KENYA TO RETAIN IGAD CHAIR, PLANS SUMMIT ON

UNCLAS NAIROBI 002040 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KE SO SU SUBJECT: KENYA TO RETAIN IGAD CHAIR, PLANS SUMMIT ON SUDAN'S CPA ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Kenya will retain the chairmanship of IGAD at least through August and probably beyond. Kenya's immediate tasks as IGAD Chair are 1) to convince Eritrea to return to IGAD, 2) to promote Somali reconciliation and the success of AMISOM, and 3) to convene an IGAD Head of State summit on Sudan's Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) before the end of August, without alienating the Government of Sudan. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) Tom Amolo, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Director for Political Affairs, spoke to PolCouns about the state of IGAD diplomacy. Foreign Minister Tuju is consulting with IGAD Heads of State about next steps, hence his recent trip to Djibouti and his imminent trip to Uganda. Amolo said that consensus opinion within IGAD is that now is not the time for the chairmanship to rotate to Ethiopia. Ethiopia shares this view. ¶3. (SBU) Amolo said that before the rotation of the chairmanship to Ethiopia can occur, Kenya must try to woo back Eritrea, which suspended its membership following the Council of Ministers meeting in April due to disagreements concerning Somalia. Eritrea is very unlikely to return to an IGAD headed by Ethiopia, Amolo added. He indicated that Kenya is also considered by IGAD members to be in a better position than Ethiopia to promote regional diplomacy on behalf of a favorable outcome in Somalia and the success of AMISOM. ¶4. (SBU) Amolo said that yet another reason for retention of the chairmanship by Kenya is that "delicate negotiations" are underway for the convening of a Head of State IGAD Summit sometime before the end of August on the topic of Sudan's Comprehensive Peace Agreement. "If this issue is not handled correctly, then Sudan could walk away from IGAD just as Eritrea did." Amolo pointed out that IGAD is a "guarantor" of the CPA and hence had a role to play in ensuring its implementation. "But we cannot do this alone. We need all those who made the CPA a reality to re-engage with the parties to insist they live up to their commitments." Amolo confirmed that the CPA will be the sole focus of the IGAD Summit. RANNEBERGER