VZCZCXRO0611
PP RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1085 2000846
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 180846Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1376
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 001085 
 
DEPT FOR AF A/S FRAZER, AF/SPG, S/CRS, SE WILLIAMSON, NSC FOR 
BPITTMAN AND CHUDSON 
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO SOCI AU UNSC SU
SUBJECT: REMAINDER OF CHINESE ENGINEERING CONTINGENT ARRIVES IN 
DARFUR 
 
REF: (A) KHARTOUM 992 
(B) KHARTOUM 986 
(C) KHARTOUM 965 
(D) BEIJING 2529 
(E) 07 KHARTOUM 1735 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Completing a slow process which began in 
mid-November 2007, the remainder of the 315-troop Chinese 
engineering unit arrived as anticipated on July 17 for their 
deployment in Nyala.  The Chinese Embassy reported that UNAMID 
continues to experience logistical problems in delivering materials 
for construction of the Chinese contingent accommodations. End 
summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) According to UNAMID contacts, UN-AU JSR Rudolphe Adada and 
UNAMID Force Commander Martin Luther Agwai flew to Nyala on July 17 
to greet 175 Chinese engineers, whose arrival brings the total 
Chinese contingent to their full 315-troop strength.  Chinese 
Defense Attache Dong Jian Dong told poloff on July 8 about his 
continued frustrations in preparing for the arrival of the Chinese 
troops. For example, he said that UNMIS in Khartoum no longer 
coordinates air clearances for UNAMID flights, nor provides lodging 
assistance for those in transit to Darfur. (Note: He seemed 
dissatisfied with the UNAMID logistical office in Khartoum, but our 
observation has been that the mere presence of the office has 
improved traditionally bad coordination somewhat. End note.) 
 
¶3. (SBU) Asked if the Nyala super-camp facilities would be ready for 
the 175 additional Chinese troops, Dong said that some of the 
materials for their accommodations have not yet arrived in Nyala. 
He said it took four months to move 140 containers from Khartoum to 
El-Obeid, and now they await transportation to Nyala.  He said that 
UNAMID is considering moving the 140 containers by air but UNAMID 
does not have planes with sufficient lift capacity for 100 of the 
140 containers, some of which can weigh as much as 22 tons.  He said 
that some of the containers will have to be re-packed but this would 
be time-consuming and might damage the materials. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Dong said that overland transport from El-Obeid to Nyala is 
a preferred option were it not for the Darfur-border choke point 
where convoys wait, sometimes for many weeks, until military/police 
escorts are arranged. UN Joint Logistics Operations Center (JLOC) 
Chief David Pittfield said that there is no single solution to the 
problem of transporting cargo to Nyala.  He said that a number of 
issues ranging from insufficient trucking capacity resulting from 
the rampant hijacking of truck to overly bureaucratic customs 
regulations which prevents the smooth flow of materiel to Darfur. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Dong claimed the Government of China approved the temporary 
redeployment of 95 UNMIS Chinese engineers based in Wau (in South 
Sudan) to Nyala for one month, but that UMMIS was reluctant to 
redeploy these troops. He also said UNAMID had not been able to 
arrange transportation to move the engineers and their equipment 
from their base in Wau to Nyala. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Comment: The arrival of the Chinese engineers in spite of 
UNAMID's security concerns is a positive sign that Adada and Agwai 
plan to push for continued deployment (or perhaps that it was too 
late to delay their arrival plans).  Huge logistical challenges 
continue to plague UNAMID, as many of the containers required for 
camp construction still have not arrived.  UNAMID should coordinate 
more closely with WFP, which, despite the considerable obstacles, 
has been able to maintain a flow of containers into Darfur.  The two 
organizations have met and conferred, but UNAMID does not have 
anywhere near the logistical savvy of WFP. 
 
FERNANDEZ