ROK'S RESPONSE TO DONOR SUPPORT FOR ETHIOPIA,

UNCLAS SEOUL 001144

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ECON PREF ET KE SO KS
SUBJECT: ROK'S RESPONSE TO DONOR SUPPORT FOR ETHIOPIA,
SOMALIA AND KENYA

REF: STATE 70789


1. (U) This cable is sensitive but unclassified and not/not
intended for Internet distribution.


2. (SBU) EMin delivered reftel demarche on assistance for the
immediate humanitarian needs in Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya
to Director General Park Gang-ho, head of the Development
Cooperation Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
Trade. EMin commended the USD 100 million, 3-year pledge by
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak for the Food Security
Initiative supporting agricultural production and food
security of developing nations at the G-8 summit in L'Aquila,
Italy. EMin communicated the urgent need for humanitarian
aid and stressed that the goal was to raise additional
funding for aid without tapping the L'Aquila food security
pledges.


3. (SBU) DG Park stated that while the amount of South
Korea's humanitarian assistance is small, South Korea is
making efforts to increase the amount of aid. This year's
budget for humanitarian assistance has been set at USD 15
million but not all allocations have been determined.
Humanitarian assistance as need-based emergency aid may be
provided according to South Korea's assessment of urgent
humanitarian crises and budget allowance. DG Park noted that
South Korea shared U.S. concerns with respect to Ethiopia,
Kenya, and Somalia. A portion of the USD 15 million aid
budget has already been designated for Africa through the
U.N.-led Consolidated Appeal Process (CAP). All of South
Korea's contributions to the Consolidated Appeal Process for
the year have been allocated to Africa. He pointed out that
South Korea maintains bilateral assistance programs for
Ethiopia and Kenya, but that bilateral assistance to Somalia
is difficult due to security. He noted that South Korea has
already provided USD 600,000 to Somalia in humanitarian food
aid this year through the World Food Program (WFP). In
addition, South Korea agreed in April in Brussels to provide
USD 500,000 towards humanitarian aid to Somalia through the
African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). DG Park noted
that during this meeting, most attention was paid to Somalia
based the U.N's assessment of Somalia to be one of the
countries most in need of aid along with the Democratic
Republic of Congo and Sudan.


4. (SBU) DG Park provided additional details regarding South
Korea's pledge of USD 100 million to the Food Security
Initiative. A 25 percent share of the USD 100 million will
be distributed through the World Food Program while the
remaining 75 percent will be distributed as bilateral
assistance. The USD 100 million budget will be equally
distributed over three years. DG Park stated that South
Korea anticipates devoting some of the money currently
planned for the World Food Program to humanitarian aid,
noting that humanitarian assistance contributes to food
security. DG Park assured EMin that South Korea will not use
all of its L'Aquila 2009 pledge towards the horn of Africa
since South Korea has humanitarian aid commitments to other
regions and countries and specific allocations have yet to be
decided. However, DG Park underscored that South Korea would
consider U.S. request for assistance in humanitarian needs in
the horn of Africa.
STEPHENS