G-8 COMMITMENT AND DARFUR KEEPS CANADA FOCUSED ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 OTTAWA 000755

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2018
TAGS: PREL PHUM EAID XA SU CA CH
SUBJECT: G-8 COMMITMENT AND DARFUR KEEPS CANADA FOCUSED ON
AFRICA

REF: A. OTTAWA 737

B. OTTAWA 491

Classified By: PolMinCouns Scott Bellard, reason 1.4 (d)


1. (C) Summary: Prime Minister Harper has made Latin
America, U.S. relations, Afghanistan, and major emerging
markets Canada's prime foreign policy themes, leading to
concern that Africa would "fall off the map." Africa
nonetheless has maintained its spot on Canada's radar screen,
in large measure because of Canada's G-8 commitments, as well
as continued public concern over the crisis in Darfur.
Canada expects to hit its commitment to double aid to Africa
by 2008-2009 (reaching C$2.1 billion per annum),will stay
engaged in Darfur, and will continue its support for peace,
reconciliation, and protection of human rights in Zimbabwe,
Kenya, and the Great Lakes. While watching with some concern
China's expanding ties with Africa, Canada's goal is better
to integrate China within broader international efforts on
the continent. Despite the paucity of references to Africa
in the current government's policy and public statements,
Canada's values and its desire to play an important role on
the world stage help to ensure that Canada will remain an
active partner on a range of key African issues. End Summary.


2. (C) A recent forum in Ottawa on Somalia (ref a) focused on
the theme "Is Africa Falling off Canada's Map?" Since coming
into office in 2006, Conservative Prime Minister Stephen
Harper has narrowed the focus of his minority government's
foreign policy agenda to Latin America, U.S. relations,
Afghanistan, and major emerging markets (notably, China and
India),and has rarely spoken publicly or visited Africa.
His public comments have left the distinct impression that
Canada's assistance programs, especially by the Canadian
International Development Agency (CIDA) would shift their
emphases as well away from a truly global strategy; some
programs in the Balkans are apparently among the first
victims.


3. (C) At the public forum, Director General for African
Affairs at the Department of Foreign Affairs and
International Trade (DFAIT) David Angell nonetheless gave a
spirited defense of Canada's involvement in Africa.
Separately, Sudan Task Force Director Scott Proudfoot told
visiting AF DAS James Swan that a high level of engagement in
Africa was and would remain a natural and unavoidable
extension of Canada's values.

VISITORS KEEP UP THE PACE
--------------


4. (SBU) While not rivaling the pace of visits to Latin
America (ref a),there has nonetheless been a steady stream
of official visits to Africa over the past year. In November
2007, the Prime Minister was in Uganda for the Commonwealth
Heads of Government Meeting, and added a bilateral visit to
Tanzania. During this trip, he announced a Canadian-led
"Save a Million Lives" initiative to deliver basic,
cost-effective, and life-saving health services to mothers
and children; the government projects the program will save
200,000 lives in Africa. Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign
Affairs Deepak Obhrai visited Kenya and Ethiopia in March.
Then-Foreign Minister Maxime Bernier made a high profile
visit to Sudan also in March, including both Khartoum and
South Sudan, making a major statement on the peace process in
Uganda. DFAIT's Africa Division brags that approximately 20%
of all DFAIT's news releases deal with Africa, although most
in recent months have been expressions of Canada's concern
Qin recent months have been expressions of Canada's concern
about developments in Zimbabwe, Kenya, or Sudan.

DOUBLING OF AID
--------------


5. (SBU) True to its commitment to G-8, Canada will indeed
double its annual aid to Africa by 2010. The government
reiterated this commitment in its last budget speech, and is
set to meet this target this fiscal year, with overall aid to
Africa reaching C$2.1 billion (Canadian and U.S. dollar
values are roughly equivalent nowadays). This was the only
specific geographic focus cited in this year's budget.
However, the C$500 million "Canada Fund for Africa" -- which
an earlier Liberal government set up in the 2002 budget --
has completed the majority of its projects and officially
ended on March 31, although its Secretariat will remain open
until September 30.


6. (U) Minister of International Development Bev Oda in
February announced almost C$400 million for development in

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Africa, with a special emphasis on health and education, with
C$302 million going to the African Development Bank, C$72.5
million to the World Food Program, and C$17 to key governance
initiatives. Another C$275 million will go to security
development in Sudan; there are a number of smaller projects
in support of peace processes and reconciliation. DFAIT's
Stabilization and Reconstruction Task Force currently also
runs multi-year programs to help sub-Saharan francophone
African institutions overseeing public finance, to fund the
African Peer Review Mechanism, and to assist the Southern
Africa Trust.

SUDAN GETS SPECIAL EMPHASIS
--------------


7. (SBU) Due to public pressure and Parliamentary interest,
the largest single piece of Canada's aid to Africa -- and its
third largest aid recipient overall after Afghanistan and
Haiti -- is Sudan. Including assessed contributions, Canada
will invest C$275 million in Sudan in security, diplomatic
initiatives, and humanitarian aid this year. During his
March visit to Sudan, then-Foreign Minister Bernier pressed
for progress both in Darfur and to preserve the peace
agreement in the south. He also announced C$40 million for
equipment and training for African troops with the hybrid
force, making Canada the second largest voluntary financial
supporter of UNAMID.


