ASSISTANT SECRETARY CARSON MEETING WITH AFRICAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 064904


ADDIS FOR USAU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/15/2016
TAGS: PREL AF AU KDEM PHUM KWMN
SUBJECT: ASSISTANT SECRETARY CARSON MEETING WITH AFRICAN
UNION AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S. AMINA SALUM ALI

Classified By: Louis Mazel, AF/RSA, Reason 1.5 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary: A/S Johnnie Carson met with African Union
Ambassador to the U.S. Amina Salum Ali for one hour on June
16, 2009, making the following key points:

-- The Obama Administrations is demonstrating a strong
commitment to Africa as evidenced by the President receiving
President Kikwete and PM Tsvangirai, his trip to Ghana in
July, and The Secretary and Deputy Secretary Lew's upcoming
trips to the region"

-- The U.S. is seeking ways to increase engagement with
African regional and sub-regional organizations.

-- The USG appreciates the AU's principled stand on
restricting the participation of governments that have come
to power through coups: issues of democratic governance and
inclusivity are important to the new administration..

-- There is high level interest in confronting the problem
of gender based violence in Darfur and the Eastern Congo.

-- U.S. and AU support to the Djibouti process and the TFG
are essential; Eritrea has been a very unhelpful actor in the
region but the U.S. is prepared to open a dialogue with
President Isaias, should the Eritreans cease all support to
Al-Shabaab.

-- Greater internal dialogue and inclusivity is needed in
Chad to reduce tensions and eliminate the need for proxies
that exacerbate the problem in Darfur; Chad should spend its
precious oil resources on its people's needs not weapons.

End summary.



2. (U) African Union Ambassador to the United States Amina
Salum Ali made an introductory call on Assistant Secretary of
State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson on June 16 to review
a range of issues in the areas of peace and security,
democratization, human rights, and food security. Ali was
accompanied by Senior Policy Officer Louis Sharene Bailey.

STRONGER RELATIONS WITH THE AU AND AFRICA
--------------


3. (U) Ali began by congratulating A/S CARSON on his
appointment and expressing hope that the U.S. and the AU
could deepen relations, adding that she believed that the
Obama administration would give African issues greater
prominence. She expressed appreciation for the recently
announced food initiative for Africa and noted that A/S
Carson's long experience on the continent made him especially
sensitive to the issues that are important to Africa.


4. (SBU) A/S Carson thanked Amb. Ali for attending his
swearing-in earlier this week and noted that he singled out
Ambassador Ali at the event because of the importance that he
attributes to our relationship with the African Union. A/S
told Ali that the U.S. will look for ways to work more
closely with the African Union and with the sub-regional
organizations in Africa, including ECOWAS, SADC, and IGAD.
A/S Carson underscored that Secretary Clinton, who introduced
him at the swearing-in, is firmly committed to Africa and
wants to have a "positive agenda and not just put out fires"
on the continent. This agenda will include helping to grow
economies, strengthening democratic groups and civil society,
and promoting food security.


5. (C) A/S Carson noted that expectations for President
Obama, while high in the U.S., "may be even greater in
Africa" He added that The President is proud of his Kenyan
roots and has shown a strong commitment to Africa,
demonstrated by the fact that he has already met with
President Kikwete of Tanzania and Zimbabwean Prime Minister
Morgan Tsvangirai and is traveling to Ghana in July as part
of a wider trip to Europe. A/S Carson said The President, by
meeting with Kikwete and traveling to Ghana to met with
President Atta Mills, is clearly signaling his support for
democratic government, democratic institutions, and leaders
who respect their people. As further demonstration of the
administration's commitment to Africa, A/S Carson cited the
Deputy Secretary's trip to Ethiopia and Tanzania later this
month and the Secretary's planned travel to Kenya for the
AGOA conference in August. He noted that the Secretary has
received the Angolan Foreign Minister in Washington, met with
former UNSYG Annan to review African issues, and has spoken
telephonically with a number of African leaders." AS/S
Carson told Amb. Ali that "this is just the beginning of a
strong and much more responsive engagement in Africa."


