SUDAN - TRANSITION OF USG OWNED/OPERATED AMIS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 163979

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
ADDIS PLS PASS TO USAU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/5/2012
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPKO SU
SUBJECT: SUDAN - TRANSITION OF USG OWNED/OPERATED AMIS
CAMPS TO UNAMID BY JANUARY 1, 2008

REF: STATE 144892

Classified By: IO A/S Kristen Silverberg for reasons 1.4(b, d)


1. (U) This is an urgent action request for USUN. Please see
paras 5 and 6 for instructions and text of a note verbale.

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BACKGROUND
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2. (SBU) As requested by the UN, the Department of State is
preparing to transfer all USG-owned Darfur peacekeeping
equipment and facilities to the UN by January 1, 2008.
(Note: We are seeking a Presidential waiver of the United
Nations Participation Act requirements for reimbursement.
This waiver requires a 15-day notification to Congress. We
are moving expeditiously to complete these steps by January
1, 2008. End Note.) The UN confirms it will assume full
responsibility for the operations and maintenance of those
assets, including the 32 African Union Mission in Sudan
(AMIS) camps and the two logistics operating bases previously
built, owned, maintained, and staffed by the USG as of
January 1, 2008. The UN intends to do so through a mix of
separate support arrangements. Under these arrangements,
troop contributors (TCCs) would also be responsible for
certain operations and maintenance elements. TCCs that
choose to take on their own maintenance will receive
self-sustainment reimbursement from the UN. The UN has opted
for a mix of separate support arrangements over other
options, including (a) the October USG offer to continue
operations and maintenance (O & M) services through March
2008 on a reimbursable basis (reftel),(b) an increase in the
scope of work of the UN sole source contract with the U.S.
company Pacific Architects and Engineers (PAE) for logistical
support to the UN,s Heavy Support Package, and (c) a limited
competition for a short-term contract.


3. (SBU) During 26-28 November meetings and telcons between
personnel from USUN, the Department,s Sudan Programs Group,
and UN DPKO, the head of the UN,s Darfur Integrated
Operations Team, Michael Gaouette, and Acting Director of
DPKO,s Logistics Support Division, Max Kerley, confirmed
that all U.S. assets and responsibilities should be
transferred to the UN by no later than January 1. These
discussions followed the October 11 delivery of USG note
verbale (reftel) offering continued USG-provided O&M services
on a reimbursable basis and subsequent verbal indications
from UN DPKO personnel, including U/S Jane Hall Lute, that
the UN was not interested in such an arrangement. Per the
November meetings, the USG and UN pledged to work closely
together to carry out an effective transition, placing the UN
on the firmest foundation possible from which to deploy
UNAMID. The Department is committed to supporting the UN and
UNAMID deployment and is working to ensure it will be
prepared to transition its Darfur peacekeeping assets to the
UN no later than 1 January. In addition to its permanent
Government Technical Monitor in Darfur, the Sudan Programs
Group will deploy personnel to Sudan from approximately
December 7 - 18 and January 3 - 14 to help oversee this
process and link up with UN personnel on the ground. USUN
should encourage DPKO to identify personnel to deploy to the
various sites in Darfur to help facilitate the handover.


4. (C) The Department welcomes the UN,s step to assume
responsibility for support services to UNAMID starting
January 1, 2008 and will assist, to the extent possible, in
facilitating a smooth transfer of authority. However, the
Department has concerns that the arrangements the UN is
seeking to put in place cannot realistically meet the
immediate support requirements in the mission,s vast and
challenging area of operations. Instead of consolidating
logistical support arrangements under a single contracting
mechanism, the UN has chosen to break apart the various
elements (fuel, water, food, camp service, equipment
maintenance and repair etc.) into separate arrangements. The
Departments fears this will make for a challenging operating
environment, in which service interruptions are likely that
could negatively impact the effectiveness of the UNAMID
mission. The Department further believes that the UN is
relying too heavily on local capacity, of which there is
little to none in Darfur, and on TCCs that are unprepared to
provide the essential services. While we do not want to
dissuade the UN from assuming responsibility for peacekeeping
support services on January 1, the Department believes the UN
should consider using its sole-source contract already in

STATE 00163979 002 OF 002


place as a viable fall-back plan to ensure the mission
receives adequate support after January 1.

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REPORTING DEADLINE AND POINTS OF CONTACT
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5. (SBU) The Department requests the below Note Verbale be
delivered to appropriate DPKO interlocutors and leadership no
later than December 7. For additional background
information, please contact AF/SPG Josh Drake at
(202-647-2348) or AF/SPG Rebecca Jovin at (202-647-4597).
The Department further requests that USUN stress, in
delivering the Note Verbale, the need for maximum UN
preparedness for a January 1, 2008 takeover. USUN should
engage with relevant partners on this issue, as appropriate.


6. (SBU) Begin Note Verbale Text:

Opening compliments.

The United States Government (USG) has received requests from
the United Nations (UN) to transfer all USG-owned and
operated Darfur peacekeeping equipment and facilities to the
UN by January 1, 2008, at which point the UN will also assume
full responsibility for the operation and maintenance of
these and other Darfur peacekeeping assets. The USG has
reviewed these requests and is prepared to work with the UN
to achieve full transition of all USG-owned and operated
peacekeeping assets in Darfur by January 1, 2008.

The USG is working diligently to ensure it has all the
necessary authorities and personnel in place to effect a
smooth and timely transition. With nearly $40 million in
USG-owned and operated assets to transition, the USG requests
the UN work closely with key USG personnel in New York,
Washington, and particularly Darfur to carry out a smooth and
transparent transition and to place the UN on the firmest
possible foundation, from which to deploy UNAMID.

To that end, the USG requests the outline of this transition
be clearly communicated to all relevant UN and AMIS personnel
in Darfur, and that the UN consider identifying specific
transition personnel to serve as Darfur-based points of
contact at each of the 34 separate sites the USG currently
owns and proposes to hand over to the UN. The USG already
has numerous personnel in the field, including contractors,
to work with the UN in the lead up to transition, and is
deploying additional personnel to help plan and coordinate
transition. The USG is also concurrently exploring options
for retaining a limited number of contract personnel at base
camps for a period of approximately 14 days after January 1
to serve as transition advisors. Such personnel would not be
authorized to provide any operations and maintenance support,
but could advise UN personnel on camp requirements.

The United States would like to take this opportunity to
reaffirm its deep commitment to Darfur peacekeeping and the
successful transition from AMIS to UNAMID. The United States
looks forward to working with the UN over the coming weeks to
place the groundbreaking hybrid on the firmest foundation
possible by January 1.

Closing compliments.
RICE