SCENE SETTER FOR AMBASSADOR WILLIAMSON TRAVEL TO SIERRA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 FREETOWN 000288 DEPARTMENT FOR AF/W and S/WCI Ambassador Williamson and Jason Gorey SIPDIS E.O. 12958 N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM OTRA SL SUBJECT: SCENE SETTER FOR AMBASSADOR WILLIAMSON TRAVEL TO SIERRA LEONE FREETOWN 00000288 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. With the Special Court for Sierra Leone slowly bringing its work to a close, your visit comes at a crucial time to encourage Court officials to remain committed to the completion strategy, as well as to inform the process of determining the Court's legacy to Sierra Leone. -------------- POLITICAL/ECONOMIC OVERVIEW -------------- ¶2. After a decades-long civil war, Sierra Leone has maintained a fragile peace since 2002. However, the conditions that lead to the war still prevail: high unemployment, lack of infrastructure and the population's perceptions of corruption. The venal and inept leadership of the previous government also stymied progress. During the 2007 national elections, Sierra Leoneans overwhelmingly voted for change. The opposition All People's Congress (APC) won a parliamentary majority in August, and the opposition party's presidential candidate, Ernest Bai Koroma, won a presidential run off held in September. All observers lauded Sierra Leone on the conduct of the elections and hailed the transparent, relatively violence free process as a model for sub-Saharan Africa. Local elections are scheduled to take place July 5, and your visit will coincide with the campaign period. Though not expected to be as dramatic as the national elections, the local elections hold considerable interest for Sierra Leoneans. These elections will be an important step in strengthening democracy in Sierra Leone. ¶3. The new government is attempting to manage the unrealistic expectations of the citizens. Some campaign pledges have been met, satisfying a few immediate wants and interests which helps prolong the people's patience as they wait for change. The revitalization of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and restoration of electricity to Freetown are two examples of the government taking action on key issues. However, both are also examples of risks that the government is facing if their actions backfire. The ACC is starting to build credibility with the public, but will need to start bringing major cases before the judiciary before it will be considered a true instrument of transparency. The government has gained considerable goodwill due to the provision of electricity, but that provision has grown increasingly sporadic and unreliable over time due to infrastructure constraints. If these initiatives are viewed as failures in the long-run, the government will likely experience considerable backlash. ¶4. Some observers suggest that the new government has a one year window before the "honeymoon" period ends and the public loses its willingness to be patient as it waits for wide-sweeping reforms that will bring development and prosperity back to the country. This honeymoon period, coupled with the actions cited above, are likely the reasons why the public has not responded to the rising commodities prices and soaring inflation as violently or disruptively as other affected countries. The state of the economy, as evidenced at least in part by the rising prices, is dire. Sixty percent of the national budget is donor funded, mostly through the EU and the UK. Sierra Leone received Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) relief status in late 2006 and we signed our debt cancellation agreement in June 2007. The government needs to focus on developing infrastructure and policy frameworks that will encourage investment and production, increase revenue-generation and collection, and support long-term growth. -------------- UNIOSIL -------------- ¶5. The UN peacekeeping follow-on mission, UNIOSIL (United National Integrated Office in Sierra Leone),has been very effective and, through strong leadership, has been extremely active in continuing the UN mandate to sustain peace and security. UNIOSIL is slated to close by the end of September 2008, and the UN is currently identifying options for what sort of smaller presence is needed following the end of the UNIOSIL mandate. ¶6. Sierra Leone garners a fair amount of international attention, and the UN has put the spotlight on the country by naming it as one of two (with Burundi) countries for Peace Building Commission (PBC) attention. Sierra Leone also benefits from the new Peace Building Fund (PBF) for rapid intervention "peace sustaining" activities. Funding from the $35 million pot of available funds has so far has been directed at youth employment initiatives, security sector assistance, electoral funding, and support for the newly formed Human Rights Commission. The U.S. is currently the only major donor that has not contributed to the PBF, although evaluation of the PBC continues in order to determine potential needs the USG may fill in future. -------------- BILATERAL RELATIONS AND ASSISTANCE -------------- FREETOWN 00000288 002.2 OF 002 ¶7. Our relationship with Sierra Leone has been generally positive. We enjoy good access and respect for our views most of the time. We are considered a major bilateral donor, but the U.K. far outstrips others in terms of its support to the country. Under the previous government, corruption was endemic and impeded good governance and private sector reform. Our partnership with Sierra Leone seeks to bolster democratic growth through support for national and local election, with a particular focus on women and disadvantaged groups, and assistance to local governance at the district level. We also support opportunities for economic growth, particularly through the agricultural sector. Our efforts are in line with the GoSL's three-year Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS),which expired in December 2007 and is under review for renewal. -------------- SECURITY -------------- ¶8. The overall security situation in Sierra Leone is calm, though there have been reports of sporadic politically motivated incidents which have occurred in Freetown and several locations up-country. Violence emanating from ethnic and cross-cultural issues such as rights to chieftancy and boundary disputes, especially in the rural regions, has also been the root cause of numerous incidents up-country. While people are remarkably resilient given the appalling infrastructure and lack of economic opportunity, various groups here have shown a willingness to lash out at any perceived injustices in the form of demonstrations, rioting, clashes with police and even attacks on police stations. The immediate threat to safety and security continues to be crime and the likelihood of traffic accidents due to the abysmal road conditions. Criminal activity against westerners is rare, but remains a concern. The advent of the rainy season, coupled with the heightened tensions due to the local elections, increases the possibility of a spike in the number of robberies. -------------- SPECIAL COURT -------------- ¶9. While the work of the Court is slowly coming to an end, budgetary, residual, and legacy issues continue to be looming questions. Despite stated commitments to the completion strategy, there is fear that the trials and appeals chambers will slip on targeted scheduling goals, with corollary budgetary implications. Legacy and residual issues are both pressing matters occupying Court time, with committees formed to generate ideas and/or solutions. Your visit will reinforce the need for the Court to stay the course on the completion strategy, and also address the central questions remaining for the Court's long-term impact on Sierra Leone. ¶10. During your visit, you will meet with various stakeholders in the Court, including government officials. The GoSL has made clear that they are interested in moving beyond the active work of the Court, to put the international donor focus solely on development issues. However, the GoSL has great interest in legacy issues, both in regards to the physical infrastructure and the potential for capacity-building programs that will support justice sector reform in the country. You can expect that questions of funding for legacy initiatives will be raised by government interlocutors and others. -------------- PRESS -------------- ¶11. Post recommends conducting one interview with Cotton Tree News, a local radio organization which distributes material to stations nationwide, including community radio. In addition, we also recommend an interview with UN Radio, which has a wide audience. Radio is the primary means by which Sierra Leoneans obtain information, and the Cotton Tree News and UN Radio will both provide broad, diverse coverage. Per your request, post is also convening a press conference for Friday, June 20, to include a question and answer session. You can expect questions related to: USG involvement in the Court; the impact of the Court relative to its cost; U.S. perception of the Court; USG support for larger development issues. Ambassador Perry and Embassy key team will accompany to address any bilateral or unexpected inquiries. -------------- SCHEDULE -------------- ¶12. A schedule will be sent separately for review. PERRY