Summary of Eastern Sudan Issues Group Meeting

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000106 SENSITIVE SIPDIS NSC FOR MGAVIN, LETIM DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM SU ER SUBJECT: Summary of Eastern Sudan Issues Group Meeting REF: 09 GENEVA 932 ¶1. (U) Summary: British Ambassador Rosalind Marsden hosted the first meeting of the newly-launched Eastern Sudan Issues Group on January 18. The meeting, which was well-attended by approximately thirty ambassadors and heads-of-agencies, included representatives from both the United Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR) and United Nations Development Program (UNDP). Discussion focused on Eritrean refugees' issues in Eastern Sudan, as well as UNDP plans to sponsor a Donors Conference in Kuwait some time after Sudan's elections in April. End summary. ¶2. (SBU) British Ambassador Rosalind Marsden hosted the first meeting of the newly-launched Eastern Sudan Issues Group on January ¶18. In her opening remarks, Ambassador Marsden noted that Eastern issues are frequently overshadowed by international attention to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and Darfur, and she hoped that opening a forum for discussion on the East might draw back some much-needed consideration to the troubled region. -------------- -------------- UNHCR Presentation on Eritrean Refugees -------------- -------------- ¶3. (U) UNHCR made the first presentation of the meeting, which detailed the refugee caseload and challenges facing UNHCR and NGOs when dealing with refugees. According to information presented by UNHCR, there are two distinct groups of refugees present in the East. ¶4. (U) The first group, entirely composed of lowland Eritrean Muslims, has been present in Sudan for over forty years, and is approaching complete integration into the general population of the area. This group enjoys several advantages, including a shared ethnic identity with Eastern Sudanese, a common religion, a common language, and special government documentation that allows them relative freedom of movement throughout the Eastern states. Many in this group were born in Sudan, and enjoy a high degree of social integration into the Eastern Sudan community. Nonetheless, this group suffers from acute malnutrition, high maternal and infant-mortality figures, illiteracy, and poor sanitation. UNHCR efforts are currently shifting away from protracted support of camp infrastructure towards durable solutions and programs that focus on self-reliance. ¶5. (SBU) A second group of refugees has also appeared in the area, in ever-increasing numbers. This group, unlike the first, has not integrated into the region. Predominantly composed of young, Eritrean Christians from the highlands, these new refugees have no ethnic, religious, or linguistic commonality with their Sudanese hosts. This group is quite mobile, and uses Sudan as a transit-point for a migration pattern aimed at the shores of Europe-a treacherous journey that ends in death for some, and human trafficking and exploitation for many others. In the last two years, a total of approximately 40,000 new refugees have entered Sudan. Of these, only about 5,000 remain. The rest have "disappeared," many to Southern Europe. Few resources are in place for the new refugees. Humanitarian and development services provided to the first group (education, health, employment) are targeted at Arabic speakers, and hold little value for this new group of migrants. The migrants are fleeing the highly oppressive and dysfunctional regime in Eritrea, at great risk to their own safety. Short of significant change to living conditions in Eritrea, it is unclear what can be done to stem the westward migration of these refugees. ¶6. (U) All present at the Eastern Sudan Issues Group meeting agreed that the questions raised by the UNHCR presenters merited further consideration, and Ambassador Marsden announced her KHARTOUM 00000106 002 OF 002 intention to host future meetings to discuss refugee concerns in more detail. (Note: An October 2009 UNHCR donor mission which visited refugee camps in the East is detailed Ref. End Note) -------------- -------------- UNDP Update on Planned Donors Conference -------------- -------------- ¶7. (U) Following the UNHCR presentation on Eastern Sudan's refugees, a UNDP representative gave an update on a planned Donors Conference, which was originally slated for March, but will now be postponed until after April elections. Kuwait has agreed to host the conference, although plans are not yet finalized. The event is intended to attract private-sector and civil society attention to the under-developed East. A number of factors led to the postponement of the proposed conference, not the least of which was the recent and unexpected dismissal of a number of Sudanese governors (walis) from office. ¶8. (SBU) Comment: It is encouraging to see this initiative to bring much-needed attention and aid to Sudan's long-marginalized Eastern region. End comment. WHITEHEAD