EGYPTIAN ASSISTANCE TO SOUTH SUDAN: AN EYE ON THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 001963 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ELA, AF/SPG E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/07/2018 TAGS: PREL EAID SU EG SUBJECT: EGYPTIAN ASSISTANCE TO SOUTH SUDAN: AN EYE ON THE FUTURE REF: CAIRO 1794 Classified By: Minister Counselor for Economic and Political Affairs William R. Stewart for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: The principal liaison officer at the Government of South Sudan's (GOSS) liaison office in Cairo, Parmena Makuet Mangar, told us that the Government of Egypt (GOE) maintained good relations with the GOSS, and was funding and working on various development projects in southern Sudan. Egypt is concerned about the possible disintegration of Sudan and feels that direct interaction with the GOSS will allow Egypt to preserve its access to the Nile and limit the flow of refugees, if Sudan does eventually break up. End Summary. ¶2. (C) On August 19, we met with Parmena Makuet Mangar, principal liaison officer at the Government of South Sudan's (GOSS) liaison office in Cairo. Mangar told us that the GOSS enjoyed good relations with the Government of Egypt (GOE), pointing out that Egypt is the only Arab state with a consulate in Juba. He said that the South Sudan Government was working with the Egyptians on various development projects. According to Mangar and the Egyptian press, the GOE provided a grant for 154 million Egyptian pounds (29 million USD) to construct four power plants in the southern cities of Bor, Rumbek, Wau and Yambio. Mangar noted that the power plant in the city of Wau, the capital of the state of Western Bahr al-Ghazal, has already been completed. He informed us that the GOSS and GOE recently signed a MOU, wherein Egypt will provide a grant of 141 million Egyptian pounds ($26.6 million USD) to the GOSS. Approximately 65 million Egyptian pounds (12 million USD) will be used to provide the GOSS with equipment to clear part of the Bahr al-Ghazal river, a major tributary of the White Nile. The remainder will be used to fund six other yet unspecified development projects. ¶3. (C) Egypt is also providing technical training, medical assistance and academic scholarships to South Sudan. Mangar told us that the GOE built a school in Juba, provided technical training for 90 South Sudanese police officers, and organized a training program for 120 Presidential Guards to protect GOSS President Salva Kiir. Thirty of the Presidential Guard officers have already completed the program. He also pointed out that the GOE is also providing 300 academic scholarships to students from South Sudan, which will allow the students to study any discipline at their choice of eight Egyptian universities. Mangar also commented that Egypt had provided doctors for a clinic, in Juba, that was capable of treating approximately 200 people a day. Neveen Ashmawy, Secretary General of the Egyptian Fund for Technical Cooperation with Africa (EFTCA) on August 10 told the Ambassador that Egypt had sent four doctors to Juba to staff a medical clinic that provides basic medical care as well as treatment against malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS (reftel). ¶4. (C) Cabinet Advisor for African Affairs Ahmed Abu Zeid told us on September 2 that Egypt is undertaking multiple projects with the GOSS to aid in the reconstruction of Sudan. Abu Zeid categorized these projects "as a peace dividend that was meant to support the CPA, and highlight to the South Sudanese the benefits of unity." He underscored that the projects were "capacity-building," and stated that although the projects were being carried out in conjunction with GOSS, Khartoum was fully aware and supportive of the Egyptian work. ¶5. (C) Comment: Egypt is becoming increasingly concerned about the potential for Sudan to split into multiple pieces, whether due to immediate threats such as the ICC indictment of Sudanese President Bashir, or longer-term issues such as the 2011 Referendum on independence for South Sudan. Cairo believes that a divided Sudan would increase the demand for Nile water resources thereby threatening Egypt's supply of Nile waters. It could also increase the number of Sudanese refugees and migrants coming to Egypt. Currently there are between 1-4 million Sudanese living in Egypt, the majority residing in and around Cairo. GOE engagement with the GOSS on the development front preserves good political relations with the southern leadership so that if Sudan does eventually break up, Egypt will have leverage to preserve its access to the Nile and limit the flow of refugees. SCOBEY