GERMANS SHARE U.S. CONCERNS OVER HUMANITARIAN

UNCLAS BERLIN 000887

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR AF/E (HAMILTON, FIERST),EEB/IFD/ODF (SCOTT),
EEB/TPP/ABT/ATP (CLEMENTS) IO/EDA AND EUR/CE (SCHROEDER)
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID EFIN PREL PHUM PREF DJ ER ET GM KE SO
UG
SUBJECT: GERMANS SHARE U.S. CONCERNS OVER HUMANITARIAN
CRISIS IN EAST AFRICA

REF: STATE 70789


1. (SBU) Embassy Berlin A/DCM conveyed U.S. concerns over the
urgent humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya to
State Secretary Peter Ammon of the German Ministry of Foreign
Affairs. He urged Germany to join the United States in
stepping up contributions to avoid a further deterioration of
conditions in the region.


2. (SBU) In a companion meeting, Bernhard Kampmann, Head of
the Humanitarian Task Force, Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
told Embassy Berlin Acting Economic Minister-Counselor that
Germany shared U.S. concerns and had a similar assessment of
the situation. Germany has pushed the EU to focus more on
East Africa, Kampmann explained. Germany provides 20 percent
of the EU's humanitarian assistance to the region, which has
thus far this year totaled 13 million euros in Somalia, 11
million euros in Kenya, and 6 million euros in Ethiopia.
Kampmann said this was about half what the EU planned to
spend for the year. As for bilateral contributions, Kampmann
said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will provide 4.7 million
euros for Somalia and 1 million euros for Kenya in 2009.
There has not yet been a contribution for Ethiopia this year.
Kampmann confirmed that the MFA has primary responsibility
for emergency humanitarian assistance, while the Ministry of
Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) generally focuses
on longer-term projects.


3. (SBU) Germany is "strong on the ground" in Somalia,
according to Kampmann, and would like the EU to focus more on
the country. He said the EU's Political and Security
Committee (PSC) discusses Somalia at every meeting, and that
the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC)
will take it up in September. Germany is helping to
reconstruct a hospital in Puntland, and is contributing to a
1-million euro project to improve the port of Mogadishu
geared towards facilitating World Food Program (WFP)
distribution. He added that the EU's ATALANTA mission, to
which Germany contributes, also provides protection for the
WFP. Kampmann remarked that the USG is demonstrating a
higher level of support for the Somalia's Transitional
Federal Government (TFG),and Germany is following the U.S.
lead. Kampmann said Germany will "look for additional funds
for Somalia," and will also "push the EU to do more."


4. (SBU) Kampmann acknowledged a shortfall in funding for the
Common Appeals Process (CAP) for Somalia, but noted the
problem with security for distribution. Germany supports
142,000 Somali refugees at a desert camp in east Yemen,
however, as well as urban refugees in Aiden. There are
currently 250,000-280,000 refugees in a Kenyan camp built for
100,000. It might be an advantage if the CAP were regional
rather than country-specific, said Kampmann. He added that
he plans to raise this idea in Geneva when he travels there
for the final ECOSOC meetings this week. (COMMENT: Germany
seems to prefer looking at funding for Somalia on a
regionalized basis, as this would reflect a more robust
German approach to the Somalian refugee crisis.)


5. (SBU) Kampmann had the impression that the United States
emphasized food assistance at the expense of medical
assistance. Noting our higher contributions to the former,
he inquired as to the reasons for the discrepancy. Acting
EMIN detailed U.S. contributions on the medical side as
provided in reftel and assured German interlocutors that both
objectives are important to the U.S. Post would appreciate
further guidance on Kampmann's question.


6. (SBU) Reftel points were also shared with contacts at the
German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
and Agriculture Ministry (BMELV); Embassy will provide
additional information as it becomes available.
Bradtke