SUDAN - UN/DONOR PRINCIPALS MEETING RESUMES

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001659

SIPDIS

AIDAC
SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/SPG, PRM, AND ALSO PASS USAID/W
USAID FOR DCHA SUDAN TEAM, AFR/SP
NAIROBI FOR USAID/ECARO, USAID/SFO, USAID/REDSO, AND FAS
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH
NSC FOR PMARCHAM, MMAGAN, AND TSHORTLEY
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
USUN FOR TMALY
BRUSSELS FOR PBROWN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID PREF PGOV PHUM SOCI UN SU
SUBJECT: SUDAN - UN/DONOR PRINCIPALS MEETING RESUMES

KHARTOUM 00001659 001.2 OF 002


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Summary
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1. On October 21, the UN reinstated the UN high-level donor
coordination meeting in Khartoum. The UN Deputy Special
Representative of the Secretary General in Sudan (D/SRSG) and the UN
Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator (RC/HC) in Sudan,
Ameerah Haq, chaired the meeting. At this first session, the UN
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) briefed
the donors on the current situation in Kalma internally displaced
person (IDP) camp in South Darfur, the UN Environmental Program
(UNEP) summarized environmental priorities in Sudan, and the UN
Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) updated donors on the return and
reintegration of IDPs and refugees. End summary.


2. USAID's Acting Mission Director attended the October 21 meeting,
which was well attended by senior officials from the donor
community. Absent, however, were the invitees from China, India,
and Malaysia. The D/SRSG reiterated her desire to include the
non-traditional donors in this forum. There was general support
from around the table to resume the UN donor principals meetings,
most likely to be set on a monthly basis.

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Kalma IDP Camp
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3. The D/SRSG and OCHA reported they had met with the Government of
National Unity's (GNU) Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) regarding
the situation at Kalma IDP camp, which has the potential to trigger
additional insecurity, both in Nyala and beyond. (Note: Septel with
more details on the Kalma IDP camp situation is forthcoming. End
note). Due to the recent, sharp rise in tensions and fighting
within the camp, HAC and the Wali of South Darfur have laid out
plans to close Kalma camp and have identified other sites for Kalma
IDPs to reside. The donors expressed extreme concern that this
could be considered a form of forced relocation, in direct violation
of international humanitarian principles that stipulate only
voluntary IDP movement. Several of the sites identified for
relocation are the same ones the Sudanese government had presented
to the international community as areas of return earlier in 2007.
As a result of the violence, burning of houses and buildings, and
unknown number of killings, IDPs have already begun moving out of
Kalma into Nyala town as well as to other camps in the vicinity.


4. At the meeting, it was unclear how the government plans to
proceed or whether the international community will have any
influence on decisions taken. The UN response currently is dual
track: UNMIS Civil Affairs, along with the African Union Mission in
Sudan (AMIS),will take the lead on security negotiations and
reconciliation efforts and the UN humanitarian agencies will
emphasize that humanitarian principles must be adhered to in
addressing and responding to the situation.


5. CDA Fernandez raised the situation at Kalma camp with MFA
Under-Secretary Mutriff Siddiq on October 25. Siddiq was clear that
the government has no intention of undertaking any such forced
relocation. He added that the Sudanese government adheres to the
principle of voluntary returns in Darfur and can only establish new
or substitute camps with the active support of the international
community, "we have no money to do this ourselves." He noted that
there had been similar international distrust when Zam Zam camp was
established in North Darfur when Abu Shouk camp was full, "but the
international community eventually saw that we were right." He
added that they are ready to explain the situation in Kalma camp to
the U.S., noting that it was political/ethnic infighting among IDPs,
mainly Zaghawa belonging to the SLM-Minni Minawi faction having
trouble with other groups.

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Environmental Debrief
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6. The UNEP representative briefed the donors on the post-conflict
environmental assessment report on Sudan, which was released earlier
this year. A key theme in the report was the large-scale, and
seemingly unchecked, environmental degradation underway in many
parts of the country. In addition, the report describes how
environmental degradation is one of the major drivers of conflict in
Darfur.


KHARTOUM 00001659 002.2 OF 002


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Returns and Reintegration
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7. The UNMIS Returns, Reintegration, and Recovery Unit (UNMIS RRR)
briefed the donors on the latest returns figures for 2007 and plans
for 2008. Under the joint GNU-UN-IOM-GOSS plan nearly 90,000 IDPs
and refugees were fully supported by the UN and the International
Organization for Migration (IOM) to return to their areas of origin
in 2007. Of the 90,000 returnees, half are refugees and half are
IDPs. In addition, government authorities, mostly at the Government
of Southern Sudan (GOSS) state level, have assisted more than 26,000
returnees; these efforts have generally not been coordinated with
the UN and IOM. UNMIS RRR is hoping to work with the states to
improve upon coordination and planning this year.


8. Out of the 4.6 million Sudanese IDPs and refugees, and estimated
1.2 million have returned since the Comprehensive Peace Agreement
(CPA) was signed. Of the 1.2 million returnees 160,000 were
refugees from neighboring countries, 70,000 of whom were assisted by
the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). UNMIS
RRR estimates that 90 percent of all returnees are spontaneous, and
generally do not receive much, if any, support from the UN agencies
and NGOs. An estimated 1.2 million people are expected to settle in
their areas of displacement and not return home.


9. According to the UN, livelihoods and particularly urban
livelihoods must be addressed more proactively, while recognizing
that basic social service needs still exist. The joint returns plan
for 2008 has still not been agreed to by the GNU and GOSS. The UN
is planning for approximately the same level of returns support as
in 2007 -- 100,000 refugees, 100,000 IDPs, and 40,000 returns
supported by the GNU and the GOSS in collaboration with UN agencies
and IOM.

FERNANDEZ