPECIAL ASSISTANT BARBARA FEINSTEIN STATE DEPARTMENT FOR AF A/S FRAZER, DAS JSWAN, AF/E, AF/PDPA, OES, AND PRM/AFR AFR/AA KALMQUIST, WWARREN, JBORNS, KNELSON, CTHOMPSON DCHA/AA MHESS, GGOTTLIEB DCHA/OFDA KLUU, ACONVERY, CCHAN, PMORRIS, KCHANNELL DCHA/FFP JDWORKEN, PMOHAN, SANTHONY, PBERTOLIN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM EAID PREL ET SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR DELIVERS ADMINISTRATOR FORE'S OGADEN LETTER TO PRIME MINISTER REF: A. ADDIS 3386 ¶B. ADDIS 3407 ¶1. (SBU) Ambassador Yamamoto delivered Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance and USAID Administrator Henrietta Fore's letter about Ethiopia's Ogaden region to Prime Minister Meles on December 4. The letter and Ambassador's comments laid out key findings from Administrator Fore's November 25 visit to Gode and subsequent meetings -- emphasizing the Ethiopian Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Agency's (DPPA) own call for additional food, medicines, trucks, and funding resources -- and highlighted the United States' willingness to provide additional resources to meet the humanitarian needs of the people in conflict affected areas. The Ambassador also stressed Administrator Fore's offer, in light on on-going questions about conditions on the ground in the Ogaden, to send a U.S. assessment team to the region. ¶2. (SBU) Noting Administrator Fore's findings from her visit, Prime Minister Meles said that he would check with his people about these issues and respond if appropriate. Meles was non-committal on the offered assessment team, noting that DPPA and the World Food Program are expected to embark on an assessment mission on December 17. (Note: While the DPPA/WFP assessment would focus on food needs and logistical distribution modalities, the proposed U.S. assessment would focus more broadly on nutritional, health, and other needs as well). Meles urged the Ambassador to work with DPPA on the assessment team offer. Ambassador and USAID Mission Director will follow-up with DPPA on this proposal. YAMAMOTO