SUDAN - DEMARCHE ON UNHCR CLUSTER ROLE IN DARFUR DELIVERED

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000897 SIPDIS AIDAC SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR AF/SPG, PRM, PERKINS, 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 PLERNER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PREF PGOV PHUM SOCI UN SU SUBJECT: SUDAN - DEMARCHE ON UNHCR CLUSTER ROLE IN DARFUR DELIVERED IN KHARTOUM REF: STATE 073768 KHARTOUM 00000897 001.2 OF 002 -------------- SUMMARY -------------- (SBU) On June 3, 2007, the Senior Humanitarian Advisor for USAID/Sudan met with the Officer in Charge and the Assistant Deputy Representative of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Khartoum to deliver talking points per the demarche cable sent to Geneva on May 30, 2007 (REFTEL). In response, UNHCR pointed to the ongoing negotiations with the Government of National Unity (GNU),which continues to stress that UNHCR performance in West Darfur needs to be evaluated before an expansion of their involvement in camp coordination and protection can be considered for North and South Darfur. UNHCR noted that scaling up in Darfur is complicated, time-consuming, and full of starts and stops due to the need for government approval. The parting note by UNHCR suggested that public pressure from the USG on UNHCR would most likely be counterproductive and further delay GNU approval of UNHCR service expansion. End summary. -------------- RESPONSES TO PROPOSED UNHCR EXPANSION -------------- ¶1. (SBU) In response to the points of the demarche, the Officer in Charge of UNHCR noted that the cluster approach has not yet been formally launched in Sudan, and that UNHCR and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) are still collaborating on camp coordination and protection under an informal agreement signed in Sudan on January 29, 2005. The GNU is not party to this agreement and has, up to now, maintained its position that UNHCR's performance in West Darfur needs to be evaluated before any expansion of engagement in Darfur could be considered. ¶2. (SBU) In a separate communication following the June 3 meeting, UNHCR noted that the High Commissioner for UNHCR (HC) has held various meetings with Sudanese government authorities on the issue of camp coordination. In these meetings, the HC explained that the UN Country Team has requested UNHCR to expand its protection and camp coordination and management activities, both in West Darfur but also in North and South Darfur. The HC stressed that UNHCR could only do this in cooperation with the GNU and that UNHCR's overriding goal was to help people in need. ¶3. (SBU) In addition, UNHCR reported that GNU officials expressed that the proposed expanded role for UNHCR in Darfur might "raise more questions than answers". While the GNU has indicated some confidence in UNHCR's intentions, officials remain concerned about the consultations process. GNU officials have pointed out that protection and camp coordination and management may be interpreted differently by the various parties, citing past problems on this point with the Norwegian Refugee Council. UNHCR was advised to "focus on the West and leave the South and North" out. ¶4. (SBU) In response to the GNU's comments, the HC recalled that internally displaced persons (IDPs) are the primary responsibility of the government. He traced the development of the cluster approach and stressed that UNHCR involvement is contingent on agreement from the government. UNHCR plans to scale up efforts in West Darfur, evaluate the results, and determine how these efforts might be replicated in North and South Darfur. The HC reiterated that an agreement with the government would need to be reached before any expansion occurred. -------------- TOWARDS SERVICE EXPANSION -------------- ¶5. (SBU) In the June 3 meeting, UNHCR stated that a UNHCR/Geneva staff member recently completed a four-week field assignment in Darfur to assess the conditions for UNHCR's expanded role in camp coordination and protection under the UN cluster "Cluster for Camp Coordination and Management" (CCCM). The mission report is not yet available. One product is a typology of IDP settlements into "Camps with established CCCM structure", "Settlements with 100 percent or substantial IDP population", "Settlements with limited IDP population", and "Other locations of concern". Based on this KHARTOUM 00000897 002.2 OF 002 typology, UNHCR and OCHA will determine which settlements will fall under UNHCR's coordination responsibility and which will remain with OCHA. Given the vast difference between settlements of a classical camp nature and others where IDPs are mixed into a majority-resident population, UNHCR and OCHA are in the process of determining the distribution of responsibility. The two agencies meet on a weekly basis to coordinate the shared responsibility. ¶6. (SBU) In addition, UNHCR noted that it closely coordinates with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the preparations and is mindful of the potential for the GNU to use the transition phase to pursue the GNU's own agenda vis-a-vis the presence of NGOs in Darfur. ¶7. (SBU) UNHCR admitted that the donor briefing process was incomplete and was largely bilateral. The USG was briefed through the Department of State's Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM). USAID did not have a bilateral briefing. -------------- SCALING UP BUT HOW FAR -------------- ¶8. (SBU) Current draft plans call for the establishment of eight offices, with a presence similar to the set-up of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). UNHCR noted that the establishment of one Minimum Operational Security Standards-compliant office costs USD 1 million. Final plans have not yet been drawn up but will likely include a sub-office in each state with strategically placed field offices in critical areas, as well as frequent travel to individual camps. -------------- FUTURE FOR NGOS IN CAMP COORDINATION -------------- ¶9. (SBU) In closing the meeting, UNHCR noted that the International Rescue Committee (IRC) might be close to "calling it quits" with camp coordination. The constant pressure on IRC staff stemming from bureaucratic impediments and problematic visa extensions may have brought IRC close to resigning from camp coordination. UNHCR expressed concern that the potential departure of the strongest NGO camp coordinator, IRC, could lead to a possible domino effect with other NGOs abandoning camp coordination efforts as well. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶10. (SBU) UNHCR is keenly aware of the concern USAID has for timely acceptance of camp coordination responsibilities in all three Darfur states. It is, however, concerned that USG pressure exerted on UNHCR, if escaping into the public domain, would result in a further delay in obtaining necessary GNU approval. FERNANDEZ