Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10MUSCAT35
2010-01-20 05:32:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Muscat
Cable title:
TFHA01: OMAN'S RELIEF ASSISTANCE TO HAITI
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHMS #0035 0200532 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 200532Z JAN 10 FM AMEMBASSY MUSCAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1140 INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0016 GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE RHMFISS/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL RUEHDG/AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA
UNCLAS MUSCAT 000035
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
FOR NEA/ARP, USAID/W AND DCHA/OFDA
FOR STACY WILLIAMS, MELISSA ROSSER, AND MAURA O'NEILL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID AEMR PREF PREL HA MU
SUBJECT: TFHA01: OMAN'S RELIEF ASSISTANCE TO HAITI
REF: (A) STATE 4854; (B) MUSCAT 021
UNCLAS MUSCAT 000035
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
FOR NEA/ARP, USAID/W AND DCHA/OFDA
FOR STACY WILLIAMS, MELISSA ROSSER, AND MAURA O'NEILL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID AEMR PREF PREL HA MU
SUBJECT: TFHA01: OMAN'S RELIEF ASSISTANCE TO HAITI
REF: (A) STATE 4854; (B) MUSCAT 021
1. (SBU) In response to ref A, Embassy contacted Ali bin Ibrahim
bin Shenon al Ra'isi, CEO of the Oman Charitable Organization
(OCO),which is the Government of Oman's aid and development
organization. Per ref A, we expressed the USG's appreciation for
Oman's rapid response to support the humanitarian relief efforts in
Haiti. Al Ra'isi said he, and the GoO, were pleased to hear this,
saying "we all must help each other."
2. (SBU) Al Ra'isi then gave an update to the information provided
in ref B. He said the GoO is making a first donation of three
million dollars, to be used for relief efforts. Medicine, tents,
food, and other relief supplies will be Oman's first contribution.
Once the humanitarian relief stage of the efforts in Haiti is over,
al Ra'isi said that the GoO will move to a second stage of
reconstruction, with an amount to be determined later by the extent
of the need. (Note: This hands-on, on the ground provision of
locally purchased relief supplies and then rebuilding is Oman's
typical response to natural disasters. End note.)
3. (SBU) Al Ra'isi said that there has not yet been a response from
the Red Cross (ref B),so he is working with Oman's largest bank,
Bank Muscat, to transfer funds though its correspondent bank in New
York. As there are no Omani embassies in the region, al Ra'isi is
preparing to fly to the most appropriate location in the region,
take delivery of the funds, and oversee the purchase and delivery
of the relief supplies. He is hoping to use the Dominican Republic
as his base, but could also use Florida. He said that if he can
find a UN organization or a branch of the Red Cross able to help,
he might turn the funds over to them. However, he said that it is
his understanding that the UN agencies, he noted UNICEF and UNHCR,
are operating out of Panama.
4 (SBU) Al Ra'isi said he already has an American air transport
company with C-130 aircraft ready to move Oman's contributions into
Port-au-Prince. He rejected any attempt at overland supply due to
the security situation.
MINIMIZE CONSIDERED
Schmierer
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
FOR NEA/ARP, USAID/W AND DCHA/OFDA
FOR STACY WILLIAMS, MELISSA ROSSER, AND MAURA O'NEILL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID AEMR PREF PREL HA MU
SUBJECT: TFHA01: OMAN'S RELIEF ASSISTANCE TO HAITI
REF: (A) STATE 4854; (B) MUSCAT 021
1. (SBU) In response to ref A, Embassy contacted Ali bin Ibrahim
bin Shenon al Ra'isi, CEO of the Oman Charitable Organization
(OCO),which is the Government of Oman's aid and development
organization. Per ref A, we expressed the USG's appreciation for
Oman's rapid response to support the humanitarian relief efforts in
Haiti. Al Ra'isi said he, and the GoO, were pleased to hear this,
saying "we all must help each other."
2. (SBU) Al Ra'isi then gave an update to the information provided
in ref B. He said the GoO is making a first donation of three
million dollars, to be used for relief efforts. Medicine, tents,
food, and other relief supplies will be Oman's first contribution.
Once the humanitarian relief stage of the efforts in Haiti is over,
al Ra'isi said that the GoO will move to a second stage of
reconstruction, with an amount to be determined later by the extent
of the need. (Note: This hands-on, on the ground provision of
locally purchased relief supplies and then rebuilding is Oman's
typical response to natural disasters. End note.)
3. (SBU) Al Ra'isi said that there has not yet been a response from
the Red Cross (ref B),so he is working with Oman's largest bank,
Bank Muscat, to transfer funds though its correspondent bank in New
York. As there are no Omani embassies in the region, al Ra'isi is
preparing to fly to the most appropriate location in the region,
take delivery of the funds, and oversee the purchase and delivery
of the relief supplies. He is hoping to use the Dominican Republic
as his base, but could also use Florida. He said that if he can
find a UN organization or a branch of the Red Cross able to help,
he might turn the funds over to them. However, he said that it is
his understanding that the UN agencies, he noted UNICEF and UNHCR,
are operating out of Panama.
4 (SBU) Al Ra'isi said he already has an American air transport
company with C-130 aircraft ready to move Oman's contributions into
Port-au-Prince. He rejected any attempt at overland supply due to
the security situation.
MINIMIZE CONSIDERED
Schmierer