SECURITY CONCERNS PROMPT SHIFT OF GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS OF USG

UNCLAS SANAA 002164 SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR NEA STATE PASS TO AID/ANE/MEA FOR MWARD, DMCLOUD, JWOOD SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KMPI PREL YM SUBJECT: SECURITY CONCERNS PROMPT SHIFT OF GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS OF USG DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES IN YEMEN SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (U) On November 12, the Ambassador chaired an inter-agency meeting to discuss future programming of USG development activities in Yemen. The group concluded that the USG will not expend any new funds in Sa'ada, Al-Jawf, Amran, Mareb, and Shabwa, where sufficient USG oversight has not been possible over a 6 to 12 month period in some locations. On November 26, Ambassador Seche met with the Deputy Minister of Planning and International Cooperation to convey this decision. On November 27, USAID/Yemen was informed by the Deputy Minister that the government will start immediately to improve security in these areas. He also invited the Ambassador to travel to these areas in several months to witness first hand the improvement in security and reconsider the decision to not expend new funds in these areas. End summary. USG SHIFT IN GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS -------------- ¶2. (U) USG agencies (United States Agency for International Development, Department of Defense (DOD),Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI),and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) invest in a range of development activities throughout Yemen. The majority of these development activities are implemented in five remote governorates (Sa'ada, Al-Jawf, Amran, Mareb, and Shabwa) underserved by the Republic of Yemen Government (ROYG) and vulnerable to terrorist recruitment and activity. An escalation of terrorist activity and the deterioration of law enforcement in these governorates in the past year have increased the danger to USG and implementing partner personnel and prevented sufficient oversight and monitoring of development activities. ¶3. (U)Against this backdrop, on November 12 Ambassador Seche chaired an inter-agency meeting to discuss future programming of development activities in Yemen. It was decided that the USG (USAID, MEPI, USDA, and DOD) will not expend any new funds on projects in the five governorates previously targeted by USAID: Sa'ada, Al-Jawf, Amran (with limited exceptions),Mareb, and Shabwa. In Amran governorate, the USG will continue to invest in activities in Amran city and Thula south to the border. This decision was made given that, due to insecurity in these governorates, USG employees have not been able to travel regularly to these areas over a sustained period of time to provide sufficient project oversight and monitoring: travel to Al-Jawf and Sada'h has been off limits for official Americans since 2006. ¶4. (U) Ongoing USG projects will continue in these areas. As soon as security permits regular travel by USG employees over a 6 to 12 month period, the USG will reconsider investing new funds into these governorates. Until then, USG agencies will focus their efforts and resources in more secure areas, where they can make an impact and have sufficient project oversight and monitoring, but not risk the safety of their staff. Effective immediately, the USG will work with other donors to identify new governorates in which to support projects. During the next year, the USG - specifically USAID and DOD's Civil Affairs team - will work to handover existing projects in these five governorates to the ROYG. Given USDA projects are bilaterally approved, any shift in USDA projects will require mutual approval by the USG and the ROYG. MEETING WITH ROYG -------------- ¶5. (U)On November 26, Ambassador Seche and USAID's Program Development Specialist met with the ROYG's Deputy Minister for Planning and International Cooperation Hisham Sharaf Abdullah to convey this shift in geographic focus for USG programming. The Ambassador stated that the decision to not expend any new funds in these locations is driven by his responsibility to ensure the security and safety of his staff, which is his number one priority at all times. He added that USG programs in other parts of the country are unaffected by this decision. The Ambassador emphasized the ongoing USG commitment to Yemen and the five governorates in question, and the importance of the US -Yemeni strategic partnership. ¶6. (SBU)Deputy Minister Abdullah expressed his understanding of the decision, agreeing that the safety and security of USG staff and its partners is priority. He commented that this decision was understandable, noting that the Dutch have expressed concerns recently regarding security of their personnel in these five governorates. He mentioned several new security tactics that will be implemented to improve the security situation throughout the country. He explained as an example how security checkpoints will be reinforced to ensure cities become weapon-free. He indicated that the ban on firearms in major urban centers is having a positive impact, and will be expanded in the future. He emphasized that Yemen is in need of as much donor support as it can get from its friends, adding that bilateral relations will not be negatively affected by this decision. FOLLOW UP -------------- ¶7. (U) On November 27, Deputy Minister Abdullah called USAID/Yemen's Program Development Specialist to say that he had informed President Saleh of the November 26 meeting with Ambassador Seche. He stated that the ROYG will begin immediately to improve security in the five targeted areas in question. He also invited the Ambassador to travel to these areas in two to three months to witness firsthand the improvement in security and be convinced that the USG should start new activities in these targeted areas. SECHE