6. (C) For her part, Amb. Ali proposed several ways to
deepen U.S. Africa engagement, suggesting that the U.S.
invite AU Chairperson Ping for high level meetings, that
President Obama attend the AU Summit in Addis next January,
and that the Assistant Secretary hold a regular dialogue with
African ambassadors in Washington on such issues as food
security, energy, and climate change. A/S Carson told Ali
that he would consider these requests.

CURBING GENDER BASED VIOLENCE A HIGH PRIORITY FOR THIS
ADMINISTRATION
-------------- --------------


7. (SBU) Amb. Ali also told A/S Carson that the AU is
interested in establishing some type of trust fund for
women's issues on the continent and that she would interested
in discussing this idea with the Special Envoy for Women's
Issues. A/S Carson noted that Secretary Clinton is extremely
interested in issues of gender based violence particularly in
Darfur and the Eastern Congo and that we will be looking for
new ways to bring attention and resources to this problem.
Amb. Ali said that one solution would be to involve more
women in peacekeeping and conflict resolution in Darfur and
elsewhere on the continent. She added that "We need more
women police and more women in officials roles" to combat
this problem.


8. (C) Turning to issues of democratization on the
continent, A/S Carson thanked Ali for the AU's voice on
democracy and its principled stand in excluding the
participation of governments whose leaders have come to power
through coups or military interventions. Carson told Ali
that, "It is extremely important that the AU maintain its
strong and consistent stand in support of democracy." A/S
Carson added that by taking this stand, the AU help put in
place democratic institutions that will support what are in
many cases still fragile democracies.

CONSENSUS ON SOMALIA
--------------


9. (C) On Somalia, A/S told Ali that the U.S. supports the
Djibouti Process as endorsed by the AU, IGAD, and other
sub-regional organizations and that the Djibouti Process and
the TFG are our only options for stabilizing Somalia at this
time. He added that the U.S. remains concerned by the
position of Eritrea and that Isaias' support for Al-Shabaab
is destructive to Somalia and must cease. A/S Carson
continued that the U.S. would like to engage Eritrea and
remains open to having better relations with Eritrea but
Eritrea must cease all support to Al Shabaab.


10. (C) Ali told A/S Carson that the AU is engaged in
Somalia on a daily basis and agreed that the TFG should be
supported. She noted that the lure of radical Islam is a
"cancer spreading across Africa." and that any programs for
Somalia must also include a focus on youth who are
susceptible to the messages of radical elements. She
underscored the need to stabilize the situation
Ethiopia-Eritrea border


11. (SBU) A/S Carson added that the situation in Somalia is
causing a huge refugee problem in Kenya and that piracy off
the coast of Somalia is a direct result of the breakdown of
law. Carson urged that the AU put in place protocols on
piracy and that it work with the U.S. to encourage African
states that are victims of piracy to take suspects for
prosecution. Ali told A/S Carson that the AU is open for
discussions on piracy.

NEED FOR INTERNAL DIALOGUE IN CHAD
--------------


12. (C) Shifting to Chad, Ambassador Ali maintained that
the problem is linked to the fact that people are not looking
at Chad "holistically" in terms of the political situation on
the ground and how that relates to the problems in Darfur.
A/S Carson agreed with Ali's analysis, noting that part of
the fundamental problem in Darfur is found in Chad. Carson
said that there should be internal dialogue in Chad between
Deby and groups that oppose him and that Chad needs more
democratic and inclusive government, something the U.S. is
encouraging. Reconciliation would eliminate the proxies that
Sudan feels compelled to use against Deby and will also
reduce the basis for Deby to support rebel groups operating
in Chad against Darfur. Carson noted that by reducing the
threat, Chad could redirect precious oil revenues from
military and defense spending to meeting human needs. A/S
Carson closed by noting that greater dialogue, greater
inclusivity, and more internal communication will lead to
greater stability in Chad and reduce tensions with Sudan.


CLINTON