VZCZCXRO4300
PP RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1927/01 3391522
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 051522Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9454
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHRN/USMISSION UN ROME

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KHARTOUM 001927 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AIDAC 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF A/S FRAZIER, AF/SPG, S/E NATSIOS, PRM, AND ALSO PASS 
USAID/W 
USAID FOR ADMINISTRATOR FORE, BFEINSTEIN, AA/AFR KALMQUIST, AA/DCHA 
MHESS, DCHA SUDAN TEAM, AFR/SP 
NAIROBI FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA, USAID/SFO, USAID/REDSO 
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH 
NSC FOR PMARCHAM, MMAGAN, AND BPITTMAN 
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU 
USUN FOR TMALY 
BRUSSELS FOR PBROWN 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID PREF PGOV PHUM SOCI UN SU
SUBJECT: SOUTHERN SUDAN - ADMINISTRATOR FORE'S SITE VISIT TO JUBA 
 
 
KHARTOUM 00001927  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
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Summary 
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¶1. On November 23, the USAID Administrator and Director of Foreign 
Assistance Henrietta H. Fore, Charge d'Affaires Alberto M. 
Fernandez, Assistant Administrator for USAID's Africa Bureau 
(AA/AFR) Kate Almquist, and the USAID/Sudan Mission Director 
traveled to Juba, Southern Sudan, to review progress on USAID-funded 
development projects.  During the visit, Administrator Fore 
expressed firm USG commitment to the implementation of the 
Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and noted the progress that had 
been made towards development in Southern Sudan.  The delegation met 
with representatives from the Government of Southern Sudan's (GOSS) 
Ministry of Transportation and Roads (MTR) and the Ministry of 
Finance and Economic Planning (MFEP).  In addition, Administrator 
Fore visited three USAID-funded project sites: a Juba-Yei road 
maintenance site, the newly built MTR facility, and a new soil 
testing laboratory. End Summary. 
 
¶2. USAID is implementing activities that will provide critically 
needed rehabilitation to major transportation routes in Southern 
Sudan.  The USG, along with other international donors, has 
committed to support the rehabilitation of the transportation 
corridor between Juba and neighboring countries.  The Juba-Nimule 
road will provide year-round access to neighboring Kenya and Uganda. 
 In particular, it will support access to Mombasa, the major port 
for East and Central Africa.  In the next two years, USAID plans to 
rehabilitate 377 km of roadways and reconstruct nine bridges, 
significantly reducing transportation costs, improving highway 
safety, supporting the integration of Southern Sudan with 
neighboring countries, and generating social and economic benefits. 
 
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Visit to Road Maintenance Training Site 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. In Juba, Administrator Fore met with the MTR Under Secretary 
Daniel Wani, MTR staff, four newly trained road maintenance 
contractors, and the contractors' road works crews at a site along 
the Juba-Yei road where approximately 60 trainees were repairing a 
40 km stretch of road, which is a vital link to trade.  Under 
Secretary Wani thanked USAID for training Southern Sudanese 
 
SIPDIS 
contractors to perform labor-based road maintenance work and 
introduced the supervisors of the Southern Sudanese Road Maintenance 
Contractors, two of whom were women.  Each of the supervisors 
expressed their gratitude to USAID for the six-week course on road 
maintenance in Kissi Kenya and the opportunity to put into practice 
what they have learned, while earning money.  As a result of the 
training, one supervisor said that he is now a "road doctor." 
Supervisors mentioned that labor-based road maintenance provides 
employment to local people where the road work is being done and 
provides additional opportunities for the communities. 
Administrator Fore expressed her appreciation to the supervisors and 
stated that she was impressed that women were involved in the road 
maintenance project as supervisors and engineers. 
 
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Press Q and A 
------------- 
 
¶4. Administrator Fore briefly took questions from the assembled 
press.  During the session, Administrator Fore reaffirmed USG 
commitment to the CPA and cited examples of peace dividends, such as 
the labor-based maintenance initiative.  Administrator Fore 
commented that USAID aims to help the GOSS and the Sudanese people 
become more self-reliant, achieve long-term sustainability of 
development projects, and ensure peace and stability in the region. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
Visit to Ministry of Transportation and Roads Facility 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶5. The delegation toured the USAID-funded newly built MTR facility 
and received a briefing on USAID's infrastructure projects from the 
GOSS Minister of Transportation David Deng Athorbei.  Administrator 
Fore and Minister Deng exchanged ideas for continued collaboration. 
Minister Deng expressed appreciation for USAID's support to Southern 
Sudan and Administrator Fore's visit to the region to see first hand 
the progress being made by the MTR.  The Minister stated that 
 
KHARTOUM 00001927  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
USAID's support during the emergency road repair programs had opened 
1,500 km of roadway in Southern Sudan and asked for continued 
support to the MTR in building badly needed road systems. 
 
