INTERVENTION FOR APRIL 17 JOINT AU PSC-UNSC

UNCLAS STATE 040762 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: UNSC PREL SUBJECT: INTERVENTION FOR APRIL 17 JOINT AU PSC-UNSC MEETING ¶1. This is an action request. See paragraphs 2. ¶2. USUN is instructed to deliver the briefing on Sudan as requested by the President of the Security Council for the April 17 Joint AU PSC - UNSC meeting. USUN may also draw from the talking points in paragraph 3 for the discussion phase of the joint meeting. USUN should join consensus on the joint communique in paragraph 4. Begin briefing on Sudan: "The Security Council has been deeply engaged in addressing all aspects of the crisis of Sudan. Over the past several years, we have adopted numerous resolutions and statements on implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) between the Government of Sudan (GOS) and Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLM),on the situation in Darfur, and on sanctions to limit arms transfers and restrict the activities of certain individuals involved in violence in Darfur. On many of these issues, the Council has worked in close partnership with the African Union. We welcome the continuing strong interest in the AU's Peace and Security Council in working together with the United Nations on measures to promote peace, stability, security and prosperity for all the people of Sudan. Regrettably, the efforts of the Security Council and our partnership with the AU have fallen far short of achieving the desired results. In each area of our engagement, there has been a large gap between our aspirations, some of which are expressed in legally binding obligations created by Security Council resolutions, and flawed implementation by the parties to the various conflicts. With regard to CPA implementation, we can be proud of the relatively rapid and complete deployment of the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) to assist the parties in maintaining security following the landmark agreement ending more than 21 years of civil war. Much remains to be done, however, in particular with regard to planning for the 2009 national elections and determination of the North/South border, especially in the disputed Abyei region. Concerning Darfur, I need only point to the recent continuing violence as reflected in reports of the Secretary-General to highlight that the Government of SIPDIS Sudan and some rebel groups have ignored the repeated calls from our two organizations to abide by cease-fire agreements and an end to the targeting of civilians and humanitarian workers. The role of the African Union in deploying the AU Mission in Sudan (AMIS) was an important step in moving toward effective international monitoring and support for implementation of a peace process in Darfur, followed last year by the adoption of resolution 1769 to mandate the UN-AU hybrid peacekeeping operation in Darfur as the first-ever collaborative effort of its kind. Unfortunately, obstruction by the Government of Sudan, shortfalls from troop contributors, and inadequate logistical support from the UN has hindered deployment, leaving UNAMID today with barely 1,000 more personnel than the 8,000 it inherited from AMIS on 1 January 2008. We must all redouble our efforts in the coming weeks and months to ensure that the bulk of the authorized force of up to 26,000 troops and police is deployed as soon as possible. With regard to sanctions, the Security Council has imposed various limitations on arms transfers including bans on any transfers to non-government and government parties operating in Darfur and has demanded that the GOS cease offensive military flights over Darfur. The Secretary-General and the Sanctions Committee Panel of SIPDIS Experts reports document that various parties continue to flout the arms embargo measures adopted by the Council. The Sudanese Government's recent aerial attacks in West Darfur are simply one of the most recent examples of the Government of Sudan flouting the arms embargo. The Security Council has also imposed an international travel ban and assets freeze on four individuals for violence committed in Darfur and for impeding the peace process. Not only has implementation of the individual sanctions been inadequate - the Government of Sudan has even promoted one of the individuals sanctioned by the Security Council to a more senior position. Finally, the Security Council made clear that the Government of Sudan and all other parties to the conflict in Darfur were obligated to cooperate in bringing those guilty of serious human rights and humanitarian law violations to justice. The Government of Sudan has failed to carry out its obligations in this respect. The UN and AU have also worked together to further the Darfur peace process. The Secretary General and the AU Commission Chair each appointed a Special Envoy to lead the peace process, supported by a Joint Mediation Support Team comprised of individuals from both organizations. We are highly appreciative of the efforts of these two Special Envoys and their staff to advance peace in Darfur. At this crucial juncture in the process, however, we support the