LEBANON: GOL UPDATE ON NAHR AL-BARID RECONSTRUCTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 001829 SIPDIS SIPDIS NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/GAVITO/YERGER E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/26/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL KPAL IS LE SUBJECT: LEBANON: GOL UPDATE ON NAHR AL-BARID RECONSTRUCTION Classified By: DCM William Grant for reasons 1.4 (b) (d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Ambassador Khalil Makkawi, head of the GOL's Lebanese Palestinian Dialogue Commission, expressed concern about the pace of reconstruction efforts in the Nahr al-Barid (NAB) Palestinian refugee camp. With the arrival of winter weather, many families are suffering in their less than ideal temporary shelters. Ambassador Makkawi hopes that UNRWA will retain a sense of urgency and not place this issue in their "business as usual" workload. The impending election of a new Lebanese president and follow-on selection of a new prime minister and cabinet will not impact the LPDC's work, Makkawi said, implying that he would continue to head this organization, which reports directly to the Prime Minister, even after those changes. End Summary. -------------- RELATIONS WITH UNRWA -------------- ¶2. (C) On November 21, Special Assistant met with Ambassador Makkawi, Rima Aboushaka and Nedim Shehady to review progress of the Nahr Al-Barid reconstruction efforts. Ambassador Makkawi expressed frustration with UNRWA's pace on this project. "This is still a humanitarian emergency, but they seem to be treating it as 'business as usual.'" Makkawi was frustrated by the fact that Richard Cook, Director of UNRWA's Lebanon Field Office, is in the middle of a one month vacation. "I haven't had a single day off since this crisis started," added Makkawi. He also wants UNRWA to push for additional donations from foreign governments. The USG contribution of USD 10 million to UNRWA is one of the few that has been finalized. ¶3. (C) Makkawi also mentioned an issue that appears to be a sore subject for him. He said that UNRWA was trying to "evade" responsibility for the Palestinian refugees who lived in the new portion of the NAB camp, saying that only the old part of the camp was officially under UNRWA's control. Makkawi said that he had to convince UNRWA that, as Palestinian refugees, residents of the new camp were, in fact, part of UNRWA's mandate in Lebanon. Reconstruction of the new camp is a separate issue, according to Makkawi, but there never should have been a question about the refugees themselves. ¶4. (C) Finally, he mentioned a key challenge in the months to come. UNRWA and the World Bank are conducting a series of reconstruction assessment reports. The GOL has contracted a local firm, Khatib and Alami, to do the same. (Note: The GOL used Khatib and Alami to conduct similar surveys after the 2006 war with Israel. While the GOL seems confident with the firm's factual assessments, NGOs and residents have complained about the pace of these surveys, which led to delays in compensation payments for many residents in Southern Lebanon. End Note.) According to Ambassador Makkawi, the two sets of assessments will have to be combined and reconciled at some point and he dreads the bureaucratic delays that will likely result. -------------- RELIEF COORDINATION AND ALLOCATION -------------- ¶5. (C) According to Ambassador Makkawi, a special committee has been established to coordinate Lebanese interagency and international reconstruction work in NAB. The LPDC will chair and other members include the Lebanese Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR),the Lebanese High Relief Commission, the Lebanese Armed Forces and the World Bank. He is particularly pleased that this group has been able to meet with municipal leaders from the Tripoli area to listen to the problems their Lebanese constituents have faced during and after the conflict. Dialogue with the local representatives is key if tension between Lebanese and Palestinian residents of the Tripoli area is to be diffused. He provided a list of key municipal leaders to the Special Assistant and recommended that the Embassy also meet with this group to hear their concerns. ¶6. (C) Makkawi also expressed concern that no international donor funds had been contributed to the LPDC's USD 28.5 million appeal to help Lebanese citizens who were impacted by the conflict. "All of the funds are going to the Palestinians," said Makkawi, "and this creates political problems for those of us who are working for a more harmonious relationship between the Lebanese and Palestinian residents." -------------- BEIRUT 00001829 002 OF 002 CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT WON'T AFFECT LPDC -------------- ¶7. (C) Makkawi smiled when asked if he and his office would continue their work once the Lebanese presidential election process is completed, saying that every diplomat in town had asked him the same question in recent weeks. The LPDC was established by a formal decree from the Council of Ministers with no end date. It would take another decree to close the office and Makkawi is confident that this will not happen. When asked if he personally would continue in his current position, Makkawi indicated that he has no plans to resign at this time. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶8. (C) Makkawi is a veteran diplomat with passion for this cause and an excellent working relationship with the current prime minister, Fouad Siniora. Once the Lebanese parliament elects a new president, Siniora and his cabinet submit their resignations and a process of selecting a PM and cabinet begins. Makkawi's continued effectiveness may be determined in large part by his relationship with the incoming prime minister. End Comment. FELTMAN