SUDAN - DISASTER REDECLARATION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KHARTOUM 001600 SIPDIS AIDAC SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/SPG, PRM, AND ALSO PASS USAID/W USAID FOR DCHA SUDAN TEAM, AFR/SP NAIROBI FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA, USAID/REDSO, AND FAS GENEVA FOR NKYLOH NAIROBI FOR SFO NSC FOR PMARCHAM, MMAGAN, AND TSHORTLEY ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU USUN FOR TMALY BRUSSELS FOR PBROWN USMISSION UN ROME FOR HSPANOS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PREF PGOV PHUM SOCI UN SU SUBJECT: SUDAN - DISASTER REDECLARATION KHARTOUM 00001600 001.2 OF 003 -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. The humanitarian situation in Sudan continues to warrant U.S. Government (USG) assistance to meet the emergency requirements of conflict-affected civilian populations throughout the country. USG humanitarian assistance in Sudan saves lives, mitigates the economic impact of conflict on livelihoods, and fosters economic recovery. The provision of humanitarian and transitional assistance is in the foreign policy interest of the USG, and the Sudanese government will continue to accept USG assistance as the humanitarian situation is beyond local capacity to manage. Charge d'Affaires Fernandez therefore redeclares a disaster due to the ongoing complex emergency in Sudan. End Summary. -------------- Darfur -------------- ¶2. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2007, interethnic clashes, fighting between armed opposition groups and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF),Arab militia attacks, aerial bombardments, and inter-factional fighting among the non-signatories to the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) displaced more than a quarter of a million people. As of September 2007, nearly 2.2 million people resided in internally displaced person (IDP) camps and settlements throughout Darfur and an additional 2 million people are affected by the ongoing conflict. In FY 2007, South Darfur experienced the highest levels of new internal displacement. ¶3. Despite the signing of the DPA in May 2006, insecurity increased throughout Darfur in 2006 and 2007, while humanitarian access to vulnerable populations sharply declined. According to the UN, humanitarian organizations were only able to access 73 percent of the affected population in July 2007. From January to June 2007, humanitarian agencies had the lowest levels of access to conflict-affected populations in Darfur since July 2004. ¶4. A major factor that inhibited delivery of humanitarian assistance was the frequent and dangerous attacks on aid agencies that persisted all year. According to UN reports, attacks against aid workers increased by 150 percent from June 2006 to June 2007. From January to September 2007, 97 vehicles were carjacked, 105 staff were temporarily taken hostage, 66 humanitarian personnel were physically or sexually assaulted, and 61 convoys were ambushed and looted. ¶5. In addition to the challenges of new displacement, violence against humanitarian agencies, and decreased humanitarian access, many camps have reached maximum capacity and new camps have not yet been established. Further, underground water reservoirs, trees, and other natural resources are rapidly being depleted to meet the growing needs of IDPs and relief organizations. In FY 2007, the UN reported the first increase in malnutrition levels across Darfur since 2004. Nutrition experts have attributed the rise in malnutrition to a variety of causal factors, including reduced access to services due to insecurity and inconsistent humanitarian access to many areas outside of the state capitals. ¶6. The conflict in Darfur has become protracted, reducing the likelihood that displaced populations will return to their areas of origin in the near future and necessitating a sustained relief operation to support more than 2.2 million people with food, health care, protection, and water, sanitation, and hygiene services in the coming months. USG humanitarian assistance provides life-saving services to millions of IDPs and conflict-affected populations in Darfur. -------------- Southern Sudan -------------- ¶7. The signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) on January 9, 2005, between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) began a new era of transition and recovery in Southern Sudan. In FY 2007, it is evident that security has greatly improved since the signing of the CPA and people and goods are moving freely. However, the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) has limited capacity to respond to KHARTOUM 00001600 002.2 OF 003 humanitarian needs. Neither GOSS nor new long-term funding mechanisms have been able to provide adequate new resource flows to expand basic social services, such as health care and water, sanitation, and hygiene. In 2008, half a million people displaced by the long civil war are expected to return to their homes throughout Southern Sudan, taxing scarce resources and further stressing services and infrastructure that are already inadequate for the current population. Expectations are high among Southern Sudanese that peace will bring improved services and economic recovery. The reality is that improvements are happening slowly outside of the major towns, threatening stability and support for the CPA. ¶8. In FY 2008, in keeping with its mandate to save lives and reduce suffering, USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) will focus on providing assistance in areas with highest IDP returns and with the greatest risk of returning to conflict. USAID/OFDA anticipates the largest program sector will continue to be emergency primary health care. Food security is expected to be the second major program sector, aiming to promote production and livelihoods, stimulate local markets, and reduce the need for external aid. Other major program areas for USAID/OFDA are likely to be the expansion of water and sanitation facilities in rural areas and direct assistance to returning IDPs. -------------- The Three Areas, Northern, and Eastern Sudan -------------- ¶9. The CPA has had a less visible impact in the Three Areas of Abyei, Southern Kordofan, and Blue Nile. Although security has greatly improved and people now enjoy freedom of movement, major problems persist. In Abyei, lack of political agreement has prevented the formation of a local authority and the demarcation of the north-south border, which would determine oil revenue sharing and who would vote in the 2011 referendum. Tensions in Abyei are high due to both ethnic and political divisions. In Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile, joint state governments have been formed by the two main political parties. However, the imbalance in infrastructure and services between former government-controlled and opposition-controlled areas remains stark. Many underlying causes of the civil war are still unresolved. All three areas have a high number of returning IDPs and refugees, particularly in the former opposition areas, where heavy fighting occurred during the war and where services are poorest. ¶10. In FY 2008, USAID/OFDA will continue to prioritize humanitarian programs in the Three Areas, focusing on primary health care, water and sanitation, and food security and livelihoods. -------------- USAID/OFDA Humanitarian Assistance -------------- ¶11. In FY 2007, USAID/OFDA helped meet immediate humanitarian needs in Sudan while transitioning to longer-term development activities where appropriate. USAID/OFDA responded robustly to the intense humanitarian emergency in Darfur and provided basic humanitarian services in areas of Sudan recovering from conflict, particularly for returning IDPs. In FY 2007, USAID/OFDA provided more than USD 104 million to 28 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and UN partners working in Darfur for multi-sector interventions to assist IDPs and vulnerable populations. In the rest of Sudan, USAID/OFDA awarded more than USD 60 million to 29 NGO and UN partners for emergency programs in the sectors of health, food security and agriculture, income generation, nutrition, protection, capacity building, coordination, and water, sanitation, and hygiene. USAID's overall package of emergency assistance included contributions from USAID/OFDA, USAID's Office of Food For Peace (USAID/FFP),and USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives (USAID/OTI). ¶12. In addition to the ongoing complex emergency in Sudan, flooding that began in late June 2007 affected more than 500,000 people in northern, eastern, and southern states. Above average rainfall and rising water levels along the Nile, Gash, and Atbara rivers affected communities in Southern Kordofan, Gezira, Sinnar, Kassala, Upper Nile, Jonglei, and Unity states. On July 19, the Charge d'Affaires declared a disaster due to the effects of flooding in Sudan. In response, USAID/OFDA airlifted relief supplies, including 1,300 rolls of plastic sheeting, and provided nearly USD 1.6 million to KHARTOUM 00001600 003.2 OF 003 support the flood response activities of NGOs and UN agencies. -------------- Disaster Redeclaration -------------- ¶13. In light of the above, Charge d'Affaires Fernandez redeclares a humanitarian disaster caused by the complex emergency in Sudan and requests continued support from USAID/OFDA. POWERS