SOMALIA DART SITUATION REPORT 10 UN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 NAIROBI 000523 SIPDIS AIDAC USAID/DCHA FOR MHESS, WGARVELINK, LROGERS DCHA/OFDA FOR KLUU, GGOTTLIEB, AFERRARA, ACONVERY, CGOTTSCHALK, KCHANNELL DCHA/FFP FOR WHAMMINK, JDWORKEN AFR/AFR/EA FOR JBORNS STATE FOR AF/E AND PRM STATE/AF/E FOR NGARY STATE/F FOR ASISSON STATE/PRM FOR AWENDT, MMCKELVEY NSC FOR TSHORTLEY USUN FOR TMALY BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER GENEVA FOR NKYLOH USMISSION UN ROME FOR RNEWBERG SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PREF PHUM PREL SO SUBJECT: SOMALIA DART SITUATION REPORT 10 UN STABILIZATION PLAN REFS: NAIROBI 00429 NAIROBI 00000523 001.2 OF 003 SUMMARY ¶1. The UN Country Team has launched a plan that outlines five priorities to achieve stabilization in Somalia over the next six months. The UN requests $50 million to achieve concrete outcomes from February to August 2007. The UN's priorities outlined in the document are building institutional capacity, establishing rule of law and security, providing basic social services through the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG),assisting and relocating internally displaced persons (IDPs),and generating employment and livelihood opportunities. End Summary. BACKGROUND ¶2. On January 30, the UN Country Team for Somalia presented USAID staff members with a draft of the UN Priorities in Support of Stabilization in South-Central Somalia. This plan outlines the immediate steps the UN will take in the next six months to support the historic window of opportunity created by the removal of the Council of Islamic Courts (CIC) from power. The plan requests a total of $50 million, of which $15.7 million has already been mobilized by UN agencies, leaving $34.3 million of the plan currently unfunded. ¶3. The activities outlined in the plan are priority actions focusing on the southern and central regions and are not intended to cover the full scale of UN operations. The UN plans to continue operations in Somaliland and Puntland as previously envisioned in its long-term strategy. The UN stabilization priorities for southern and central Somalia build on the humanitarian activities listed under the UN Consolidated Appeal for 2007 and several Reconstruction and Development Framework (RDF) objectives that can be launched now. ¶4. In order for interventions to be sustainable, the UN has developed a code of conduct for principled support and a do no harm approach. Learning from the past, the code of conduct is designed to prevent a system of coercion and violence. All UN agencies implementing the six month plan will adhere to the principles in the code of conduct. UN STABILIZATION PRIORITIES ¶5. In the plan, the UN outlines five priorities that relevant lead agencies will implement. Lead UN agencies identified include the UN Development Program (UNDP),the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF),the UN World Health Organization (WHO),the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR),the UN World Food Program (WFP),UN Population Fund (UNFPA),the Joint UN Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS),the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM),and the International Labor Organization (ILO). In the document, the UN lists intended outcomes under each of these five priority areas: --Capacity Building: The UN plans to build the institutional capacity of a number of key institutions through rehabilitation of buildings, provision of NAIROBI 00000523 002.2 OF 003 equipment, short-term technical assistance, and training. --Rule of Law and Security: The UN plans to establish rule of law and security through improved policing and reintegration of ex-combatants. --Social Services: The UN plans to provide basic social services through the TFG. For example, a back to school campaign, including the rehabilitation of schools, deployment and payment of teachers, and provision of school supplies are envisioned. Basic health care will also be rapidly provided to vulnerable populations. --IDPs: In the next six months, the UN plans to relocate and provide immediate assistance to IDPs living in public buildings or those displaced by the conflict. --Livelihoods: The UN also plans to increase affected populations' economic recovery through employment and increased livelihoods opportunities. ¶6. To achieve the five priority goals, the UN is taking immediate action to reinforce its operational capacity in Mogadishu. However, the UN suspended UN Common Air Service (UNCAS) flights to Mogadishu following the attack at Mogadishu airport on January ¶25. The suspension of humanitarian flights is likely to hamper the UN's ability to scale-up activities in Mogadishu that support the stabilization plan. FUNDING ¶7. The UN encourages donors to provide non-earmarked funds through the UNDP-managed Interim Support Fund (ISF) for Somalia or through the Humanitarian Response Fund managed by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). ¶8. The UN requests $50 million to support the operations outlined for the next six months, excluding food aid. UN agencies have already mobilized $15.7 million, leaving $34.3 million to be funded. ¶9. The Nairobi-based Somalia Donor Group is currently evaluating this plan and has not made any funding commitments. CONCLUSIONS ¶10. The plan presented by the UN Country Team is reasonable, practical, and achievable. The UN Country Team has strong leadership who understand the priorities and challenges of working in Somalia. ¶11. In fiscal year (FY) 2007, USAID plans to support strategic work in coordination with the UN and a range of development partners in the areas of peace and security, governing justly and democratically, and investing in people. Planned USAID investments in these areas are aligned with USG policy towards helping Somalia regain political, economic, and social stability. USAID will channel non-food humanitarian assistance through USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance's network of implementing partners NAIROBI 00000523 003.2 OF 003 and key UN agencies working to provide basic social services for vulnerable populations, including IDPs. ¶12. As of January 31, the UN had not issued a finalized version of this plan; consequently, the details described above may change at a later date. RANNEBERGER