ACTING A/S CARTER BRIEFS EU POLITICAL COUNSELORS

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 036865 E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/14/2019 TAGS: PREL AU EUN XA SUBJECT: ACTING A/S CARTER BRIEFS EU POLITICAL COUNSELORS ON AFRICA POLICY Classified By: Acting A/S Phillip Carter, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Begin Summary: On April 9 at the invitation of the Czech Political Counselor in his capacity representing the EU Presidency, Acting Assistant Secretary for Africa Phillip Carter urged EU Political Counselors to support USG policy priorities towards Africa. Carter noted that the Administration is undertaking a thorough review of Africa policy, in particular towards Sudan and Somalia, and the Assistant Secretary-designate is preparing for Senate Confirmation Hearings later in the month. Carter briefed on Sudan, Somalia, the resurgence of coups in Africa, Eastern Congo, and Zimbabwe. End Summary SUDAN: ¶2. (C) Carter said Sudan remains the most important concern to the United States on the continent of Africa. Resolution to the conflict in Darfur is essential. The Government of Sudan's expulsion of non-governmental organizations furnishing aid in Darfur and elsewhere in Sudan has left a vacuum which remaining organizations are unable to fill on a long-term basis. The U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan J. Scott Gration is in Sudan and is seeking a way to get the NGOs back in. ¶3. (C) The United States is also seeking implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between North and South, but we are concerned that the Government of Sudan may not to be prepared to hold elections or a national referendum. The Abyei, Nuba Mountain and Blue Nile regions are of concern. The Government and people of Southern Sudan itself need to determine their future. Carter also noted that the Sudan People's Liberation Movement is not the only voice in Southern Sudan, and Southern Sudan,s political character is unclear. ¶4. (C) In answer to a question from the Swedish counselor about U.S. policy, Carter said the United States is trying to maintain Southern Sudan as a viable entity, whether or not it becomes independent and is exploring ways to maintain counterterrorism cooperation with the Government of Sudan in the wake of the deterioration in relations. In answer to a question from the Portuguese counselor on Southern Sudan, Carter noted that it needed help on a number of fronts, including governance, education, macroeconomic management, defense, and political dialogue. Holding elections in 2010 will be costly and there is a deficit of goodwill. On Darfur, he noted that S/E Gration is looking into ways to get the NGOs re-hatted so that they can be allowed back in, and said that the UN/Government of Sudan report had weaknesses. SOMALIA: ¶5. (C) Carter noted that he had just come from a very productive meeting with the UN Secretary General's Special Representative for Somalia Ahmedou Ould Abdallah and stated that Somalia has made progress towards reconciliation and stability recently. The USG's objectives are to establish security around Mogadishu and assist the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) to begin the delivery of basic services. To do this, the international community needs to strengthen the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and support the United Nations-led Djibouti Peace Process and the establishment of a Somali Joint Security Force (JSF). ¶6. (C) He requested resources from the EU to bolster the Somali security sector and AMISOM, either through the trust fund set-up by UNSCR 1863 or bilaterally. An AMISOM/Somali security sector pledging conference is scheduled for April 22 in Brussels. Carter said that the international community needs to establish parameters so that we can measure progress in Somalia. There appears to be a resurgence of clans in Southern Somalia. Al-Shabaab is splitting from within and is becoming more dangerous. In this respect, he asked why the EU is giving over $100 million in assistance to the Government of Eritrea, which is financing Al-Shabaab. COUPS IN AFRICA: ¶7. (C) Carter said the United States is concerned by the resurgence of coups in Africa, and supports the strong stance the African Union has taken in condemning extra-constitutional changes of government. The African Union needs the support of the international community. On Mauritania, Carter said the slow response of the international community has allowed the junta time to consolidate its power base and made opposition much more difficult. ¶8. (C) As in the case of Mauritania, the United States has suspended all assistance to Guinea with the exception of humanitarian aid and electoral assistance and will not consider reinstating aid until the junta submits to credible, free, fair, transparent and timely elections. Carter cast doubt on the sincerity of the junta's commitment to an elections timetable. With respect to Madagascar, Carter said the USG appreciated the strong statements of the European Union against the illegal transfer of power in Madagascar and the coordination among the U.S. and the EU to encourage a prompt return to constitutional order there. The USG is required by law to suspend all assistance programs that directly benefit the Government of Madagascar until a democratically-elected government is in place. ¶9. (C) The EU Counselors noted that the EU and member states had taken a strong position on Madagascar, and stated that EU would be initiating a political dialogue April 16 with the Rajoelin regime in an effort to put pressure on the regime to return to a democratically-elected form of government. Carter noted that a number of EU member states had kept in place all of their assistance programs, and it is unlikely that the regime in Madagascar will be pressured to do anything unless they face the threat of a cut off in foreign assistance, in particular direct budgetary assistance. EASTERN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: ¶10. (C) On the situation in the eastern DRC, Carter said the USG is pleased by the increased cooperation among Great Lakes regional states in recent months, the impending reestablishment of diplomatic relations among the DRC and its neighbors, and the decision by Congolese armed groups to end their insurgencies and integrate into the DRC military (FARDC). He said that the Tripartite Plus mechanism is working well, and noted that the United States is coordinating with the EU and its member states increasingly in the area of security sector reform. He added that for Security Sector Reform to be successful much greater coordination among donors is essential. Carter encouraged continued international donor support for the reform of the FARDC, and commended the EU for the role it is playing. ZIMBABWE ¶11. (C) Carter stated that the focus of USG activities will continue to be transitional support, and said that the collective emphasis of the international community should be on strengthening institutions and promoting additional policy reforms before considering direct budget support. The United States plans to continue and possibly expand our humanitarian assistance programs to encompass food and anti-cholera aid, drawing clear lines between need-based humanitarian assistance and transitional/recovery assistance tied to political reform. Carter emphasized that targeted sanctions must remain in place. CLINTON