Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10FREETOWN36
2010-01-25 17:11:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Freetown
Cable title:  

SIERRA LEONE GIVES 100,000 DOLLARS FOR HAITI

Tags:  PHUM PREL PGOV SL 
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VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHFN #0036 0251711
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 251711Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY FREETOWN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 3133
C O N F I D E N T I A L FREETOWN 000036 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/25/2020
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV SL
SUBJECT: SIERRA LEONE GIVES 100,000 DOLLARS FOR HAITI
RELIEF, PREPARED TO DO MORE.

Classified By: DCM Glenn Fedzer for reason 1.4 (b/d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L FREETOWN 000036

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/25/2020
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV SL
SUBJECT: SIERRA LEONE GIVES 100,000 DOLLARS FOR HAITI
RELIEF, PREPARED TO DO MORE.

Classified By: DCM Glenn Fedzer for reason 1.4 (b/d)


1. (U) Foreign Minister Zainab Bangura discussed President
Koroma's offer of 100,000 dollars in cash for Haitian
earthquake relief during a courtesy call with CDA January 21,
saying the money was to "pay back" the international
community for all it had done for Sierra Leone. She added
that Sierra Leone was prepared, if asked, to provide manpower
(either police officers or peacekeeping troops) to answer any
additional requirements in Haiti. Bangura also noted that
Sierra Leone had volunteered a battalion for the AU
peacekeeping operation in Somalia, but in the end was unable
to provide the unit due to a lack of donor support to
purchase equipment.


2. (C) Minister Bangura's comments reflect the sentiment,
held by President Koroma and many other Sierra Leoneans that
Sierra Leone needs to get beyond its troubled past and rejoin
the rest of the world. Despite the token amount, the
donation has emotional significance, and has been a dominant
topic of discussion among many in Freetown. Some papers have
been critical of the gift, noting that the money is needed
here, but the need to "pay back" the international community
has overridden those concerns, and it appeaQhat the
general consensus is favorable. Political support for troop
or police deployments could also be expected.


3. (C) Comment continued: Bangura appears to be unaware
that the lack of support for a contribution to the AU mission
in Somalia was driven by consensus among donors, including
the Embassy, that the Sierra Leonean Army is not ready yet:
such a commitment requires three trained battalions (with one
deployed, one preparing to deploy, and the last undergoing
recovery operations) and Sierra Leone has barely been able to
support a one company rotation to Darfur. It is encouraging
that Sierra Leone has the will to help stabilize other
African countries, but it will take a bit more time for it to
have the capacity to be able to do so.
CHESHES