VZCZCXRO8421
PP RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #0505/01 0880642
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 290642Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6668
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHRN/USMISSION UN ROME

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000505 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AIDAC 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF/SPG, PRM, AND ALSO PASS USAID/W 
USAID FOR DCHA SUDAN TEAM, AFR/SP 
NAIROBI FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA, USAID/REDSO, AND FAS 
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH 
NAIROBI FOR SFO 
NSC FOR PMARCHAM, MMAGAN, AND TSHORTLEY 
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU 
USUN FOR TMALY 
BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID PREF PGOV PHUM SOCI UN SU
SUBJECT:  DARFUR - DESPITE OBSTACLES USAID PARTNERS CONTINUE TO 
DELIVER ESSENTIAL HUMANITARIAN SERVICES IN DARFUR 
 
 
KHARTOUM 00000505  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1.  (U) Despite significant bureaucratic impediments and security 
concerns, a recent USAID monitoring and assessment mission to Darfur 
confirmed that USAID partners are providing critical, quality, 
life-saving services to hundreds of thousands of internally 
displaced persons (IDPs) in the region.  USAID-funded health, 
nutrition, capacity building, infrastructure rehabilitation, and 
water, sanitation, and hygiene programs continue to serve 
beneficiaries in Darfur against a backdrop of fluid and dangerous 
security, ongoing government harassment, and ambiguous and onerous 
visa, travel, and customs regulations.  End summary. 
 
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BACKGROUND 
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¶2.  (U) From February 25 to March 5, USAID Office of U.S. Foreign 
Disaster Assistance (OFDA) Disaster Operations Specialist (DOS) 
traveled to El Fasher, Kafod, Korma, and Kutum, in North Darfur; 
Nyala, South Darfur; and Zalingei and Mornei, West Darfur, to assess 
current humanitarian conditions and monitor and evaluate ongoing 
USAID programs.  This represented the first visit by USAID/OFDA/DOS 
staff to Zalingei and Mornei in more than sixteen months due to 
restricted access as a result of insecurity.  USAID staff met with 
implementing partners, U.N. agencies, members of the Sudan 
Liberation Army (SLA), local government officials, and community 
members. 
 
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NORTH DARFUR 
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¶3.  (U) On February 25, USAID staff participated in an inter-agency 
humanitarian assessment of Kafod, Kobe Athar, Korma, and Kela Hijoon 
areas, North Darfur, to investigate reports of new displacement and 
identify humanitarian needs of affected populations.  The team found 
that no new displacement has occurred since June 2006 when fighting 
between Arab militias displaced the population of Korma.  [Note: 
Earlier militia clashes in 2004 had displaced the majority of 
Korma's population of 40,000 to IDP camps in El Fasher, where 
humanitarian agencies, including USAID partners International Rescue 
Committee (IRC), Relief International, and CHF are providing 
assistance to more than 140,000 IDPs.] 
 
¶4.  (U) The divided control of the region to the west of El Fasher 
between factions of the SLA led by Minni Minawi and Abdul Wahid 
al-Nur has exacerbated ethnic tensions and heightened insecurity. 
The inter-agency mission established contact with SLA commanders to 
facilitate humanitarian access in the region, including access for 
U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) staff to conduct a scheduled polio 
immunization campaign in late March 2007.  The U.N. Office for the 
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) will follow up with 
humanitarian actors in the area to address identified health, 
nutrition, food security, and water, sanitation, and hygiene needs 
based on assessment findings. 
 
¶5.  (U) Insecurity in Kutum, North Darfur, has presented significant 
challenges to humanitarian agencies operating in the region 
resulting in the remote operation of humanitarian health programs by 
USAID partner GOAL.  GOAL's four urban and two rural health clinics 
in the area are maintained by 240 national staff.  Two additional 
rural health clinics have been suspended due to insecurity. 
Discussions with GOAL staff highlighted program successes 
characterized by improved local staff reporting, and positive 
relationships with local hospital staff and community leaders. 
However, despite GOAL's success, significant concerns regarding the 
limitations of remote program operations exist, including the 
diminished number and quality of services provided and the long-term 
feasibility of such programs. 
 
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SOUTH DARFUR 
------------ 
 
¶6.  (U) USAID partners in Nyala town continue to operate relief 
activities while humanitarian organizations in rural areas such as 
Ed Daein locality in southeastern South Darfur have been forced to 
 
KHARTOUM 00000505  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
either partially or fully suspend activities due to insecurity.  On 
March 28, USAID staff traveled to As Salam IDP camp outside of Nyala 
to monitor an emergency food distribution by USAID and U.N. World 
Food Program partner World Vision to nearly 5,000 new arrivals, 
predominantly from Buram, South Darfur.  USAID staff noted the high 
quality of USAID partner Action Contre La Faim's health operations, 
including a therapeutic feeding center in Nyala town and an 
out-patient therapeutic feeding program in surrounding IDP camps. 
In meetings with USAID partners operating in Ed Deain locality, 
USAID staff reviewed the impact of insecurity on programming which 
has led to a significant reduction in activities, and in some 
instances the suspension of humanitarian operations. 
 
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WEST DARFUR 
----------- 
 
¶7.  (U) Although Zalingei town remains relatively calm, the 
surrounding area supports a number of armed groups, creating an 
environment of instability and insecurity in the region.  On March 
3, USAID/OFDA/DOS staff traveled to Zalingei for the first time in 
over sixteen months to monitor USAID-funded health, protection, camp 
management, and water, sanitation, and hygiene programs.  USAID 
staff consulted with implementing partners OCHA, Mercy Corps, 
International Medical Corps, and IRC.  Zalingei hosts approximately 
100,000 IDPs in five camps, including the only camp of displaced 
Arabs in Darfur.  USAID partner Mercy Corps is providing water 
services to an estimated 125,000 people in the region.  USAID staff 
found that programs are running smoothly and non-governmental 
organization partners are providing critical services to targeted 
populations. 
 
¶8.  Despite the withdrawal of expatriate staff, USAID-funded 
programs in Mornei, West Darfur, continue to support critical 
health, nutrition, hygiene, water, sanitation, and road 
rehabilitation programs under the management of competent national 
staff.  USAID noted the high quality of nutrition and health 
operations exemplified by the SC/US hospital in Mornei IDP camp that 
serves an average of 200 patients per day.   SC/US is currently the 
only clinic in the area providing prenatal, postnatal, and obstetric 
care and consults an estimated 100 pregnant women per day. 
 
 
HUME