VZCZCXRO5974
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHAB #0677/01 1771243
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 261243Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3184
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0572
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ABIDJAN 000677 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF/W AND PRM/AFR/CACHANG 
GENEVA FOR RMA 
STATE PASS TO USAID/OFDA/DDBERNARDO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF PHUM IV GU
SUBJECT: MONITORING AND EVALUATION REPORT FOR IRC GUINEA: 
SPRMCO06CA166 
 
 
¶1.  Summary:  The Abidjan-based Refugee Coordinator 
(RefCoord) for West Africa traveled to Guinea from May 11-14 
to conduct a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) report of the 
International Rescue Committee's (IRC) PRM-funded project, 
"Facilitating Durable Solutions: Protection, Integration 
Assistance, and Community Revitalization in the Context of 
the Liberian Repatriation."  RefCoord traveled to IRC project 
sites in Kuankan I and Laine refugee camps, and the villages 
of Simkoly, Pampara, Kerezaghaye, Loula, and Keremanda. 
IRC's project was disrupted during a series of strikes and 
violent demonstrations in Guinea earlier this year and had to 
evacuate most staff.  Nevertheless, IRC appears on target to 
meet most of their project objectives and plans to request a 
no-cost extension to complete their community revitalization 
activities.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  The Abidjan-based Refugee Coordinator (RefCoord) for West 
Africa traveled to Guinea from May 11-14 to conduct a 
monitoring and evaluation (M&E) report of the International 
Rescue Committee's (IRC) PRM-funded project, "Facilitating 
Durable Solutions: Protection, Integration Assistance, and 
Community Revitalization in the Context of the Liberian 
Repatriation."  RefCoord traveled to IRC project sites in 
Kuankan I and Laine refugee camps, and the villages of 
Simkoly, Pampara, Kerezaghaye, Loula, and Keremanda. 
RefCoord met IRC staff Kamel Maina (Country Director), Binty 
Kamara (IRC Nzerekore), and several other IRC project staff 
in the camps and villages visited.  RefCoord also met Dillah 
Doumaye (Representative, UNHCR Guinea), and Salif Kagne (Head 
of Office, UNHCR Nzerekore). 
 
OBJECTIVES AND INDICATORS 
------------------------- 
 
¶3.  OBJECTIVE 1:  Reduce vulnerabilities of Liberian refugees 
during the repatriation process through awareness-raising, 
information campaigns and protection training for community 
leaders and non-governmental staff. 
 
-  IRC has just completed the KAP survey; 
-  IRC will probably not meet the target on number of posters 
distributed.  This is because IRC is running fewer schools 
than it had originally planned as a result of ongoing 
repatriation; 
-  IRC will meet its target on the number of beneficiaries 
who receive protection training; 
-  IRC has met its target on the number of mothers benefiting 
from daycare services; 
-  IRC did not conduct sensitization campaigns during the 
second quarter due to strikes in Guinea.  IRC has met this 
target for other quarters. 
 
¶4.  OBJECTIVE 2:  Protect separated and unaccompanied 
Liberian refugee children in Guinea while accelerating 
cross-border reunification and the broader durable solution 
process. 
 
-  IRC is exceeding its target for follow-up visits of 
unaccompanied minors (UAM)/separated children; 
-  IRC will not meet its target of positive tracings for 100 
UAM cases, however, this is due to the fact that many 
children have requested to repatriate to Liberia.  Their 
cases are being followed-up by IRC Liberia after their return; 
-  IRC expects to submit all UAM cases to the Durable 
Solutions Committee by the end of the project, although 
numbers have been low up to now mostly as a result of 
disruptions caused by the political situation in Guinea; 
-  IRC will probably not meet its training indicator under 
this objective, specifically the point on 50 percent increase 
in knowledge of CPC.  IRC does expect to train on average 20 
members per session, which is above the 15 member/session 
target. 
 
¶5.  OBJECTIVE 3:  Provide intensive French immersion classes 
for 6,000 primary school children to prepare them for 
potential integration into the Guinea educational system. 
 
