DISCUSSIONS ON SYG REPORT ON SUPPORT FOR AFRICAN

UNCLAS STATE 108880

SENSITIVE

C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (SENSITIVE CAPTION ADDED)

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KPKO UNSC
SUBJECT: DISCUSSIONS ON SYG REPORT ON SUPPORT FOR AFRICAN
UNION PEACEKEEPING AND DRAFT PRST TEXT


1. (SBU) Consultations are taking place in New York in
advance of the October 26 Council meeting to discuss the
report of the Secretary General on Support to African Union
Peacekeeping Operations, and to consider a draft PRST on the
issue. The draft PRST text shared by Uganda includes
language expressing the intention of the UNSC to consider the
use of assessed contributions to support specific African
peacekeeping operations authorized by the Security Council
(SC)--on a case by case basis and for a period of six months
or such period as may be determined by the Council--to ensure
sustainability and to facilitate transition to a UN
operation. Other language in the statement includes, inter
alia: calls for enhancement of interaction and coordination
between the two organizations; the need for a joint study on
lessons learned from previous joint operations; establishment
of a joint team to work on operationalizing key
recommendations to further the strategic partnership between
the UN and AU; development of a long-term capacity-building
road map; and a request for a progress report from the SYG in
six months.


2. (SBU) While we want to enhance the strategic partnership
and institutional coordination between the two organizations,
we need to remain cautious about any initiatives that call
for the use of assessed funds except in cases of extreme last
resort and only on a case-by-case basis. Moreover we need to
obtain a clearer picture of downstream financial and other
implications of any such initiative. Past Congressional
correspondence and recent discussions with Hill staffers have
also underscored the critical need to obtain buy-in from
senior legislators and staff before considering pushing the
current envelope on the funding issue. Thus, we should
underscore with the Ugandans (and other interlocutors) the
need to focus on elements that encourage closer strategic
links between the AU and the UN, and stress the need for the
AU to take ownership of its capacity building along the full
spectrum of peace operations. Our redlines on the draft PRST
would be to eschew financial commitments such as the possible
use of assessed contributions for AU peacekeeping operations.
Some issues falling just outside of our redlines include
para 9 (of the Ugandan draft) calling for further
strengthening the work of the UN liaison office in Addis
Ababa and enhancement of regular interaction, coordination,
and consultations on matters of mutual interest to the UN and
AU. We fully support this goal, but note that resource
issues will need to be addressed. Secondly, para 11 (again
of the Ugandan draft) has language on developing a long-term
capacity-building road map for the AU "in conjunction with
the UN and other International Partners." USUN should seek
to refine this language to underscore that the main effort
has to be with the AU itself.


3. (SBU) USUN may draw on the following points:

-- Welcome the SYG's efforts to strengthen strategic
cooperation between the AU Commission and the UN Secretariat.

-- Note that that efforts to better prepare the UN and other
bodies to meet the growing demands placed on international
peacekeeping are consistent with President Obama's recent
commitment (made at the UNGA) for the United States to do its
part in seeking clear, credible, and achievable peacekeeping
mandates; to intensify diplomatic efforts to support fragile
peace processes; to improve bilateral efforts to train
peacekeepers; to help mobilize necessary enabling assets; and
to work closely with partners in addressing existing gaps and
to discuss proposals to assure the future success of UN
peacekeeping.

-- Acknowledge the importance of AU capacity building along
the entire spectrum of conflict management, including
mediation, crisis management, post-conflict reconstruction
and peacebuilding and civil society and emphasize the
importance of building conflict prevention capacity of
civilian institutions and civil society. Acknowledge also the
need for further enhancement to the AU Secretariat's capacity
to plan, manage, and sustain PKOs.

-- Underscore, however, the need for the AU to take greater
ownership of its capacity building.

-- Call on donors to continue financial support to develop
African peacekeeping either through in-kind bilateral support
or through trust funds. Note the need for donors to
coordinate more closely, particularly in the area of
administrative reporting and accounting requirements, so that
the AU Secretariat is not overwhelmed with accommodating
different requirements for each donor.

