Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08FREETOWN252
2008-06-02 12:29:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Freetown
Cable title:  

MANO RIVER UNION SECRETARY GENERAL ON RECENT

Tags:  PREL PGOV PINR SL 
pdf how-to read a cable
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DE RUEHFN #0252/01 1541229
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 021229Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY FREETOWN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1935
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 FREETOWN 000252 

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/W, OKEDIJI AND DAVIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/02/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR SL
SUBJECT: MANO RIVER UNION SECRETARY GENERAL ON RECENT
SUMMIT AND RESPONSE TO FOOD CRISIS, SECURITY

Classified By: Ambassador June Carter Perry for reasons 1.4(b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 FREETOWN 000252

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/W, OKEDIJI AND DAVIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/02/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR SL
SUBJECT: MANO RIVER UNION SECRETARY GENERAL ON RECENT
SUMMIT AND RESPONSE TO FOOD CRISIS, SECURITY

Classified By: Ambassador June Carter Perry for reasons 1.4(b) and (d)


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: On May 21, Ambassador Perry met with
Abraham Boure, Secretary General of the Mano River Union
(MRU). The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the recent
MRU summit in Monrovia. Besides Cote d'Ivoire's accession as
a full member of the Union on May 15, the most notable
outcome of the summit was the decision to create a food
security hub in Liberia, which will collect information,
devise strategies for addressing crises, and serve as the
primary interlocutor with donors and other stakeholders on
aid. With regards to peace and security, a Joint Security
Committee was established, which will begin regular meetings
in June to discuss border security and other transnational
issues. Though these plans currently exist only on paper,
their development will have implications across a spectrum of
issues, including the hoped-for stabilization of Guinea and
the structure of food aid to the sub-region as the crisis
worsens. The documents outlined below will be sent to
Department and MRU member posts via e-mail. END SUMMARY.

--------------
MRU RESPONSE TO THE FOOD CRISIS
--------------


2. (SBU) Secretary General Boure explained that the food
crisis and commodities price increases were a priority topic
discussed by all delegates, including a special working group
comprised of the Ministers of Agriculture. This working group
devised plans for individual countries and the Secretariat to
address the MRU food security issue. The "Mano River Union's
Response to the Current Global Food Crisis" document outlined
immediate activities, which include: removing taxes and
tariffs on food imports until the end of the 2008 calendar
year; removing taxes and tariffs on agricultural inputs for
at least five years; allocating at least 10% of national
budgets to the agricultural sector, per the 2003 Maputo
Declaration, and encouraging the Peace Building Commission
(PBC) to make agricultural projects the top priority for
financing from its funds. An increased focus on social
protection strategies for vulnerable populations and

conducting large-scale sensitization campaigns on the causes
of the food crisis were also identified.


3. (SBU) The most notable long-term activity identified in
the response document is the establishment of a food security
hub, to be based in and hosted by Liberia. The hub will
collate information on each country's food stocks, and
coordinate emergency and long-term buffer stocks. The hub
will also arrange bulk procurements of commodities for
provision to each MRU country and arrange an early warning
system on food security. Perhaps the most significant role
for the hub is supporting member countries by engaging in
discussions with producers, importers, exporters, the private
sector, donors, and international financial institutions.
These discussions will determine the nature and scope of
contributions and establish an MRU food security fund. If the
hub is operationalized quickly, any donor support to
ameliorate the ongoing food crisis will have to be structured
on a multilateral, rather than bilateral, basis.

--------------
PEACE AND SECURITY
--------------


4. (SBU) Peace and security continues to be a critical issue
facing the MRU, given the members, interdependence.
Secretary General Boure noted that the current situation in
Guinea underscores the fragility of the individual states,
and the potential for instability and similar situations to
have multi-country impact is high. The porous borders,
combined with the general lack of capacity in the security
sector throughout the MRU, means that increased tensions or
outbreaks of violence, and the accompanying fleeing of
people, have spill-over effects to neighboring countries.


5. (SBU) To create a mechanism to discuss and address such
issues, Secretary General Boure shared that a MRU Joint
Security Committee was established at the summit. The
"Fifteenth Protocol to the Mano River Union Declaration:
Cooperation on Defence, Security, Internal Affairs and
Foreign Affairs" document, which Boure shared with the
Ambassador, outlined the structure and purpose of the
Committee. With representatives from the relevant government
ministries participating, the Committee will address border
security, consider and advise on policy issues that relate to
sub-regional security, and conduct training across the
security forces of the MRU states. The protocol document
further details that the Committee will be supported by
technical committees that address strategic issues and Joint

FREETOWN 00000252 002 OF 002


Border Security and Confidence-Building Units in cross-border
areas that include local representatives from both countries.

--------------
THE SECRETARY GENERAL'S VIEW
--------------


6. (SBU) The Secretary General had a very positive impression
of the summit, especially the policy paper on the food
crisis, the accession of Cote d'Ivoire to full membership
status on May 15, and the decision reached by all states to
support at least a partial refurbishment of the Secretariat.
While this is an annual event, meetings to address pressing
or ongoing issues will take place regularly. Secretary
General Boure expressed particular satisfaction that the
summit placed special attention on the Secretariat, which has
suffered for many years due to Union states not paying their
dues. Summit discussions included building the capacity of
the Secretariat, which should reinvigorate this once
all-but-defunct entity.


7. (SBU) Besides appropriate levels of funding, the Secretary
General highlighted the need for ongoing technical assistance
to the Secretariat. The Ambassador responded that the U.S. is
very interested in engaging sub-regionally, and that we will
undertake efforts to support the MRU in the interest of
regional peace and stability. The Secretary General replied
that he will provide a detailed breakdown of the types of
assistance they require.

--------------
COMMENT
--------------


8. (SBU) The summit had several positive gains, and renewed
interest in the MRU mechanism and its Secretariat is a
hopeful sign of increased, organized, sub-regional
collaboration and diplomacy. However, the long-term issue of
stable funding for the Secretariat remains a question as
members contend with their fragile and volatile economies. A
further issue is whether or not the momentum of interest from
this summit can be maintained.


9. (C) The creation of the food security hub in Liberia,
while a logical step for an interdependent group of
struggling nations, includes the possibility of centralizing
some of the MRU's power in the hands of the Liberian
government. Given that the hub will have the task of engaging
on issues related to financial and tangible support on behalf
of all MRU countries, there is at least some potential for
tensions to flair if it is felt that each member is not
receiving what it views to be its fair share of the takings.
The establishment of this initiative, as well as the Joint
Security Committee, will be closely monitored via regular
discussions with the Secretary General and his staff. END
COMMENT
PERRY