VZCZCXRO1611
RR RUEHDE RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHNR #0450/01 0650724
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 060724Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8743
INFO RUCNSOM/SOMALIA COLLECTIVE
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 0436
RUEHAE/AMEMBASSY ASMARA 5228
RHMFIUU/CJTF HOA
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 4570
RHEFHLC/HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NAIROBI 000450 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF/E AND PRM/A, ADDIS FOR REFCORD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: DJ ET PREF PREL SMIG SO XA
SUBJECT: USRAP EXPLORES POSSIBILITY OF INITIATING REFUGEE 
RESETTLEMENT IN DJIBOUTI 
 
REF: 08 DJIBOUTI 1042 
 
 ------- 
              SUMMARY 
              ------- 
 
¶1. (SBU)  UNHCR-Djibouti anticipates submitting between 
400-450 
Priority 1 referrals to the USRAP (US Refugee Admissions 
Program) should USRAP reinitiate refugee resettlement in 
Djibouti.  Embassy Djibouti, while neutral about USRAP 
re-initiating resettlement activities, is concerned that 
USRAP activities not be a magnet attracting refugees to 
Djibouti in the hope of being resettled, that they not 
disturb Government of Djibouti (GoDJ) relations with 
neighboring 
countries, and that resettlement priorities are consistent 
with US policy in the region.  The Regional Refugee 
Coordinator will return to Djibouti in March to develop a 
proposal for resettlement for Embassy review. 
 
¶2. (SBU) PRM,s Nairobi-based Regional Refugee Coordinator 
traveled to Djibouti January 28-30 to explore the 
possibility of re-initiating USRAP resettlement activities 
in Djibouti.  The Refugee Coordinator met with the 
Ambassador, DCM, and post's Consular Officer, as well as 
with the UNHCR Djibouti Representative Ann Encontre.  END 
SUMMARY 
 
------------------------------------- 
UNHCR Djibouti Expanding Resettlement 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (U)  UNHCR Country Representative Ann Encontre confirmed 
that 
revamping UNHCR,s resettlement activities in Djibouti ) 
particularly refugee resettlement to the US - is one of her 
top priorities this year.  Encontre believes a revived 
resettlement program would demonstrate to Djiboutian 
government officials that the international community is 
willing to help Djibouti manage a growing refugee 
population.  Encontre believes an increased resettlement 
program would also help reduce the GoDJ 
reluctance to open a second refugee camp to 
relieve current overcrowded camp conditions. 
 
¶4. (SBU)  UNHCR reported a total of 9,228 refugees in 
Djibouti in 
January 2008 (5,682 Somalis from South/Central Somalia, 
2,840 Somalis from NE Somalia, 551 Ethiopians, 150 
Eritreans and 5 other nationalities).  UNHCR has registered 
304 urban refugees in Djibouti with the remaining 8,924 
refugees living in the Ali-Addeh camp about 80 kilometers 
south of Djibouti city.  UNHCR expects 3,000-4,000 new 
arrivals 
in 2009.  UNHCR resettled 74 individuals in 2008: 26 to 
Norway; 9 to Sweden; 8 to the Netherlands; 7 to Denmark; 5 
to the U.K; 1 to Canada; and, submitted 18 dossier cases to 
UNHCR,s Resettlement Service in Geneva.  Only 9 Eritreans 
were resettled in 2008.  Sweden is returning to Djibouti in 
February to discuss its 2009 resettlement plan with UNHCR 
and has agreed to consider resettling some of the 73 
detained Eritreans defectors in Djibouti (Reftel). 
 
