Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08OSLO377
2008-07-03 13:58:00
SECRET
Embassy Oslo
Cable title:
NORWAY CONTINUES ITS SUBSTANTIAL AID TO THE HORN
how-toVZCZCXYZ0037 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHNY #0377/01 1851358 ZNY SSSSS ZZH O 031358Z JUL 08 FM AMEMBASSY OSLO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6894 INFO RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA IMMEDIATE 0309 RUEHAE/AMEMBASSY ASMARA IMMEDIATE 0059 RUEHDJ/AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI IMMEDIATE 0023 RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI IMMEDIATE 0240
S E C R E T OSLO 000377
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/07/2018
TAGS: EAID PREF DJ ER ET KE SO NO
SUBJECT: NORWAY CONTINUES ITS SUBSTANTIAL AID TO THE HORN
OF AFRICA
REF: STATE 69644
Classified By: Political Counselor Kristen Bauer for reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d)
S E C R E T OSLO 000377
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/07/2018
TAGS: EAID PREF DJ ER ET KE SO NO
SUBJECT: NORWAY CONTINUES ITS SUBSTANTIAL AID TO THE HORN
OF AFRICA
REF: STATE 69644
Classified By: Political Counselor Kristen Bauer for reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d)
1. (C) SUMMARY: In response to reftel, Norway shares our
concern about the crisis in the horn of Africa, and is
currently the third largest donor in Somalia. Norway does
not have the naval materiel or manpower to escort WFP ships
around the horn, and claims not to have good access to
information about Eritrea. End Summary.
2. (SBU) Political Counselor and Poloff delivered reftel
demarche on July 2 to Ambassador Kjell Dalen of the MFA
Section for East and Central Africa. Also at the meeting
were two representatives from the MFA Humanitarian Aid
section.
SOMALIA
3. (C) Norway gives substantial aid to Somalia, and was its
third largest donor in 2007, giving approximately $33 million
in humanitarian aid. In 2008, the GON expects to give $35
million. Norway contributes approximately $12 million to a
WFP food crisis fund, of which $11 million goes to Somalia.
In 2008, Dalen said that a key diplomatic priority would be
improving the humanitarian aid access situation.
4. (C) When asked about Norwegian NGOs working on
humanitarian aid in Somalia, Dalen listed: 1) The Norwegian
Refugee Council, working in Mogadishu, 2) Norwegian Church
Aid, working in the north of the country, 3) Norwegian
Peoples' Aid, working in Puntland and addressing the drought
situation, and 4) religious missions such as the Adventists
and Pentacostalists, which are also largely funded by the GON.
ETHIOPIA
5. (C) The worsening situation in Ethiopia has caused the
Norwegian government to reduce levels of aid more slowly than
was planned after Ethiopia expelled six Norwegian diplomats
last August. Norway contributed approximately $2 million in
February 2008 to UNCERF, and added another $5 million in June
as the food crisis intensified. When pressed on the
ramifications of the political tensions between Ethiopia and
Norway, Dalen said that, "in principle," humanitarian aid is
not dependent on a regime, although Norway's development
assistance to Ethiopia was scaled down by a factor of $5
million last year.
ERITREA
6. (C) Dalen agreed accurate reporting of the real situation
on the ground in Eritrea is difficult to obtain, although
Norwegian Church Aid is still operational in the country and
can occasionally travel outside of Asmara. The Norwegian
government has helped set up the Eritrean statistics bureau,
but political realities prevent the bureau from either
collecting or sharing any data with the Norwegians. When
asked who the Eritreans are most likely to share with, Dalen
said that UN agencies and larger actors like the EU appear to
be "preferred" partners. Dalen also commented that President
Isaias appears to be surrounded by advisors who tell him
whatever they think he wants to hear and so he probably
doesn't have accurate information either.
NAVAL ESCORTS
7. (S) In response to the need for naval assets to escort WFP
ships, our interlocutors seemed stunned at the news that, as
of June 25, no country had taken up this duty. In early
2008, the MFA had discussed with the Norwegian DOD the
possibly of providing this service, and were told that no
escort vessels were available. Post's DAO confirms that
Norway currently does not have sufficient capability to staff
or provide materiel for a blue-water naval mission near the
Horn of Africa.