Envoys in their view that it is time for the UN and AU to appoint a single Joint Chief Mediator. This is an urgent and important next step in moving the Darfur peace process forward, and one which we hope will take place very soon. The challenges that remain for Sudan and the region are daunting. Our organizations and member states must forge ahead strongly to continue with the provision of humanitarian aid, implement the CPA, fully deploy UNAMID, and make progress on the peace process. Thank you." End briefing. ¶3. Begin points for discussion on role of the UN in strengthening the AU: ON THE ROLE OF REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN MAINTAINING INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY -- The United States agrees with the Secretary General in his report of March 24 that there is a lot of ambiguity about what role regional organizations should be taking in the maintenance in international peace and security. However, it should always be remembered that first and foremost the role of maintaining international peace and security lies with the Security Council. This certainly does not mean that the Security Council needs to be involved in the resolution of every conflict. Regional Organizations can and do get involved in conflict prevention, resolution, and post-conflict recovery. Two recent examples in an African context are the AU's handling of the crisis in Kenya and the Comoros. In Kenya, the AU Panel of Eminent Personalities, led by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, did a superb job in bringing both sides of the dispute to the table to work out a political compromise. Due to the AU's efforts the crisis was resolved before it could escalate into a situation requiring the AU Peace and Security Council and the UN Security Council intervention. In the Comoros, certain AU member states recently sent military forces to the island of Anjuoan to oust rebel leader Mohamed Bacar. The successful intervention took place with little bloodshed. It was undertaken at the invitation of the government of Comoros and without an AU PSC mandate. -- Some members have expressed a view that when regional or sub-regional organizations deploy a peacekeeping force that they are doing so on behalf of the international community, particularly the Security Council, and should be reimbursed for their efforts by the UN. The United States disagrees with this view. Even if the Security Council approves a mandate for a peacekeeping operation by a regional organization, it does not imply in any way that the UN has committed or is obligated to pay for such an operation be it KFOR in Kosovo, MNF-I in Iraq, or AMISOM in Somalia. Our view is that there are important legal and practical considerations that prevent the UN from paying for the costs of other organizations conducting peacekeeping operations and that we must respect these constraints. Of course, the Security Council has and should continue to look for creative ways that the UN can help with regional efforts-- such as encouraging donors in voluntary funding efforts, and through practical assistance the UN secretariat can offer on command and control, logistical management and other areas. On a bilateral basis, the U.S. very much appreciates the role many regional organizations are playing in deploying peacekeeping operations to conflict areas around the world. We generously fund many of them on a voluntary, bilateral basis. These regional and sub-regional organizations often deploy peacekeeping missions because it is in their own best interest to prevent instability from spreading, and we should help and encourage them to develop further their capabilities in this regard. Instability in one country can easily spread to instability in another. Local regional organizations have a vested interest in making sure this does not happen. ON THE SECRETARY GENERAL'S RECOMMENDATION OF A PANEL TO CONSIDER FUNDING MECHANISMS TO THE AU -- The United States realizes that the African Union lacks the financial capabilities to carry out extensive peacekeeping operations. It is for this reason that the United States has given so much bilaterally to assist AU peacekeeping missions, including providing $57 million to AMISOM over the last two years and over $450 million to AMIS over its lifetime. We welcome the exploration of ways to address the financial challenges faced by regional peacekeeping missions. In this regard, we support the establishment of a panel of distinguished persons from the African Union, the United Nations, and other relevant stakeholders to seek alternative, cost-effective means of financial support, such as the establishment of a trust fund or enhanced donor coordination. -- We need to remember that the AU's lack of financial capacity is only one of several challenges these AU peacekeeping missions face. The UN and international community need to also investigate ways to help the AU build up its military planning, logistical, and administrative capacities, including the need to establish better financial accountability and transparency mechanisms for peacekeeping operations. ON THE EFFECTIVE WAYS TO STRENGTHEN