VZCZCXRO5796
PP RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #0764/01 1351508
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 151508Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7212
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHRN/USMISSION UN ROME

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000764 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AIDAC 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF/SPG, PRM, AND ALSO PASS USAID/W 
USAID FOR DCHA SUDAN TEAM, AFR/SP 
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 SU
SUBJECT: DARFUR - JOINT COMMUNIQUE - WHERE ARE WE NOW? 
 
REF: KHARTOUM 0510 
 
KHARTOUM 00000764  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
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SUMMARY 
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(U) During a six-day visit to Darfur and Khartoum, aid agencies 
briefed USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance 
(USAID/OFDA) Director following the Government of National Unity 
(GNU) Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) meetings in each of the 
three Darfur states and expressed renewed concern that the 
agreements made in the Joint Communique would not be implemented. 
Of all the Darfur states, the HAC-led meeting in South Darfur was 
the most disconcerting to aid agencies and donors.  The signing of 
the March 28 Joint Communique on the facilitation of humanitarian 
affairs in Darfur created optimism among UN agencies and 
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in Darfur.  It is 
clear that while the Joint Communique is a positive step, achieving 
implementation of the agreement requires strategic approaches and 
coordination among all humanitarian actors.  End Summary. 
 
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OFDA DIRECTOR MEETS WITH HC/RC AND NGOS ON COMMUNIQUE 
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¶1. (U) On April 21, USAID/OFDA Director Ky Luu met with the Deputy 
Special Representative of the UN Secretary General and 
Humanitarian/Resident Coordinator (HC/RC) Manuel Aranda da Silva in 
Khartoum to discuss the March 28 Joint Communique on the 
facilitation of humanitarian affairs (REFTEL).  The HC/RC expressed 
optimism that the Joint Communique will improve the humanitarian 
environment in Darfur.  The HC/RC thanked USAID/OFDA for its stable 
funding and noted that two thirds of funding for Darfur is provided 
by USAID's Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian 
Assistance (USAID/DCHA) and the European Commission.  The HC/RC 
credited Ambassador Hume for his sustained diplomatic efforts in 
negotiating the signing of the Joint Communique, which has resulted 
in a much needed boost to NGO staff morale. 
 
¶2. (U) The USAID/OFDA Director also met with the NGO Steering 
Committee in Khartoum on April 22.  The Steering Committee urged 
USAID to encourage the HAC to fully implement the Joint Communique. 
Referring to the current issue of transfer of NGO assets upon 
project closure, committee members stated that the HAC may try to 
divert attention from the "spirit of the Communique" by raising new 
bureaucratic impediments such as the transfer of assets issue.  The 
Steering Committee members encouraged donors to stay focused on the 
issues in the Communique that currently affect all NGOs instead of 
focusing on those issues that fall outside of the Communique. 
 
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HAC MEETS WITH AID COMMUNITY IN ALL THREE DARFUR STATES 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
¶3. (U) From April 18 to 25, a team of Khartoum-based officials from 
the HAC, Ministry of Interior, Customs Department, and National 
Security traveled to all three Darfur state capitals to discuss the 
Joint Communique with humanitarian actors.  USAID staff originally 
understood that the purpose of this trip was to increase awareness 
among state-level authorities on the principles agreed to in the 
Joint Communique and ensure that all states implemented the Joint 
Communique uniformly. 
 
¶4. (U) The USAID/OFDA Director had the opportunity to meet with NGOs 
and UN agencies following the HAC meetings in the state capitals and 
reported that in each state the meetings had different tones.  By 
all accounts, the meeting in South Darfur was particularly 
contentious in tone and content.  In the South Darfur meeting, HAC 
officials intimidated the NGOs, dismissed NGO claims that there were 
problems with travel permits and visa extensions, and stated that 
donors had no role in the discussion of transfer of assets. 
However, aid agencies in West and North Darfur states reported that 
the HAC meetings had a less intimidating tone and acknowledged that 
there had been problems in the past but that through implementing 
the Joint Communique these problems could be resolved. 
 
¶5. (U) The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 
(OCHA) explained to USAID staff that in South Darfur the HAC team 
had revised its presentation of the Joint Communique to reflect the 
state officials' interpretation of the document.  After the South 
Darfur meeting, the HC/RC expressed less optimism that 
implementation of the Joint Communique would be smooth and indicated 
that the first high-level meeting would be tougher than originally 
 
KHARTOUM 00000764  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
anticipated. 
 
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FIRST OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MEETING 
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¶6. (U) The first meeting of the oversight committee established to 
monitor implementation of the principles agreed to in the Joint 
Communique met in Khartoum on May 2.  Prior to the meeting, donors 
agreed that the donor observer to the high-level meeting would be 
represented by an Ambassador and the United Kingdom (UK), the 
European Commission (EC), and the United States would rotate the 
responsibility.  On May 2, the EC Ambassador attended the meeting, 
representing the three major donors.  At the May 2 meeting, the 
Sudanese government representative stated that the six-month no 
entry notation that had been stamped into aid workers' passports 
when given final exit visas was a mistake and this policy only 
applies to commercial workers and should not have been stamped into 
aid workers' passports.  Also during the meeting, it was decided 
that donors will now be a part of the Joint Technical Group and will 
be able to take part in the discussions and not merely observe the 
proceedings.  It was decided that labor issues and issues pertaining 
to visas and customs would be taken up at next meeting.   Overall, 
the HC/RC felt the meeting was positive.  Despite not having reached 
agreement on all issues, several issues were resolved at the May 2 
meeting. 
 
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COMMENTS 
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¶7. (U) Through its staff in Darfur and Khartoum, USAID/OFDA will 
continue to monitor the implementation of the Joint Communique. 
USAID/OFDA is concerned that differing interpretations of the 
agreement in each state may diminish NGOs ability to advocate for 
adherence to the Joint Communique with a unified voice. 
 
¶8. (U) During his visit to Darfur and Khartoum, USAID/OFDA Director 
encouraged NGOs to collaborate and approach the bureaucratic 
impediments jointly.  The USAID/OFDA Director remains optimistic 
that the Joint Communique will have a positive impact on 
bureaucratic impediments that hinder humanitarian work in Darfur. 
However, donors, NGOs, and UN agencies need to continue to 
coordinate efforts, share information, and strategically approach 
solutions that benefit the collective humanitarian community. 
 
POWERS