Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BRUSSELS656
2009-05-08 15:48:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Brussels
Cable title:  

BELGIAN UMBRELLA ORGANIZATION FOR INTERNATIONAL

Tags:  EAID PREL PGOV BE AF 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO9929
RR RUEHDBU RUEHPW
DE RUEHBS #0656/01 1281548
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 081548Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8913
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 000656 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/WE AND SCA/A

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/06/2019
TAGS: EAID PREL PGOV BE AF
SUBJECT: BELGIAN UMBRELLA ORGANIZATION FOR INTERNATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT NGO'S ON AFGHANISTAN AID

REF: BRUSSELS 327

Classified By: Political Economic Counselor Richard Eason, reason 1.4(b
) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 000656

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/WE AND SCA/A

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/06/2019
TAGS: EAID PREL PGOV BE AF
SUBJECT: BELGIAN UMBRELLA ORGANIZATION FOR INTERNATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT NGO'S ON AFGHANISTAN AID

REF: BRUSSELS 327

Classified By: Political Economic Counselor Richard Eason, reason 1.4(b
) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: The National Center for Development
Cooperation is an umbrella organization for Belgian
francophone NGOs providing development assistance worldwide,
including some working in Afghanistan. Its Director, Arnaud
Zacharie, was open to the need for assistance to Afghanistan
and the idea of expanding assistance to the country. He said
he did not think NGOs working on other countries would
begrudge a greater emphasis by Belgium on Afghanistan. He
was non-committal, but not discouraging, about whether
Afghanistan would benefit from designation as a partner
country by Belgium, and said that the Ministry of Development
Cooperation is resistant to the idea. Each year the CNCD
conducts a fundraising campaign for international
development. Zacharie is willing to work with the Embassy to
add content to its campaign that would feature Afghanistan
and hopefully both raise funds and build support for more
robust government assistance to that country. End Summary.


2. (C) On May 6, Poloff met with Arnaud Zacharie, Secretary
General of the National Center for Development Cooperation
(CNCD) to discuss Afghanistan. The center is an umbrella
organization for more than 90 NGOs in the Belgian francophone
community involved in international development work. Among
them are organizations working in Afghanistan such as
Solidarity Afghanistan-Belgium, Mothers for Peace and the
large Belgian affiliate of Doctors without Borders. the CNCD
mission is to ensure the attention of the state to
international development assistance issues, to sensitize the
public to the need for development in poor countries, and to
collect private funds and finance programs in Africa, Latin
America, the Middle East and Asia carried out by its member
organizations. The Center has been in existence since 1966.
Zacharie said that the CNCD has always been closely involved
with the Ministry of Development Cooperation in the
establishment of the structure and priorities of Belgium's

government development assistance. This has been
characterized by the government's concentration of its funds
on 18 "partner countries" (mostly in Africa and not including
Afghanistan) and gradual phasing out of assistance to other
non-partner countries. Zacharie said that in some ways, this
concentration has not been welcome in the NGO community since
some of them have expertise in areas of the world that are no
longer a GOB priority.


3. (C) Poloff explained that the USG is interested in the
development of Afghanistan not only because it is one of the
poorest countries but also because its lack of development
creates risks that could return it to a condition that
provides a platform for terrorist action in the United States
and in Europe. Zacharie clearly understood the connection
between development and terrorism and agreed with the value
and importance of assistance to the country. Asked if there
is or could be jealousy or tension between NGOs if assistance
to Afghanistan were greatly increased (and in fact it has
recently been doubled to 12 million euros in 2009 and 2010),
Zacharie said no, the NGOs are generally cooperative with
each other. However, he said that Development Minister
Michel has an overriding interest in Central Africa. Both he
and Poloff recalled Michel's freelance diplomacy, conducted
to the displeasure of Foreign Minister De Gucht, at the time
of the conflict in Eastern Congo.


4. (C) Zacharie was unwilling to commit about whether Belgium
making Afghanistan a partner country would be better than not
doing so. He recognized that as a partner country,
Afghanistan would have a larger Belgian commitment, though
not necessarily more money. On the other hand, since the
"USAID" of Belgium, Belgian Technical Cooperation (TC) posts
its employees on the ground in partner countries, overhead
costs are higher. Belgian assistance to Afghanistan as a
non-partner country is channeled through international
agencies such as the UN and World Food Program (via
contributions to those organizations overall budget, with a
nominal earmark for Afghanistan) and through the Belgian NGOs
working there. He said that Minister Michel and his Minitry
are trying to cut down the number of parter countries and
are resistant to extending the designation to Afghanistan.


5. (C) Each November the CNCD conducts a campaign in Belgium
to raise interest and money for development projects in poor
countries in cooperation with francophone Radio and
Television Belgium. This includes both commercial spots and
appearances by experts on various television programs, as
well as other publicity. Poloff asked if there is any chance
that Afghanistan could be featured in such publicity, to

BRUSSELS 00000656 002 OF 002


build support for assistance there, and whether the United
States Embassy could supply video clips or even a visit by
experts who could highlight the needs there. Zacharie said
that he would be open to exploring the possibilities with
Embassy officers.

BUSH
.