COOPERATION BETWEEN THE AU AND THE UN -- The United States notes with interest the many recommendations made by the Secretary General on effective ways to strengthen cooperation between the AU and the UN in his March 24 report. We were very pleased to hear of the many programs the UN already has established to strengthen cooperation between the UN and regional organizations, most of which are being funded within existing resources. Some examples of this cooperation are the desk-to-desk exchanges and the holding of various training sessions by the UN Department of Political Affairs for the secretariat staff of the AU Peace and Security Council. -- The AU has identified its need to increase administrative, logistical, and military planning capacities as well as improve financial management and transparency mechanisms. In response, the U.S. has substantial programs to assist these efforts and has provided significant support in the form of logistical support and technical expertise to the African Standby Force, the AU Commission's emerging Strategic Planning and Management Unit, and the AU's Situation Room. The United States continues to provide significant logistical capability in support of both UN and AU peacekeeping efforts in Africa through the provision of strategic lift of TCC units into theater, including Darfur and Somalia. We are prepared to work with the AU and other regional organizations to further enhance their capacity, and we call on other countries to step up their bilateral support as well. In our opinion, the UN and the international community should prioritize its efforts to help the AU enhance its financial management and establish clear standards for financial transparency. Such improvements will raise donor countries' confidence and lead to more support for AU missions such as AMISOM. -- We are pleased that the newly established African Union Peacekeeping Support Team, part of the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations, is focusing its efforts on improving mission planning, mission management, logistics and resource management for AU peacekeeping operations. -- On cooperation between the AU and UN on conflict prevention and mediation, we are pleased with the efforts of DPA's Mediation Support Unit (MSU) to offer support to the AU and other regional organizations, including efforts to assist the AU in developing an operational plan for the Panel of the Wise. We also note the MSU has held several consultations around the world to assist regional organizations with their mediation capacity. ON COORDINATION AND CONSULTATION MECHANISMS BETWEEN THE SC AND AU PSC -- We agree with the SYG's recommendation to extend desk-to-desk dialogues on conflict prevention to the African Union. This exchange has worked well with other regional organizations such as the UN-EU desk-to-desk exchanges. -- The United States supports the continued implementation of the 10-Year Capacity-Building Program for the AU, especially in areas of peace and security. We commend DPA, the UN Liaison Office in Addis Ababa and the AU Regional Consultative Mechanism for the work they have done on the issue thus far. -- On the issue of formal meetings between the two bodies. The United States agrees that given the number of conflicts and the disposition of UN peacekeeping forces, the UNSC and the AU PSC should continue to meet once a year to review conflicts in Africa and UN-AU cooperation, as long as the heavy concentration of UN activity in Africa persists, but meetings with other regional partners should happen on an ad hoc basis as circumstances require. -- The United States supports the SYG recommendation of sending a follow-up mission of UN Secretariat Staff to the AU to provide further assistance and share experiences in institutional memory-building and supporting a training program for AU PSC secretariat staff on the challenges of implementing sanctions and/or other restrictive measures. -- We applaud the formation of the UN DPKO - AU Peace Support Team and its work in the areas of mission planning and management of logistics and resources. ON PEACEKEEPING IN GENERAL -- The UN peacekeeping infrastructure is overstretched-- in large part as a result of the extensive and increasingly complex commitments on the African continent. Sixty-three thousand of the 91,000 UN troops currently deployed are serving in Africa and these numbers will only increase as deployments in support of the UN/AU Hybrid Operation in Darfur come to fruition. A possible UN Operation in Somalia could involve the deployment of thousands more. The bottom line is that the supply of well-equipped peacekeepers does not meet demand, and we must find ways to use existing resources effectively and efficiently and build capacity -- particularly regional capacity-- to do more. -- The UN Security Council needs to reassess how we plan for and sustain peacekeeping operations. Our peacekeeping operations should be "goal-oriented" in nature, with clearly defined missions, timelines and budgets. In some cases, Somalia comes to mind, we should not let the perfect be the enemy of the good. It may be that while we cannot do the comprehensive 