Confronting Challenges to Humanitarian Operations in West

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 KHARTOUM 000609

DEPT FOR SE GRATION, S/USSES, AF A A/S CARTER, AF/C
NSC FOR MGAVIN AND CHUDSON
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC PGOV PREL KPKO SOCI AU UNSC SU
SUBJECT: Confronting Challenges to Humanitarian Operations in West
Darfur

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SUMMARY
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1. (SBU) From April 15 to 17, USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign
Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) field officers visited El Geneina,
West Darfur, for the first time since July 2008. There they
discussed the impact of the early March non-governmental
organization (NGO) expulsions on humanitarian programs in West
Darfur and remaining organizations' plans to address gaps in
assistance. The team met with USAID/OFDA-funded NGOs including
Medair, Catholic Relief Services (CRS),International Medical Corps
(IMC),and Tearfund, as well as UN agencies including the UN World
Health Organization (WHO),the UN Joint Logistics Center (UNJLC),
the UN World Food Program (WFP),and the UN Department of Safety and
Security (UNDSS). Partners reported that insecurity in West Darfur
remains a major constraint to program implementation in the area,
hampering the provision of humanitarian assistance to
conflict-affected populations. According to USAID/OFDA discussions
with remaining NGOs, the latter plan to expand areas of operation
and programs to fill the gaps left by expelled NGOs in West Darfur,
including in food security, food and emergency relief supply
distributions, health, nutrition, protection, and water, sanitation,
and hygiene (WASH). Despite remaining organizations' attempts to
address gaps in the health sector, health partners report that the
lack of acknowledgement of gaps from the West Darfur State Ministry
of Health (SMOH) together with weak coordination by the UN health
sector cluster lead has delayed the remaining health sector partners
from quantifying gaps, assessing the available capacity to address
gaps, and coordinating a timely response. End Summary.

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BACKGROUND
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2. (U) The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
mapping department conceptually divides West Darfur State into
western West Darfur and eastern West Darfur for logistical reasons.
Western West Darfur houses the capital of El Geneina, the seat of
the government for all of West Darfur State. This area comprises
the northern corridor, the area north of El Geneina town; the
southwest corridor, the area directly to the south of Geneina; the
southern corridor, the area stretching from El Geneina south to
Habila and on to Foro Baranga; and the eastern corridor, the area
east of El Geneina to Zalingei. The eastern part of West Darfur
includes the Zalingei, Wadi Salih, Mukjar, Um Dukhum, and Jebel
Marra areas. As some humanitarian agencies working in the eastern
region of West Darfur access programs through South Darfur for
logistic reasons and do not have a presence in El Geneina town,
communication and travel have been limited to El Geneina and
discussions with partners based in the town focus mostly on the
western region of West Darfur State.

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USAID/OFDA PARTNERS IN WEST DARFUR
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3. (U) USAID/OFDA currently supports seven international NGOs in
West Darfur including World Relief, Concern, Terre Des Hommes, CRS,
Tearfund, IMC, and Medair; several UN agencies also provide basic
services to conflict-affected populations. From April 15 to 17,
USAID/OFDA field officers traveled to West Darfur to meet with
partners CRS, IMC, Medair, Tearfund, UNJLC, WHO, WFP, and UNDSS. In
western West Darfur, Save the Children/U.S. (SC/US) was a key
USAID/OFDA partner prior to the organization's expulsion in early
March. Following the expulsions, the closure of SC/US programs in
all four geographic corridors in western West Darfur created
significant humanitarian gaps in the food security and agriculture,
coordination, health, nutrition, protection, education, and WASH
(Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) sectors, as well as the provision
of emergency relief supplies. In addition, USAID/OFDA partner CARE,
which was also expelled in March, supported transportation of
emergency relief supplies for the Non-Food Item (NFI) Common
Pipeline and NFI distributions in limited locations in the northern
and eastern corridors of western West Darfur. CARE also supported
food distributions in the Wadi Salih, Mukjar, and Um Dukhum areas of
eastern West Darfur, and expelled NGO Mercy Corps supported NFI
distributions and WASH programs in Wadi Salih, Mukjar, Um Dukhum,
and Zalingei.

