UN HEADQUARTERS SUPPORTIVE OF SRSG EIDE'S REQUESTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000585 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/01/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV UNSC AF SUBJECT: UN HEADQUARTERS SUPPORTIVE OF SRSG EIDE'S REQUESTS FOR UNAMA REF: A. WOOD-KHALILZAD 6/29 E-MAIL ¶B. USUN 572 Classified By: AMBASSADOR ZALMAY KHALILZAD, FOR REASONS 1.4 B/D ¶1. (C) Summary: On July 1, Ambassador Khalilzad spoke with Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) Jean-Marie Guehenno regarding UN Headquarters support for the United Nations Assistance Mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA) and SRSG Kai Eide. Guehenno said DPKO supported Eide,s requests (ref A),but noted that the heads of UNDP and OCHA would still need to be convinced on the necessity of Eide,s proposed changes. The Ambassador and Guehenno agreed to consult further in the coming days and to meet jointly with the heads of UNDP and OCHA. Guehenno also thanked the Ambassador for U.S. support for the special allowance for UNAMA staff in Afghanistan, which was approved by the ACABQ budget committee (ref B). He expected this would lead to a significant decrease in the vacancy rate - currently at 30 per cent. ACTION REQUEST AT PARA 6. End summary. THREE PILLARS/UNDP ¶2. (C) Guehenno confirmed DPKO support for Eide,s concept of three UNAMA pillars, each led by a D/SRSG. The political pillar would be led by Chris Alexander and later by his successor. The development/aid effectiveness pillar would be led by Mark Ward, and the humanitarian pillar would be led by Anita Nirody. Guehenno said UNDP objects to splitting the traditional humanitarian/development pillar into two distinct pillars, for fear that this would lead to a dilution of UNDP authority not only in Afghanistan but in other missions worldwide. He added that Nirody has an excellent reputation, but her rank within the UNDP system is not considered high enough to lead the humanitarian pillar. Guehenno supported the idea of a joint meeting with UNDP Administrator Kemal Dervis to push him to accept the three pillar concept as well as to accept Nirody as head of the humanitarian pillar. Guehenno said he would raise these issues with UNDP Associate Administrator Ad Melkert on July 2, and afterwards would contact the Ambassador to discuss next steps and schedule the meeting with Dervis. DPKO SUPPORTS UNIFIED UN PRESENCE ¶3. (C) Guehenno also supported Eide,s desire for a more unified UN presence, in contrast to Under-Secretary-General John Holmes, push for an independent OCHA office in Afghanistan. Holmes is under pressure from humanitarian NGOs and his own office to push for this independent OCHA office, said Guehenno. The Ambassador and Guehenno agreed to meet jointly with Holmes to push for his acceptance of a more unified UN presence. RECRUITMENT ¶4. (C) Guehenno thanked the Ambassador for U.S. efforts in the ACABQ budget committee to approve a special allowance for UN personnel serving in Afghanistan. He said the UN is committed to reduce the current 30 per cent vacancy rate to 15 per cent within three months, and then to 10 per cent by the end of the year. Eide told Guehenno that he was already beginning to see the vacancy rate decrease. Regarding the problem of "dead wood," Guehenno said the priority was getting the right people in a few critical positions. UNAMA staff are on limited 6-month contracts, and the UN can choose not to renew the contracts of underperforming personnel. Guehenno added that Eide wants "sufficient diversity" within UNAMA staff. He would like to get good people from areas outside of Europe and North America. EXPANSION ¶5. (C) In its forthcoming report to the Security Council, Guehenno said the UN will announce plans to open 6 additional offices in Afghanistan, two in 2008 and four in 2009 (provided they receive sufficient funding in 2009). In order to open the offices as quickly as possible, the UN will need to negotiate in extremis support agreements with NATO/ISAF. LIAISON WITH ISAF ¶6. (C) The Ambassador asked if current UNAMA liaison with ISAF was sufficiently robust, especially at the strategic level. Guehenno said that Eide has a senior military advisor from Canada, General Skidmore, who is "very well connected" with ISAF. He added that Eide will also need a strong chief of staff to ensure that coordination with ISAF occurs on a routine basis. ACTION REQUEST: USUN requests Department and Embassy Kabul input regarding the status of UNAMA,s relationship with ISAF. Specifically, is coordination USUN NEW Y 00000585 002 OF 002 sufficient at the strategic level to ensure that ISAF actions are complemented by UNAMA-coordinated civilian reconstruction efforts? END ACTION REQUEST. Khalilzad