8. (C) Beyond helping to sustain humanitarian assistance and
the peacekeeping mission, Canadian officials acknowledge
Canada's limited role in Darfur and its environs. According
to Sudan Task Force Director Proudfoot, Canada's relations
with Sudan are "not good and not getting better." Canada has
tried to play a productive political role with Chad and with
the rebel groups, but recognizes that -- "right or wrong" --
the French have the lead with Chad, and that, given the
current dynamic, even the AU and UN Special Envoys have been
unable to convince the parties to engage in a meaningful
peace process. Canada remains concerned with how the hybrid
mission is progressing, Proudfoot said, adding that "UNDPKO
knows how to mount a mission, but not how to blend one."
Despite these frustrations, he indicated that Sudan will
remain a policy concern for the future in light of Canada's
long-time commitment to humanitarian causes and multilateral
diplomacy,

PEACE AND RECONCILIATION
--------------


9. (C) According to DFAIT's Southern Africa Director Lisa
Stadelbauer, while Africa may not be the most prominent among
Canada's geographic priorities, its needs are in alignment
with the government's thematic priorities: promoting rule of
law, democracy, human rights, and freedom. Canada continues
to participate in Northern Uganda's peace talks as an
observer and contributes C$8 million in support of the peace
process there. It has also offered assistance to victims of
the post-election violence in Kenya, and Canadian diplomats
have been involved in diplomatic efforts with regional
leaders to put pressure on President Mugabe. While
recognizing that Canada was not a major player in Africa,
Stadelbauer commented that its activities remain important
and worthwhile.


10. (SBU) Canada's direct involvement in peacekeeping (apart
from Afghanistan) is down from its peak in the 1990's, but
DFAIT in April announced a three-year contribution of C$10.3
million to build peacekeeping capacity in Africa, which
Canada's Pearson Peacekeeping Centre will implement. C$7.9
QCanada's Pearson Peacekeeping Centre will implement. C$7.9
million will strengthen the capacity of African countries to
contribute more effectively to the civilian police component
of peace operations with the UN and the African Union,
including training for police officers heading to the AU-UN
hybrid mission in Darfur. Another C$2.4 million will train
African personnel in peace missions. Canada has also
developed an e-training course for African peacekeepers,
assisted with infrastructure for the peacekeeping school in
Bamako, and is funding courses at the Kofi Annan
International Peacekeeping Training Center in Accra and
through ECOWAS. With funding for DFAIT's Global Peace and
Security Fund now set at about C$140 million per year, Canada
intends to continue to play a useful role, but with greater
flexibility than working solely through CIDA.

GREAT LAKES
--------------


11. (C) Canada also maintains a special interest in the Great

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Lakes region due to its historical involvement in the search
for peace there; it continues to act as co-chair of the Group
of Friends of the Great Lakes Region. According to DG
Angell, Canada would like to help with the training of a
rapid reaction force, but the infrastructure was still
problematic. He explained that Canada was looking for the
right niche with regard to assisting in the development of
post-conflict security architecture and security sector
reform. Canada recently contributed C$3 million to
disarmament, and has sponsored projects dealing with sexual
exploitation. In addition, Canada has sent three specialists
to Goma to assist with implementation of the peace agreement
there.

CHINA IN AFRICA
--------------


12. (C) According to Sudan Task Force Director Proudfoot,
Canada's main concern about China's expanding relations with
Africa was how to maintain a high-level dialogue to engage on
issues of trade, aid, and development for the continent. A
recent DFAIT analysis of China in Africa -- based on input
from Canada's Africa missions -- concluded that "increased
Chinese engagement in Africa holds enormous promise for the
continent. Canada has both the interest and ability to work
with China and other partners, African and otherwise, in
helping to realize that potential. To this end, Canada
should seek . . . to help integrate China within broader
international efforts to promote economic and social
development and . . . integrate China within the emerging
international consensus on aid effectiveness, as reflected in
the Paris Declaration." It admitted that Chinese engagement
in Africa also came with some risk, and recommended that
Canada work to minimize the negative impact China could have
on regional peace processes (apparently a veiled reference to
the less than helpful role China was playing in Darfur when
this analysis came out in November 2007).

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


13. (C) While focusing less on Africa than some previous
Canadian governments, PM Harper's Conservative government
continues to be a generous donor and active partner in the
continent, still genuinely committed to improving the lives
of Africans and enhancing prospects for peace and democracy.
The G-8 framework has provided an extremely useful incentive
for the government to justify a sustained and even growing
role, just as the UN framework does in the case of Darfur.
Its expertise on and interest in issues such as conflict
resolution and peacebuilding will continue to enable Canada
to work closely with us and other like-minded countries as
needed throughout the continent. End Comment.

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