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POTENTIAL "GAP Filling"
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4. (SBU) USAID/OFDA-funded partner CRS is considering significantly
increasing operations and doubling capacity in West Darfur to
address gaps in assistance resulting from the expulsions,
predominantly in WASH, food security, food and NFI distributions,
and shelter. CRS currently operates north of El Geneina along the
northern corridor; however, to address gaps left by SC/US, CRS is
considering expanding activities in areas such as Beida to the
southeast of El Geneina and areas in the southern corridor, such as
Habila and Foro Baranga. CRS is also considering filling gaps in
Wadi Salih, Mukjar, and Um Dukhum left by expelled NGO partners CARE
and Mercy Corps in food security, provision of NFIs, and WASH. CRS
is currently a WFP implementing partner in the northern corridor and
has a beneficiary load of 160,000 individuals. Following the
expulsions, CRS signed a cooperative agreement with WFP to assume
control of 27 food distribution points in the southern corridor,
which will add a further 263,000 beneficiaries to the organization's
caseload. CRS currently distributes dry rations as well as supports
health messaging in supplementary feeding programs (SFP) for 7,000
beneficiaries in the northern corridor. In cooperation with WFP,
the organization plans to increase its caseload to support 14,000
new beneficiaries in SFPs in the new areas of operation. CRS has
also signed agreements with the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) to
construct 1,350 latrines, provide support for solid waste
management, distribute soap, and promote hygiene for 45,000
beneficiaries in the southern corridor and Mukjar areas.


5. (U) CRS is working with UNJLC to distribute NFIs to 10,000
beneficiaries prior to the onset of the annual May/June to September
rainy season. Since mid-March, CRS has successfully dispatched ten
international staff from its regional office in Kenya to support
the Sudan team with internal operations, assessments, and
recruitment of eight senior national staff employees. CRS
anticipates establishing three sub-offices located in Habila,
Mukjar, and Um Dukhum to adequately address the program expansions.
State-level officials from all appropriate line ministries in El
Geneina have approved CRS' technical agreements, and CRS is
coordinating with appropriate UN cluster leads in the various
sectors on potential expansions.


6. (SBU) Over the past six months, insecurity has limited
Tearfund's ability to maintain a physical presence in Beida locality
in the southwest corridor, the current location of the
organization's USAID/OFDA-funded activities. In Beida, Tearfund has
had to balance the provision of humanitarian assistance with safety
amid tensions between Arab and African ethnic groups and nomadic
populations. On March 22, Tearfund relocated staff from the area
due to threats of potential international staff abductions.
Subsequently, on April 14, UN security canceled Tearfund's attempts
to resume one-day visits to the area due to reports of significant
movements of Chadian armed opposition groups in the area and
possible incursions into Chad. Tearfund confirmed that while the
NGO has been able to implement and monitor USAID/OFDA-funded
programs remotely from El Geneina, the programs have suffered from
decreased output and quality due to lack of direct supervision.
Tearfund is currently conducting an internal assessment and analysis
on ways in which the organization can address humanitarian gaps;
however, Tearfund has not yet developed any concrete plans to expand
operations.


7. (SBU) Historically, international NGOs in West Darfur have
benefited from supportive Sudanese government officials, including
the El Geneina Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC),as well as line
ministries, according to USAID/OFDA partners in the area. Due to
this supportive atmosphere, NGOs in West Darfur typically have been
able to implement humanitarian programs relatively easily compared
to other Darfur states, where NGOs experience significant
bureaucratic obstacles to program implementation. For instance, the
Government of National Unity Office of Water and Environmental
Sanitation in West Darfur, with support from UNICEF as the sector
lead, has actively facilitated access for NGOs that have expressed
an interest in conducting assessments aimed at filling gaps.
However, during USAID/OFDA's recent visit, both Medair and IMC
reported that the SMOH has been reluctant to permit NGOs to conduct
assessments in West Darfur to quantify gaps in the health sector.


8. (SBU) According to Medair and IMC, the SMOH is unwilling to
admit the existence of gaps in the health system created by the
expulsion of SC/US. The SMOH indicated that government-sponsored
agencies are addressing all gaps in the health sector created by the
expulsions and that national NGOs are expected to take over and
support programs in the long-term. Although both Medair and IMC
have applied for permits to assess health gaps in various locations,
the West Darfur State HAC has denied both partners access. The SMOH
stated that Sudanese doctors working in Darfur until the end of

KHARTOUM 00000609 003 OF 004


April and the Egyptian doctors, who are expected to imminently
arrive in Darfur, will be able to fill the gaps. The SMOH's
approach has alarmed the UN World Health Organization (WHO),as the
NGO expulsions interrupted referral systems and disrupted early
warning systems, reducing the health sector's capacity and ability
to respond to health-related emergencies. According to a WHO
report, only six of the 15 primary health care centers located in
West Darfur previously supported by expelled NGOs were functioning
as of mid-April.


9. (U) While doctors arriving from Khartoum were tasked to fill
health gaps in the three Darfur states, most have preferred to
remain in urban areas, leaving rural areas and non
government-controlled areas without essential medical services.
Furthermore, it remains unclear how rapidly the Egyptian doctors
will be able to depart for Sudan and become operational upon
arrival. In a meeting with the WHO Emergency Coordinator on April
27, WHO mentioned that the federal MOH had requested assistance from
WHO to provide logistical support for the team of Egyptian doctors
once they arrive in Sudan.

