Netherlands/Liberia: Dutch Embassy will cover

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 000070

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID EFIN ECON PREL EUN LI NL
SUBJECT: Netherlands/Liberia: Dutch Embassy will cover
Partners' Forum

REF: STATE 201818 (NOTAL)


1. (SBU) Summary: The Dutch Embassy in Washington will send an
officer to the February Liberia Partners' Forum. The Dutch are
phasing out their humanitarian assistance to Liberia, citing lack of
resources. Dutch development assistance is expected to continue at
a modest level, but could increase over the next few years. End
summary.


2. (U) The GONL expects to send political officer Wouter Vidlund
from its Washington embassy to cover the Liberia Partners' Forum in
February (co-hosted by the European Commission). MFA West Africa
Division Head Paul Litjens told poloff January 10 that the
Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Finance are not likely to send
personnel from The Hague.


3. (SBU) The Netherlands provided Liberia with approximately 2
million Euro in 2006 for police uniforms and equipment, according to
Litjens. However, Liberia is not on the GONL's official list of 43
development partner countries, and Litjens explained that this
precludes the Dutch from providing significantly greater levels of
assistance.


4. (SBU) Separately, MFA Humanitarian Division Head Joost Andriessen
told econoff January 11 that the Dutch are phasing out their
humanitarian aid programs in Liberia. Andriessen said Liberia's
situation requires more resources than the Dutch have available,
especially given ongoing commitments in Sudan, the Great Lakes
region, and the Netherlands' 43 development assistance partner
countries (36 of which are in sub-Saharan Africa).


5. (SBU) Litjens suggested that the emergence of a Dutch coalition
government that included the Labor Party (PvdA) - an increasingly
likely scenario here - might result in the addition of either Sierra
Leone or Liberia to the list. For now, he said, that is mere
speculation.
Blakeman