SENEGAL CONTEMPLATING WITHDRAWAL FROM DARFUR

C O N F I D E N T I A L DAKAR 000820 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR AF, AF/SPG, AF/RSA, AF/W, IO/UNP AND IO/PSC ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU PARIS FOR POL - D'ELIA E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/13/2017 TAGS: MOPS PKPO PREL SG SU SUBJECT: SENEGAL CONTEMPLATING WITHDRAWAL FROM DARFUR Classified By: CDA Robert P. Jackson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) On April 11, Senegal,s Council of Ministers issued a statement declaring that &If the African Union is not empowered and given the means to assure the safety of our people in the field, the Government of Senegal could foresee a pullout of its (532) peacekeepers.8 The statement deplored the serious deterioration of the security situation in Darfur; expressed its indignation over the April 1 murder of five Senegalese peacekeepers; and reaffirmed the necessity of a rapid, peaceful and lasting solution to the Darfur crisis. Prime Minister Macky Sall subsequently underscored Senegal,s frustration with Sudan and the situation in Darfur in a meeting with the Ambassador. ¶2. (U) On April 12, the DATT attended the emotional funeral for the five murdered peacekeepers at Armed Forces Headquarters in Dakar. That evening, at President Abdoulaye Wade,s direction, Senior Minister of Foreign Affairs Cheikh Tidiane Gadio convoked the press and the diplomatic corps for a somber news conference. PAO heard Gadio demand a full, official investigation of the deaths. Gadio also demanded that Sudan accept all relevant UN Security Council resolutions and again called for the African Union (AU) Mission in Sudan (AMIS) to be converted to a UN peacekeeping operation. Gadio said Senegalese are willing to die for Africa, but the current operation to end the &genocide8 lacks necessary materiel, financing and security. Underscoring Senegal,s sadness and frustration, he said Senegalese peacekeepers have been told to go to cantonments and that Senegal will not send the additional 300 soldiers it had committed to the 7,000-strong force until actions are taken to promote prospects for success. ¶3. (C) COMMENT: The statement from the Council of Ministers is very unusual. For the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister to both reinforce the message is even more unusual. We sense that unless the AU, UN or the Wisemen, who include Presidents Wade and Obasanjo, are able to convince the Sudanese Government to accept a UN peacekeeping operation, the Senegalese will soon return home. END COMMENT. JACKSON