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UN SECTOR LEADS
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10. (SBU) The UN in Sudan officially adopted the cluster approach
to programming under the 2009 Work Plan for Sudan. The main
objective of the cluster system is to ensure coordination among UN
agencies through joint programming, information sharing, knowledge
sharing on technical and policy issues, and the joint formulation of
sector/thematic strategies. This approach to programming is also
aimed at synergizing program implementation by combining support and
common services and provides a mechanism for the UN to interface
with the government on thematic issues as they relate to broader
policy strategies and program implementation. WHO is the health
sector lead under the cluster approach. Despite the organization's
role as sector lead, partners in West Darfur expressed frustration
with WHO's lack of leadership capacity in coordination and
information sharing, noting that the health sector lacks a
coordinated approach to responding to the current gaps in
humanitarian assistance.

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SECURITY
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11. (SBU) Lack of access to conflict-affected populations due to
insecurity continues to hamper the delivery of humanitarian
assistance in West Darfur. Between April 1 and 15, the UN reported
an upsurge in security incidents in the state, including
carjackings, temporary staff abductions, banditry, robberies, and
assaults on humanitarian premises. According to UN security
officials, assailants broke into 13 humanitarian compounds in El
Geneina from late February to March 2009, compared to almost no
assaults on compounds in 2008. To decrease the likelihood of
carjackings, the UN has reverted to using minivans in town and
traveling in convoys when possible. Although the curfew in El
Geneina town is 2000 hours local time, WFP requires that all
vehicles return inside the compound by 1630 hours. Due to
heightened insecurity, partners reported that NGOs accessed most
projects via air.


12. (SBU) During the USAID/OFDA visit to West Darfur, Tamer Saad El
Derini, head of UNDSS in West Darfur, reported a relatively calm
security situation in El Geneina town. However, on April 12,
Sudanese government security officials alerted the UN of a potential
kidnapping threat targeting foreign humanitarian aid workers. While
the security officials did not disclose the source or extent of the
threat, the UN is actively monitoring security in El Geneina and has
increased surveillance monitoring systems to allow UN security to
respond efficiently and rapidly to potential incidents. In
collaboration with local police and security officials, UNDSS has
established police checkpoints in areas of town with high
concentrations of NGOs. UNDSS has also equipped police at the
checkpoints with VHF radios programmed with the UN frequency, so
that police can directly contact the UN radio room. Furthermore,
all international NGOs have programmed radios to contain the
U.N.-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) frequency on a
dedicated channel to initiate quick response in event of a security
incident. UNAMID and the Sudanese government have also increased
the number of joint patrols throughout the night in El Geneina.


13. (SBU) El Derini reported that El Geneina is currently
experiencing a visible increase in the movement of armed elements

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within the town. On April 13, the Sudanese government and Sudanese
Armed Forces (SAF) put on a show of force, demonstrating an increase
in military equipment and other assets by flying four fighter jets
from the airport and conducting a parade through town. The heavy
presence and build-up of Chadian armed opposition forces in West
Darfur towns pose a threat to NGOs' security and have limited
program implementation in the area. For example, on April 14, CRS
was forced to suspend an assessment mission to Foro Baranga due to
insecurity. In Beida, UN security observed a similar increased
presence of armed military personal during a security assessment of
the area during the week of April 5. In early to mid-April, UN
security also received confirmed reports that approximately 5,000
members of Chadian armed opposition groups were moving from Habila,
West Darfur, into Chad. El Derini notes that troop movement across
the borders is not unusual prior to the onset of the rainy season,
as this period is the optimum time for military operations on both
sides. The UN is concerned about a potential eruption of violence
should either side attempt to exercise force.

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COMMENTS AND CONCLUSION
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14. (SBU) The mid-April visit by OFDA to El Geneina confirmed the
presence of significant gaps in humanitarian assistance created by
the expulsion of key NGO partners, particularly SC/US, CARE, and
Mercy Corps, in food security, food and NFI distributions, WASH,
health, nutrition, and protection. Remaining international and
national NGOs are coordinating and cooperating with government
authorities and UN agencies to address critical gaps while at the
same time planning, strategizing, and seeking funds to support
longer-term solutions. The majority of line ministries, supported
by UN cluster leads, are demonstrating a willingness to coordinate
and facilitate assessments and future planning with NGO partners,
with the notable exception of the SMOH, which continues to deliver
the message that government interventions are adequately addressing
current gaps, and national NGOs will cover future gaps. As the
health sector lead, WHO has been unable to effect change in the
SMOH's view or policy. As a result, plans for long-term solutions
in the health sector remain pending.


15. (SBU) The visit also confirmed that the fragile security
situation in El Geneina has had a marked impact on humanitarian
operations. A pervasive atmosphere of anxiety and tension exists
among international and local humanitarian workers due to the
military build-up, movements along the Sudan-Chad border, and
increased criminality. The militarization of West Darfur, due
largely to the Sudan-Chad proxy war, continues to be an impediment
to humanitarian service delivery in this fragile area.

FERNANDEZ