Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07KHARTOUM897
2007-06-07 06:40:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Khartoum
Cable title:  

SUDAN - DEMARCHE ON UNHCR CLUSTER ROLE IN DARFUR DELIVERED

Tags:  EAID PREF PGOV PHUM SOCI UN SU 
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VZCZCXRO8058
PP RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #0897/01 1580640
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 070640Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7509
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHRN/USMISSION UN ROME
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
-------------------------------------

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

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