¶6. Administrator Fore thanked the Minister and his team for the warm 
welcome and agreed the country needed improved roads and stressed 
the importance of roads as a tangible peace dividend that will help 
facilitate returnees, generate employment, and improve trade within 
the region and outside of Southern Sudan.  Administrator Fore noted 
that it is important that women are involved in road maintenance 
work and welcomed continued partnership between the MTR and USAID. 
 
 
¶7. USAID assisted the Ministry to build the new MTR compound, which 
will house the roads agency in the future.  Deng noted that the 
Ministry and the compound did not exist at the signing of the CPA 
and that through USAID's support MTR facilities are now operational. 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
Visit to Newly Constructed Soil Testing Laboratory 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶8. In the past, soil testing could only be done in Khartoum or 
neighboring countries, such as Uganda and Kenya.  With the 
completion of the material testing laboratory, soil for Southern 
Sudan can now be tested in Juba, saving time in road planning and 
construction. 
 
¶9. Administrator Fore visited the newly built soil testing 
laboratory and observed staff conducting laboratory tests.  This 
facility will provide testing of soil for road construction, as well 
as the general construction industry.  The Juba laboratory will also 
serve as a training facility to open five other facilities in 
Southern Sudan. 
 
------------------- 
Ministry of Finance 
------------------- 
 
¶10. Administrator Fore met with the GOSS Minister of Finance and 
Economic Planning Kuol Athian Mawien to discuss progress on the 
USAID-supported financial management systems.  Minister Mawien 
reported that while progress had been made through the training of 
personnel in the ministries on the new financial management system, 
additional IT equipment and training at the state and county level 
were needed.  The Minister reported that significant challenges with 
collecting revenues still exist and border customs staff need more 
training to collect customs revenue at the borders.  For example, 
from June to October, nine ministries overspent their budgets 
because they had no internal controls. 
 
¶11. The Minister stressed that additional peace dividends are 
needed, especially as elections are approaching.  The Minister noted 
that USAID and the UN Development Program (UNDP) had worked with the 
Ministry to develop a work plan for budget control and financial 
management, which has addressed several of the issues that were 
highlighted in the World Bank's recent report.  The Minister intends 
to implement a monthly system to track and manage budgets that will 
be circulated to all ministries and the public. 
 
¶12. When Administrator Fore asked what the Minister's priority for 
assistance would be, the Minister replied that training for customs 
personnel, budget management, and revenue collection, as well as 
technical assistance on policy development.  AA/AFR Almquist asked 
for an update on the financial management system that USAID has 
supported.  The Minister reported that training had been conducted 
at the level of ministries and now further training is needed at the 
state and county level.  In addition, equipment is needed to 
implement the system.  The USAID/Sudan Mission Director stated that 
USAID sees the MFEP as a strategic partner in Southern Sudan, 
particularly in the battle against corruption and that USAID is 
committed to helping make the government work for the people of 
Southern Sudan. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
Visit to NEC Site and Interim USAID Office Compound 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶13. Administrator Fore visited the 19-acre piece of land that the 
 
KHARTOUM 00001927  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
GOSS has leased to the USG, without charge, for 99 years to allow 
the USG to rapidly expand their presence in the region. 
Construction at the site has not yet begun. 
 
¶14. The Administrator also toured the USAID interim office compound, 
which is currently under renovation but is expected to be ready for 
use in April 2008.  The interim office site will eventually have 40 
workstations and allow USAID to bring to Juba the staff that are 
critically needed to implement and oversee USAID-funded 
reconstruction and development programs. 
 
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Comment 
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¶15. This is a critical time in Southern Sudan, when expectations for 
peace dividends and development are high.  With the census and 
elections approaching, the need to deliver tangible results of peace 
is increasingly important.  The USG remains a key partner of the 
GOSS and the Southern Sudanese people, maintaining its strong 
support for implementation of the CPA.  USAID has achieved visible 
and important results through its infrastructure improvement project 
and has enabled GOSS ministries to set up systems and policies for 
providing public services in the region.  USAID continues to work 
closely with GOSS colleagues to resolve the challenges that have 
arisen in preparing for the census and elections and managing the 
region's financial resources. 
 
¶16. AA/AFR Almquist and Administrator Fore's staff have cleared this 
cable. 
 
FERNANDEZ