HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE COORDINATOR FOR PAKISTAN:

C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 001809 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/29/2019 TAGS: PREL AORC PREF EAID PGOV UN PK SUBJECT: HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE COORDINATOR FOR PAKISTAN: MOVING FORWARD Classified By: Gerald M. Feierstein, for reasons 1.4 (b)(d) ¶1. (C) In a July 22 meeting between Ambassador Holbrooke and Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, Pakistan Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir indicated unequivocally that his government would support the appointment of a high-level UN humanitarian assistance coordinator for Pakistan. His agreement came amidst discussion of the breadth of the humanitarian recovery and development challenges and the large number of UN agencies in the mix. Ambassador Holbrooke made clear that our expectation was that the coordinator's mandate would include humanitarian aid, recovery and reconstruction and coordination of UN agencies and offices that would include UNHCR, OCHA, WFP and UNDP, among others. Presumably, the coordinator could also liaise with other international organizations engaged in development (such as the World Bank which, in at least one case, had seconded a staff member to a similar UN coordination operation). ¶2. (C) In an earlier meeting the same day with UNHCR Representative Guenet Guebre-Christos, PRM Assistant Secretary Schwartz discussed the issue of donor coordination. The UNHCR Representative and her colleagues, who appeared unaware of the NY-Islamabad-Washington discussions of a humanitarian coordinator, bemoaned the lack of donor coordination and integration in international assistance efforts. When Schwartz asked whether a high-level coordinator -- over all the UN agencies -- would be a good idea, the UNHCR representative said, "Absolutely." She was emphatic, and her staff agreed. ¶3. (C) A/S Schwartz conveyed this information to USUN Deputy Representative Alex Wolff, who indicated he would follow up with appropriate member governments and the UN Secretariat. ¶4. (U) A/S Schwartz has cleared this cable. FEIERSTEIN