STAFFDEL VISIT TO SIERRA LEONE REVEALS CONSTANT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 FREETOWN 000416 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR AF/W (JHUNTER) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV PINS SL SUBJECT: STAFFDEL VISIT TO SIERRA LEONE REVEALS CONSTANT STRUGGLE FOR PROGRESS ¶1. Summary: The three-day visit of Shannon Smith from the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, and Sarah Margon from Senator Russ Feingold's office highlighted both Sierra Leone's development accomplishments and major obstacles to further progress. Visits with Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) officials, UN representatives, members of the Diplomatic Corps, and civil society demonstrated that while the country yearns to move past the post-conflict rebuilding era into one of entrenched peaceful prosperity, the lack of economic security and infrastructure impedes substantive movement towards this goal. It also impacts the GoSL's ability to combat internal and external security threats. The result could be the erosion of Sierra Leone's hard-won stability, as well as its ability to advance human rights and democratic principles. End Summary. -------------- -------------- TINY PIE FOR A BIG APPETITE: BEMOANING COMPETING PRIORITIES -------------- -------------- ¶2. Rising commodities prices, lack of labor-intensive industry, the exorbitant cost of investment capital, and crippled or non-existent infrastructure create an environment in which economic security at macro- and micro-levels is nearly impossible to achieve. An August 19 meeting with Deputy Minister of Trade and International Development Momodu Kargbo touched on these issues and their impact on the GoSL's budget. He stated that the government currently generates 54-56% of their revenue, relying on a sometimes fickle donor community for the rest. This hand-to-mouth existence, he said, makes it hard for the GoSL to make substantial progress towards the goals of government reform and decentralization. The informal economy is continuing to grow, but is nearly impossible to tap into effectively for taxation purposes. Even formal business sector, in his opinion, are largely ad hoc and unprofessional. The Deputy Minister stated the priorities for the ministry are addressing high unemployment by supporting light industry, encouraging small enterprises, particularly in the area of food generation and processing, to develop and grow, and finding funding for physical infrastructure. He also identified a need for infrastructure and funding in major provincial cities, to support further government decentralization. ¶3. Despite a clear outline of goals, Deputy Minister Kargbo was concerned that the resources didn't exist to achieve them. He did say that a goods and services tax is in the works, but tempered that discussion with a reminder of the competing priorities and obligations facing the GoSL. With a small and somewhat unpredictable pie to divide many ways, a number of needs will go unmet. Visits with the Human Rights Commission, medical facilities, the country's only sexual assault response center, and members of civil society underscored this reality. Though the political and social will exists to support the establishment of a social safety net that protects citizens' rights and addresses their needs, the Leones in the government's coffers can only be stretched so far. Committing to long-term economic goals means that immediate social needs can only be partially met, if at all. -------------- -------------- SECURITY SECTOR REFORM: PROGRESS, BUT IS IT SUSTAINABLE? -------------- -------------- ¶4. Meetings with the Ministry of Defense, the UK's International Military Assistance Training Team, and UNIOSIL's Senior Police Advisor reflected positive gains in security sector reform (SSR),but a tenuous grip on those gains in the face of constant internal and external threats. All interlocutors pointed to the overall professionalization of the security forces, as evidenced by their involvement in supporting two election cycles with only pockets of localized violence and relatively strong handling of the largest cocaine bust in the country's history. The military, currently downsizing from its post-war numbers, is eager to join peacekeeping forces: both U.S. and UK experts agree that with training and equipment, they will be ready to serve regionally and globally. The Office of National Security and the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) were noted for strong leadership and structures, and many feel the low crime rate in the country can largely be attributed to their improved abilities. ¶5. Despite these successes, lack of resources jeopardizes the security sector's ability to maintain the improvements made to date or progress further. Crumbling buildings, vehicles with no fuel, and officers without equipment are the norm. Salaries, though paid on-time and with regularity, fall well below what is needed to support a family. Ironically, the dearth of resources prevents the security forces from FREETOWN 00000416 002 OF 002 substantially contributing to the government's revenue. The failure to control illegal fishing vessels, for example, costs the GoSL millions of dollars per year. ¶6. In the immediate post-conflict period, security was envisioned as a means through which to make room for economic development. Problematically, however, SSR occurred a vacuum from larger development strategies. Interlocutors indicated that the SSR process should have occurred in conjunction with the creation of the poverty reduction strategy, because of the need for simultaneous, complementary progression in both the economic and security arenas. With the economy failing to develop at the same pace as the security sector improvements, financing its continued improvement, or even maintaining the status quo, appears impossible. With the increased threat of narcotics trafficking and other types of organized crime, fragile states on all borders, piracy and smuggling, and the drawdown of international community support and oversight, the security sector is facing significant tests that it may be unable to handle in the long-term. -------------- -------------- U.S. TAX DOLLARS AT WORK: THE PAE DEPOT AND SPECIAL COURT -------------- -------------- ¶7. The delegation paid visits to two considerable USG investments: the PAE ECOWAS Logistics and Logistical Training Depot, and the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL). The Depot houses equipment as well as maintenance and training facilities, with a fleet of vehicles that can be deployed with ECOWAS and USG approval to support peacekeeping missions, elections, and other major events in ECOWAS countries. Though the delegation had heard from ECOWAS officials in Abuja that there is interest in relocating the facility to Nigeria, PAE representatives cited Sierra Leone's central location and nearness to relatively unstable countries as good reasons to remain in place. The impracticalities and expense of relocating were also noted. ¶8. A visit to the SCSL included a tour and roundtable with representatives from each section of the Court. The delegation were briefed on the progress of the cases, funding challenges facing the SCSL, and the residual and legacy issues currently being grappled with. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶9. The Staffdel visit came at a prescient time for Sierra Leone's development. Though the prevalence of peace, optimistic attitude, recent fair and free elections, and GoSL's stated intentions to become regional leaders in supporting democratic principles and human rights demonstrates how far the country has come since wartime, economic and security realities also demonstrate that Sierra Leone continues to be on tenuous ground. The growing pains related to moving beyond post-conflict reconstruction and into development are being keenly felt, and fear of backsliding given the lack of resources is very real. Sierra Leone's economic, social, and security sectors continue to be highly vulnerable, despite recent improvements and successes. Continued U.S. support at this time is desperately needs to preserve hard-won gains, create opportunities for further progress, ameliorate internal and external security threats, and cement Sierra Leone as a stable, prosperous leader in the Mano River Union. Post welcomed the opportunity this visit provided to demonstrate that Sierra Leone is a bilateral partner worthy and in need of notice and support. End Comment. FEDZER