VZCZCXYZ0008
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHNY #1113/01 3231113
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 191113Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY OSLO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6443
INFO RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 0302
RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM 3232
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS OSLO 001113 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS TO AF, AF/E, AND EUR/NB 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS PBTS KPKO ET ER NO
SUBJECT: NORWAY AND AFRICA, A RELATIONSHIP UNDERGOING CHANGE 
 
 
¶1. (U) Summary.  The GON has made Africa a priority, 
expanding activities there beyond its long-standing 
development presence.  One concrete example is the GON,s 
commitment to contribute a 200 person engineering battalion 
to the UN mission in Darfur.  A more negative example is the 
recent expulsion of Norwegian diplomats from Ethiopia. 
Reflecting this growing interest, Theresa Whelan, Department 
of Defense Deputy Assistant Secretary for Africa, visited 
Oslo on October 31 and met with Norwegian Defense officials 
and NGOs.  Her visit reassured NGOs and GON officials 
regarding the "comprehensive" civilian military approach that 
will characterize AFRICOM and the broad USG agenda on Africa. 
 End Summary. 
 
NGOs Pleased by Increased U.S. Interest in Africa but Warn of 
Dangers 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
¶2. (U) Whelan briefed representatives from the Norwegian Red 
Cross, Norwegian Refugee Council, Norwegian Church Aid and 
leading think tank on AFRICOM.  All expressed appreciation 
for Whelan,s visit and for her comments regarding the 
importance of close cooperation between the military, NGOs 
and humanitarian workers on the ground in Africa before a 
crisis.  Whelan,s explanation of how AFRICOM will be set up, 
including its stress on the humanitarian and disaster relief 
efforts and the fact that a civilian from the Department of 
State will be the deputy commander helped to clarify the role 
that the U.S. military will play in Africa.  The NGOs all 
stressed the potential positives that could stem from an 
increased U.S. presence and knowledge of African affairs. 
They also stressed the need to avoid traps such as host 
governments playing up the danger of terrorism to obtain U.S. 
support in internal struggles, as well as the danger of 
compromising NGO work through too close association with the 
military. 
 
MOD Enthusiastically Welcomes AFRICOM 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
¶3. (SBU) Whelan next met with the Deputy Minister of Defense, 
Espen Barth Eide, who enthusiastically welcomed her and 
participated in a detailed conversation after Whelan,s 
presentation.  MOD and MFA officials also participated in the 
briefing.  Barth Eide was quite interested in Whelan,s 
presentation of AFRICOM,s setup and described Norway,s 
focus on UN efforts and on strengthening the African Union 
(AU) as the only real international organization which can 
represent all of Africa.  Whelan and Barth Eide discussed: 
China,s presence in Africa and shifts in Chinese behavior 
which may indicate a more positive Chinese role; the need for 
security assistance to emphasize the place of military in 
society, not just to build a more efficient military; the 
need for the UN, the EU and NATO to coordinate activities, 
and the role of NGOs and development organizations in African 
society.  Barth Eide mentioned joint Nordic plans for 
training of African militaries and wondered if that might be 
an area where Norway could work with the U.S. 
 
Norway in Africa: A Mixed Bag 
--------------------------------- 
4.(U) Norway,s presence in Africa has a long history but has 
been primarily development focused.  When the current 
government took office in 2005, one of their goals was to 
increase Norway,s involvement in Africa.  Some of this 
increase has taken the form of new embassies in Africa.  A 
new Norwegian Embassy opened in Algiers this fall and soon 
Norway will open in Liberia, bringing its embassies in Africa 
to nineteen.  These increases have been funded by reductions 
in staffing at several European Embassies.  New embassies 
have been matched by increased diplomatic efforts, primarily 
concerning Sudan and the Ethiopia/Eritrea conflict. 
 
Waiting to go to Darfur( 
---------------------- 
¶5. (SBU) The most prominent example of a non-development 
African focus is the commitment to provide half of an 
engineering battalion (in cooperation with Sweden) for a UN 
mission to Darfur.  The Norwegian contribution would be 
approximately 200 personnel.  After much discussion with the 
UN and the AU over issues such as force protection this joint 
battalion is ready to deploy whenever final agreement is 
reached with the Sudanese government.  If approved, this will 
be Norway,s first military operation on the African 
continent.  Norway is a member of the Sudan contact group and 
takes an active role in coordinating meetings as well as 
encouraging the various factions in Sudan to abide by the 
Comprehensive Peace Agreement. 
 
Kicked out of Ethiopia 
------------------------ 
¶6. (SBU)  In late August the Ethiopian government kicked out 
six Norwegian diplomats from Addis Ababa because of 
"dissatisfaction" with Norway,s conduct in the Horn of 
Africa.  Norway had been critical of the Ethiopian incursion 
into Somalia and has been very active in attempting to 
promote negotiations on the Ethiopian-Eritrean border in the 
region as well as in the UN. These activities may have been 
regarded as too meddlesome by Ethiopian authorities. 
Norwegians reacted in surprise to the expulsion Qtheir 
diplomats as this did not fit theirQn self-image aQgood 
guys".  The GON expressed frustration with the Ethiopians, 
stating that this would affect a substantial bilateral aid 
program.  Diplomatic relations were not broken and the 
Norwegian embassy remains open. 
 
Rain Forest Win over African Development 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
¶7. (SBU) Norway,s tradition of development aid to Africa is 
long, but is showing signs of change.  Norway,s development 
efforts in general have been a topic of some debate in NGO 
and elite circles, with critics calling Norway,s aid 
ineffective and unmonitored while defenders stress the 
importance of maintaining Norwegian efforts in Africa despite 
some inefficiencies.  However, this debate involves mostly 
party and NGO specialists and has not generated much public 
interest. 
 
¶8. (SBU)  The personal influence of the Minister of 
Development, Erik Solheim, is a very important factor and his 
recent appointment as Minister of Environment in addition to 
his Minister of Development role is likely the most 
significant reason for some shifts in Norway,s development 
policy.  Solheim, who had been the main force behind the 
GON,s Africa efforts, has now, at least partially, shifted 
his focus to environmental issues.  He was quoted recently as 
saying "We must think of the environment in all we do" and 
had shifted aid to Latin America and to projects such as 
rainforest preservation instead of Africa.  According to some 
critics, Solheim's new focus on the environment may weaken 
the GON commitment to help the poor in Africa. Despite some 
changes, it appears that the GON's stress on African issues 
will remain central.  Aid to Africa remains part of the 
coalition's central policy platform document and PM 
Stoltenberg is very interested in the UN Millenium Goals, 
particularly child and maternal health. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Comment:  Solheim,s personal interest and a general 
belief that Norway has an obligation to help those countries 
less fortunate drive interest in Africa.  As Norwegian 
presence expands beQd development to military operations 
and active pursuit of peace nQtiatiQ, it is clear that 
such action may come at some cost.  Norwegians were clearly 
surprised by the expulsion of their diplomats from Ethiopia 
although it was obvious to observers that greater Norwegian 
involvement in Africa,s conflicts would bring the risk of 
being seen as less than evenhanded.   Similarly, if a 
Norwegian force is deployed in Sudan there is an inherent 
risk that Norwegians could suffer casualties.  There has been 
no general public debate over the GON,s Africa commitments 
to date, but this could change rapidly if unfortunate events 
occur because of this commitment.   End Comment 
WHITNEY