VZCZCXRO2216
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHBP #1274 3021712
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 291712Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY BAMAKO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8360
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 0408
RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS 0358
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0164

UNCLAS BAMAKO 001274 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
ACCRA FOR RECOORD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF PHUM ML
SUBJECT: UNHCR REFUSES TO CLARIFY ITS ROLE OR MAKE 
ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE TO CONGOLESE REFUGEES 
 
REF: A. OCT 19 PERKINS-SAMPSON EMAILS 
 
     ¶B. BAMAKO 01067 
     ¶C. BAMAKO 01196 
 
¶1.  The Embassy contacted UNHCR/Mali's Director Adama Kouyate 
on October 29 to inquire about the status of humanitarian 
assistance supposedly earmarked by UNHCR's Geneva 
headquarters for the 27 Congolese refugees now in Bamako (ref 
A).  Director Kouyate claimed he was unaware of UNHCR 
Geneva's decision to help the Congolese and was openly 
hostile to the idea of granting anything beyond the USD 80 
already given to each Congolese refugee upon their arrival in 
Bamako on September 17 (ref B). 
 
¶2.  Kouyate initially refused to believe the caller was an 
Embassy official (curiously, UNHCR/Mali's Deputy Director 
Mamadou Sidibe made the same assertion when contacted earlier 
in the month) and categorically refused to provide any 
information regarding UNHCR's support for the Congolese 
without first receiving an official letter from the Embassy. 
He maintained that the Congolese refugees in Bamako benefit 
from the same level of assistance UNHCR provides to other 
refugees, but refused to elaborate on what such "assistance" 
entails.  Based on conversations with the Congolese and 
repeated attempts to pry information from UNHCR officials, 
UNHCR assistance for the Congolese, including access to 
medical care, is effectively nil. 
 
¶3.  On October 17 the Embassy informed Deputy Director Sidibe 
that the partner NGO charged by UNHCR to provide refugees 
with basic medical services had yet to receive funding from 
UNHCR and was therefore turning away refugees who sought 
medical care (ref C).  Notwithstanding this, Mr. Sidibe was 
still referring individuals to the NGO as late as October 25, 
despite knowing full well that the NGO would be unable to 
help any refugees due to lack of funds. 
 
¶4.  Embassy is drafting a letter for Mr. Kouyate, and will 
continue to follow the case closely. 
McCulley