-- Note that--as President Obama emphasized--the United
States is ready to do its part. Underscore that we will
continue to provide substantial bilateral assistance to
partners in the AU, and note the efforts that we have made in
the months following the March 18 discussion of Peace and
Security in Africa. The US has consulted more closely with
lead troop and police contributing countries. Additionally,
we have stressed the importance of realistic mandates that
are matched with the capacity of peacekeeping missions.



4. (SBU) Recommended PRST language follows. Please note that
this text is still a starting point for discussions and we
need to retain flexibility to accommodate potential
review/input from Department principles.


1. The Security Council recalls its previous relevant
resolutions and statements of its President which underscore
the importance of developing effective partnerships between
the United Nations and regional organizations, in particular
the African Union, in accordance with the United Nations
Charter and the relevant statutes of the regional
organizations,


2. The Security Council reiterates its primary responsibility
for the maintenance of international peace and security, and
recalls that cooperation with regional and sub-regional
organizations in matters relating to the maintenance of peace
and security and consistent with chapter VIII of the Charter
of the United Nations, can improve collective security,


3. The Security Council welcomes the continuing important
efforts of the African Union to settle conflicts in the
African continent, and expresses its support for peace
initiatives conducted by the African Union,


4. The Security Council reaffirms its resolution 1809 (2008)
which recognizes the need to enhance the predictability,
sustainability and flexibility of financing regional
organizations when they undertake peacekeeping under a United
Nations mandate. The Security Council recognizes that in
deploying peacekeeping operations, the African Union is
contributing towards maintenance of international peace and
security, consistent with the provisions of Chapter VIII of
the United Nations Charter,


5. The Security Council reiterates that regional
organizations have the responsibility to secure human,
financial, logistical and other resources for their
organizations including through contributions by their
members and support from development partners,


6. The Security Council recalls the Statement of its
President (S/PRST/2009/3) in which it requested the
Secretary-General to submit a report on practical ways to
provide effective support for the African Union when it
undertakes peacekeeping operations authorized by the United
Nations, that includes a detailed assessment of the
recommendations contained in the Report of the African
Union-United Nations Panel, in particular those on financing,
as well as on the establishment of a joint African
Union-United Nations team,


7. The Security Council welcomes the Report of the
Secretary-General on support to African Union peacekeeping
operations authorized by the United Nations (A/64/359 -
S/2009/470,


8. The Security Council notes that the Report of the African
Union-United Nations Panel (A/63/666 - S/2008/813) is an
important contribution towards the overall efforts to enhance
the capacity of the African Union in undertaking peacekeeping
operations,


9. The Security Council reiterates the importance of
establishing a more effective strategic relationship between
the United Nations Security Council and the African Union
Peace and Security Council and between the United Nations
Secretariat and the African Union Commission. The Council
encourages further strengthening of the United Nations
Liaison Office in Addis Ababa and enhancement of regular
interaction, coordination, and consultation between the
United Nations and the African Union on matters of mutual
interest. The Security Council requests the Secretary-General
to liaise with the African Union to discuss key
recommendations including strengthening further the strategic
partnership between the United Nations and the African Union,
and developing a long-term, comprehensive capacity-building
road-map,


10. The Security Council underlines the importance of the
Ten-year Capacity-Building Program for the African Union,
mainly focusing on peace and security, in particular the
operationalization of the African Union Standby Force and the
Continental Early Warning System. The Security Council
supports the ongoing efforts to strengthen the African Peace
and Security Architecture and reiterates its call for the
international community, particularly the donors, to fulfill
their commitments as endorsed by the 2005 Summit Outcome
document,


11. The Security Council notes that the African Union needs
to enhance its institutional capacity to enable it to
effectively plan, manage, and deploy peacekeeping operations.
The Security Council, in this regard, calls upon the African
Union to develop a long-term, comprehensive capacity-building
road map,


12. The Security Council underlines the need for a
comprehensive joint United Nations-African Union study of
lessons learned from the Light and Heavy support packages for
AMIS, the logistics package for AMISOM, as well as
collaboration under UNAMID and the United Nations Support
Office for AMISOM (UNSOA) with a view to identifying best
practices to inform the development of capacity-building
initiatives, particularly those for the medium to long-term,


13. The Security Council requests the Secretary-General to
submit a progress report no later than April 26, 2010.
CLINTON