-  These indicators are difficult to quantify.  IRC was 
providing French language instruction to all children 
enrolled in the IRC schools.  However, IRC was supposed to 
start intensive language instruction as early as January to 
those students who expected to remain in Guinea after the 
June 30 deadline.  Due to the disruption in Guinea related to 
the strikes and evacuation of international and 
non-governmental organization staff, this program was put on 
hold.  UNHCR had not coordinated their list of persons opting 
 
ABIDJAN 00000677  002 OF 003 
 
 
for local integration with IRC at the time of RefCoord's 
visit.  RefCoord recommended IRC and UNHCR ensure that French 
language instruction was offered to those children whose 
families had officially signaled their intent to accept local 
integration after the June 30 deadline. 
 
¶6.  OBJECTIVE 4:  Promote civil society development and 
improved relations between refugees and host communities 
through capacity-building of local organizations, 
peace-building, and targeted community revitalization 
projects. 
 
-  IRC has completed 9 of the community revitalization 
projects.  IRC plans to request a no-cost extension of the 
PRM project which would enable it to complete the remaining 
three project foreseen in the project; 
-  IRC will organize the final peace building event before 
the end of the project; 
-  IRC will provide more information on their Community 
Development Committee (CDC) training activities. 
 
PROGRAM ISSUES 
-------------- 
 
¶7.  Cross-cutting Goals:  IRC's activities focus on 
unaccompanied and separated children.  In addition, IRC's 
repatriation information is targeted specifically at all 
vulnerable groups and coordinate closely with IRC offices in 
Liberia for all activities. 
 
¶8.  Coordination:  IRC works closely with UNHCR and other 
partners working in Guinea. 
 
¶9.  Effective Use of Funds:  The Liberian refugee population 
in the remaining two camps is mostly vulnerable groups, a 
high percentage of whom have physical and/or psychological 
problems.  In this regard, IRC continues to provide a 
valuable service to the remaining populations.  RefCoord did 
notice some evidence of refugees using children to boost 
their vulnerability status in order to increase their overall 
share of food rations, but these cases are probably limited 
with regard to the overall numbers.  UNHCR currently reports 
there are about 12,000 Liberian refugees officially 
registered in Kuankan I and Laine camps.  This is a 
significant drop in the camp-based population the last two 
years.  RefCoord notes that PRM stopped direct NGO funding in 
Kissidougou when the numbers reached this level and UNHCR 
subsequently closed their Kissidougou camps and transferred 
the remaining population to Kuankan I. 
 
¶10.  SPHERE Standards:  IRC uses Guinea national standards 
for its wat/san (community revitalization) activities. 
 
¶11.  Personnel/Security Protocols:  IRC reported that no 
staff were injured during a series of violent demonstrations 
in Guinea during the first few months of 2007 and that it was 
able to evacuate all non-essential staff from Guinea.  IRC 
plans to transfer some of its logistical resources this 
summer to their Liberia office in order to avoid possible 
theft as it begins to layoff some local staff. 
 
¶12.  Oversight/Communication:  IRC Guinea coordinates closely 
with its HQs on all aspects of the Guinea program.  However, 
repeated strikes and violence in Guinea in early 2007 
hindered IRC's ability to operate; in some cases IRC's work 
was halted completely as staff were evacuated abroad.  IRC is 
now operating normally.  IRC Guinea communicates well with 
RefCoord and IRC HQs appears to have a good channel of 
communication with PRM/AFR. 
 
¶13.  Problems:  IRC plans to request a no-cost extension for 
two to three months in order to complete all activities 
foreseen in the project.  However, IRC's Country Director 
reports that an unfavorable U.S. Dollar/Guinea Franc exchange 
rate has driven up many of his operating costs, which could 
force him to close down operations earlier than he would like 
to. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶14.  RefCoord has enjoyed working with IRC Guinea over the 
last two years.  IRC has been responsive to the changing 
refugee situation and adapted quickly to the decreasing 
caseload through its own personnel reductions and by changing 
the focus of intervention.  RefCoord supports IRC's request 
 
ABIDJAN 00000677  003 OF 003 
 
 
for a no-cost extension and advised IRC it should only 
concentrate on completing the community revitalization 
projects and pursuing intensive French-language instruction 
as part of any such request to PRM.  UNHCR is likely to keep 
IRC on as an implementing partner, although UNHCR will no 
longer support education activities outside of normal Guinean 
schools.  The big question mark now is whether or not local 
integration will move forward in the present political 
climate in Guinea, although the approximately 12,000 
remaining Liberian camp-based refugees is only a fraction of 
the approximately 70,000 officially registered in Guinea when 
RefCoord first arrived in August 2005. 
HOOKS