LEBANON: PRESIDENT ASKS UNDP TO HELP WITH NATIONAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIRUT 001316 SIPDIS DEPT FOR NEA/FO, NEA/ELA ALSO FOR IO ACTING A/S HOOK AND PDAS WARLICK DRL FOR DAS BARKS-RUGGLES P FOR HMUSTAPHA AND RRANGASWAMY USUN FOR KHALILZAD/WOLFF/SCHEDLBAUER NSC FOR ABRAMS/RAMCHAND/YERGER/MCDERMOTT AID/ME FOR LAUDATO/BEVER/SCOTT E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/04/2018 TAGS: PGOV EAID PREL PTER PHUM KDEM LE SUBJECT: LEBANON: PRESIDENT ASKS UNDP TO HELP WITH NATIONAL DIALOGUE REF: BEIRUT 1233 Classified By: AMBASSADOR MICHELE J. SISON FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) In a September 2 meeting with the Ambassador, UN Development Program Resident Representative Marta Ruedas reported that President Sleiman had recently approached the UN for technical assistance in setting up President Sleiman's Baabda Palace office and the National Dialogue. Ruedas said coordinating donor support for elections assistance has been slow, blaming the EU for the delays. Ruedas did not believe security would be a critical issue for the elections and thinks that security concerns should not prohibit the possibility of a one day election. She also expressed concerns about the recent violence in Tripoli. End Summary. PRESIDENT WANTS UNDP HELP ON NATIONAL DIALOGUE -------------- ¶2. (C) In a September 2 meeting with the Ambassador, USAID Acting Director, and PolOff, UN Development Program (UNDP) Resident Representative Marta Ruedas said President Sleiman's office recently approached UNDP about enhancing the institutional capacity of the Presidency. As a result, Ruedas said UNDP developed a plan that would aim to provide technical assistance to the President's office, the same way it has the Prime Minister's office, and the Justice and Finance Ministries. The project also will make sure a staff and a system is in place to support the upcoming National Dialogue, as well as set up a strategic communications office for the President that would focus on National Dialogue issues and other important topics. (Note: MEPI is currently funding a similar project in the PM's office through partnership with the International Republican Institute. End Note.) ¶3. (C) Ruedas said Sleiman wants UNDP support because he views the UNDP as an independent agency and is keen to launch the National Dialogue soon. Within the next two weeks, UNDP will bring in a consultant from South Africa, Hanas Ziebert, who has worked in South Africa on similar initiatives, according to Ruedas. She noted that UNDP is looking for funding to initiate the estimated $2-$3 million project and that one donor already had stepped forward to provide $1 million of the needed funding. (Note: Germany is the source of funding; the Germans have asked that it not be made public at this time. End Note.) ELECTORAL ASSISTANCE COORDINATION MOVING SLOWLY -------------- ¶4. (C) Concerning the upcoming 2009 parliamentary elections, Ruedas said UNDP also has a plan to provide elections assistance to the GOL for a three year period. The project will provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Interior and voter education training. UNDP, in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior, is ready to start coordinating donor contributions. However, Ruedas said UNDP and the Ministry of Interior are waiting for the EU to develop its plan for election assistance before moving forward with a coordinated donor strategy on providing elections assistance. USAID is moving ahead with its elections support program, but is coordinating with UNDP and Minister Baroud to ensure there is no duplication or conflict with other donor-funded programs. Once the EU completes its plan and a new electoral law is drafted, Minister of Interior Ziad Baroud will launch his "Master Plan" to coordinate UN, EU, Lebanese civil society groups, and U.S. - funded international NGO efforts. The EU plans to send elections observers, Ruedas added. (Note: We BEIRUT 00001316 002 OF 003 will have our nxt electoral assistance discussion with the Miniter on September 10. End Note.) EU SAYS UNDP PAN UNREALISTIC -------------- ¶5. (C) In a September 3 dinner with the Ambassador, EC Deputy Head of Mission Michael Miller criticized the UNDP plan as poorly written and unrealistic. Miller explained that the UNDP proposal focused on implementing feasible and non-feasible reforms over a three year period, as opposed to targeting specific reforms that are achievable before the 2009 elections. Miller said the EU is the largest supporter of UNDP, and will most likely fund the UNDP project but will stipulate that it focus on only the reforms that can be enacted before the 2009. ¶6. (C) Miller said it is feasible to introduce many reforms before the 2009 parliamentary elections, including pre-printed ballots, same day voting, use of ID cards instead of voters' cards, reduction of voting age to 18 years and the facilitation of access to polling stations for persons with disabilities. Miller does not believe out-of-country voting, absentee voting, and the introduction of a gender quota are reforms that can be implemented in time for next year's elections. ELECTION SECURITY NOT AN ISSUE -------------- ¶7. (C) Ruedas did not believe security would be an issue for the elections and that security concerns should not prohibit the possibility of a one day election. She believed that some politicians would use the issue to maintain the current system whereby elections are held in different districts over a four week period. However, if the GOL wants to push for a one day election, the Ministry of Interior has the resources to do so, according to Ruedas. (Note: This contradicts what Baroud has told us regarding Ministry of Interior resources, reftel. End Note.) CONCERNED ABOUT TRIPOLI -------------- ¶8. (C) Ruedas noted that a number of UNDP staff members are concerned about the security situation in Tripoli. She said the Lebanese Parliament recently approved a number of Islamic Bank Loans for the area to help improve the economic situation there. UNDP will send a two-person team to Tripoli soon to do an assessment and to talk to the mayor of Tripoli to see what the area's needs are. UNDP focused a number of its projects in the south, but now wants to shift its focus on municipalities in northern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley region, she said, adding that UNDP would be interested in coordinating any reconstruction efforts in Tripoli or elsewhere with USAID. COMMENT -------------- ¶9. (C) UNDP relies heavily on the experts from the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES),which is funded by the USG (MEPI and USAID). IFES will more than likely take the lead on providing technical assistance to the Ministry of Interior. Contacts also tell us that the UNDP proposal is unrealistic given that the proposal only asks for around $3.5 million for a three year period to provide technical assistance. IFES is asking the USG (via CEPPS) for approximately $3 million to provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Interior and get employees up to speed for the 2009 elections alone, and USAID plans to have that funding awarded by the end of September as part of a $6.15 million elections support program. USAID Lebanon is in the BEIRUT 00001316 003.5 OF 003 process of creating an integrated program over the next two years to strengthen institutions of democratic governance, both governmental and civil society, targeted at improved governance and greater civic participation. End Comment. SISON