GENERAL OUTLOOK
8. (C) When asked about the Norwegian prognosis for the Horn
of Africa over the next six months, Dalen said that
increasing fuel and food prices meant that, although more
money is sure to come from donors, it may only serve to
maintain current flows of food aid which will not be enough
to assuage the crisis. On Norway's role in the region, Dalen
said that Norway could afford to be "big" when it came to
humanitarian aid because of regulatory flexibility, but other
actors ultimately have more flexibility when it comes to
development assistance. As such, Dalen expected that if the
situation in Somalia were to normalize somewhat, others could
step up to the plate.
JOHNSON
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/07/2018
TAGS: EAID PREF DJ ER ET KE SO NO
SUBJECT: NORWAY CONTINUES ITS SUBSTANTIAL AID TO THE HORN
OF AFRICA
REF: STATE 69644
Classified By: Political Counselor Kristen Bauer for reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d)
1. (C) SUMMARY: In response to reftel, Norway shares our
concern about the crisis in the horn of Africa, and is
currently the third largest donor in Somalia. Norway does
not have the naval materiel or manpower to escort WFP ships
around the horn, and claims not to have good access to
information about Eritrea. End Summary.
2. (SBU) Political Counselor and Poloff delivered reftel
demarche on July 2 to Ambassador Kjell Dalen of the MFA
Section for East and Central Africa. Also at the meeting
were two representatives from the MFA Humanitarian Aid
section.
SOMALIA
3. (C) Norway gives substantial aid to Somalia, and was its
third largest donor in 2007, giving approximately $33 million
in humanitarian aid. In 2008, the GON expects to give $35
million. Norway contributes approximately $12 million to a
WFP food crisis fund, of which $11 million goes to Somalia.
In 2008, Dalen said that a key diplomatic priority would be
improving the humanitarian aid access situation.
4. (C) When asked about Norwegian NGOs working on
humanitarian aid in Somalia, Dalen listed: 1) The Norwegian
Refugee Council, working in Mogadishu, 2) Norwegian Church
Aid, working in the north of the country, 3) Norwegian
Peoples' Aid, working in Puntland and addressing the drought
situation, and 4) religious missions such as the Adventists
and Pentacostalists, which are also largely funded by the GON.
ETHIOPIA
5. (C) The worsening situation in Ethiopia has caused the
Norwegian government to reduce levels of aid more slowly than
was planned after Ethiopia expelled six Norwegian diplomats
last August. Norway contributed approximately $2 million in
February 2008 to UNCERF, and added another $5 million in June
as the food crisis intensified. When pressed on the
ramifications of the political tensions between Ethiopia and
Norway, Dalen said that, "in principle," humanitarian aid is
not dependent on a regime, although Norway's development
assistance to Ethiopia was scaled down by a factor of $5
million last year.
ERITREA
6. (C) Dalen agreed accurate reporting of the real situation
on the ground in Eritrea is difficult to obtain, although
Norwegian Church Aid is still operational in the country and
can occasionally travel outside of Asmara. The Norwegian
government has helped set up the Eritrean statistics bureau,
but political realities prevent the bureau from either
collecting or sharing any data with the Norwegians. When
asked who the Eritreans are most likely to share with, Dalen
said that UN agencies and larger actors like the EU appear to
be "preferred" partners. Dalen also commented that President
Isaias appears to be surrounded by advisors who tell him
whatever they think he wants to hear and so he probably
doesn't have accurate information either.
NAVAL ESCORTS
7. (S) In response to the need for naval assets to escort WFP
ships, our interlocutors seemed stunned at the news that, as
of June 25, no country had taken up this duty. In early
2008, the MFA had discussed with the Norwegian DOD the
possibly of providing this service, and were told that no
escort vessels were available. Post's DAO confirms that
Norway currently does not have sufficient capability to staff
or provide materiel for a blue-water naval mission near the
Horn of Africa.
GENERAL OUTLOOK
8. (C) When asked about the Norwegian prognosis for the Horn
of Africa over the next six months, Dalen said that
increasing fuel and food prices meant that, although more
money is sure to come from donors, it may only serve to
maintain current flows of food aid which will not be enough
to assuage the crisis. On Norway's role in the region, Dalen
said that Norway could afford to be "big" when it came to
humanitarian aid because of regulatory flexibility, but other
actors ultimately have more flexibility when it comes to
development assistance. As such, Dalen expected that if the
situation in Somalia were to normalize somewhat, others could
step up to the plate.
JOHNSON