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. -------------- BACKGROUND -------------- ¶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. -------------- REPORTING DEADLINE AND POINTS OF CONTACT -------------- ¶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