25,000 mission, we can put together a smaller force that can provide reinforcement for political consolidation. In our view, that is exactly where we are heading in Somalia. Peacekeeping operations need to be more carefully considered as a means to an end, rather than a panacea for responding to conflicts or a device to buy time. While we understand the risk of leaving too soon, we should review peacekeeping operations regularly to evaluate whether they are fulfilling their mandates and meeting clearly defined benchmarks. We should look toward downsizing missions and eventually closing them as objectives are successfully achieved or it becomes clear that the mission is no longer making a meaningful contribution to the maintenance of peace and security. This will encourage self-reliance and free up forces and funds for where they are needed most -- places like Darfur and Somalia, where we should consider creative ways to collaborate with the AU. end points ¶4. USUN is instructed to join consensus on the draft UN-AU Communique listed below: begin text DRAFT JOINT COMMUNIQUE OF THE MEETING BETWEEN THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL AND THE AFRICAN UNION PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL. ¶1. Recalling that the Security Council has primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, and recalling the provisions of Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations on the relationship with regional arrangements; ¶2. Recognizing that an effective relationship between the United Nations and the African Union, in particular the Security Council and the Peace and Security Council would, contribute significantly towards addressing common peace and security challenges and facilitate their resolution in Africa; ¶3. Reaffirming the importance of the AU's role in the maintenance of international peace and security in accordance with Chapter VIII of the UN Charter and Constitutive Act of the AU, the importance of co-ordination between the UN and AU in pursuance of this role and of making full use of the UN and AU's complementary capacities and experience; ¶4. In that regard, underlining the importance of the operationalization of the African Peace and Security Architecture, especially the African Standby Force; ¶5. Recalling the Presidential Statements and decisions of the Security Council and the Peace and Security Council on the relationship between the two bodies; ¶6. Recalling also the joint Communiqu agreed by the UN Security Council and the AU Peace and Security Council on 11 June 2007; ¶7. At our second meeting, both Councils explored ways and means of developing a stronger working relationship between the two bodies, and following an exchange of views expressed satisfaction with the ongoing efforts to strengthen their relationship, through: a) enhancing cooperation in the fields of conflict prevention, management and resolution, including in respect of issues such as the good offices of the Secretary-General, mediation support, effective use of SIPDIS sanctions, early warning and support of the AU Panel of the Wise; peacekeeping and peace building; b) taking steps to identify predictable, sustainable and flexible resources for the African Union, in order to undertake peacekeeping operations in the context of Chapter VIII of the UN Charter; c) sharing of experiences on working methods between the two structures; d) Encouraging the implementation of the 10-Year Capacity Building Programme for the AU, in particular between the UN Secretariat and the AU Commission and looking forward to the first review by the two organization of the Programme; e) discussing ways that the UNSC and the broader international community can cooperate with the AU to assist it in further developing its military planning, technical, logistical, financial management and administrative capacities, so that the AU is able to conduct peacekeeping operations in the most effective, transparent, and accountable manner; and f) sharing information on African conflict situations on the respective agendas of the two bodies, including but not limited to Somalia; Sudan; Chad/CAR; Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia/Eritrea; DRC and Kenya; ¶8. We re-affirm our determination to strengthen the AU conflict prevention, management and resolution capacities and post-conflict stabilization capacities, through: a) assessing regularly the developments in the region; b) supporting African regional and sub-regional capacities for early warning to enable prompt response to early warning indicators; and c) supporting African Union capacities for mediation; ¶9. In this regard we welcome initiatives such as the African Union Peacekeeping Support Team established by the United Nations, the capacity building efforts undertaken by the EU in the framework of the Africa-EU Strategic Partnership, and other actions, including bilateral initiatives in support of AU capacity-building that will contribute, in a coordinated way to improvements in mission planning and mission management; ¶10. We look forward to further discussions at our next meeting in 2009. New York 17th April 2008 RICE