----------------- 
USRAP in Djibouti 
----------------- 
 
¶5. (U)  USRAP activities in Djibouti were suspended in 2001 
following fraud in UNHCR,s resettlement operations.  UNHCR 
confirmed that it has fired the staff implicated in the 
2001 fraud, has introduced new resettlement guidelines, and 
has implemented a training schedule for staff on proper 
resettlement procedures and accountability.  In 2006, UNHCR 
completed biometric documentation (fingerprints and 
photographs) of all registered refugees and by March 2009 
will have completed a revalidation exercise of all 
registered refugees.  UNHCR continues to clarify its 
resettlement procedures with its GoDJ counterparts -- ) 
primarily ONARS (Office of Assistance to Refugees and 
Disaster Stricken People) 
-- on how to obtain Exit Permits, how and what 
resettlement information will be shared with GoDJ 
 
NAIROBI 00000450  002 OF 002 
 
 
officials, and the proper procedures for making referrals 
to resettlement programs.  As part of building its 
resettlement program, UNHCR has submitted a Resettlement 
Initiative request to PRM to fund a full-time Senior 
Resettlement Clerk and two 6-month rotations of an 
International Catholic Migration Commission deployee. 
 
¶6. (SBU)  If USRAP were to re-engage in Djibouti, UNHCR 
anticipates submitting between 400-450 referrals to USRAP 
(out of a total resettlement capacity of 600).  UNHCR is 
prioritizing the resettlement of Ethiopians, minority 
Somalis (200-300 Bantus/Gaboye Somalis), and protracted 
Somali caseloads in 2009.  Encontre also highlighted the 
urgency 
of resettling Eritreans as recently several dozen Eritreans 
were arrested outside UNHCR offices when they gathered to 
express their frustration at seeing Ethiopian TV 
broadcasting the departure of Eritreans from Ethiopia while 
they languish in Djibouti.  The US/CIS (US Citizenship and 
Immigration Services) office in Nairobi has confirmed that 
US/CIS is willing to resume processing all P3 and P1 cases 
referred to USRAP after 2001, but would require additional 
information from UNHCR before considering cases that were 
reviewed or investigated as part of UNHCR's July 2001 
investigation.  The Overseas Processing Entity (OPE) 
indicated it has at least 76 cases/421 individual P3 cases 
and 31 cases/109 individual P1 cases received after 2001. 
UNHCR does not anticipate significant additional referrals to 
USRAP believing when the 600 referrals are resettled the 
residual resettlement caseload will consist largely of 
protection cases. 
 
-------------------------------------- 
Embassy Djibouti Neutral but Cautious 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU)  The Ambassador said he was &neutral8 to 
re-establishing 
USRAP operations in Djibouti and requested additional 
information in order to make an informed decision.  In 
particular, the Ambassador wanted to be sure USRAP 
operations did not create a magnet affect: drawing refugees 
who came to Djibouti only in hopes of being resettled, and 
that the populations identified for resettlement did not 
compromise bilateral relationships between GoDJ and its 
neighbors.  While not anticipating problems resettling 
Somalis (particularly Bantu Somalis or protracted cases 
from southern/central Somalia),  the Ambassador was more 
cautious with the prospect of resettling Eritreans 
(particularly military defectors) and Ethiopians (primarily 
Oromos and Ogadenis or former Communist Dergue members).  The 
Ambassador said any resettlement plan should begin small 
and build over time.  He also said it would be important that 
refugee 
referrals to USRAP be based on clearly defined 
criteria to minimize confusion or misinterpretation of the 
resettlement program as well as to contain any magnet 
effects of increased resettlement activities. 
 
---------- 
Next Steps 
---------- 
 
¶8. (SBU)  The Ambassador said the embassy will explore GoDJ 
reactions to re-initiating USRAP resettlement activities in 
Djibouti including identifying any &redlines8 the GoDJ may 
have 
for increased resettlement activities.  Embassy Djibouti 
will also reach out to Embassy Addis to determine how the 
resettlement of Ethiopians might be perceived by the GOE. 
The Refugee Coordinator will return to Djibouti in March 
and, drawing from UNHCR,s revalidation results, develop a 
draft proposal for USRAP resettlement -including targeted 
groups, criteria for selections, measures to limit any magnet 
effect, and a possible timeline for resettlement- to be 
presented to the embassy. If a resettlement plan is agreed 
upon in Djibouti, AF concurrence would also be sought in view 
of regional implications. 
RANNEBERGER 
RANNEBERGER