R 081104Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 6850
INFO DARFUR COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI 
HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS NDJAMENA 000125 
 
 
STATE FOR AF/C, AF/USSES, AND PRM -- MCKELVEY AND PARKER 
NSC FOR GAVIN AND HUDSON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF PHUM PREL PGOV SU UN LY CD
SUBJECT: PLANNING FOR NEW REFUGEES IN CHAD; NGO CAPACITY 
AND SERVICE GAPS 
 
REF: EMAIL NDJAMENA REFUGEE COORDINATOR WEEKLY 
     ACTIVITY REPORT 4-3-09 
 
¶1. (U) Much of the information in this cable was previously 
transmitted to Department offices by RefEmail. 
 
------------------------------------- 
NGO PLANS FOR POSSIBLE DARFURI INFLUX 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) Ndjamena-based Regional Refugee Coordinator (RefCoord) 
met with International Rescue Committee (IRC) and 
International Medical Corps (IMC) staff April 2 on their 
contingency plans to scale up operations in eastern Chad in 
the event of a large influx of refugees from Darfur.  IRC 
Emergency Response Coordinator Elinor Raikes told RefCoord 
that the organization judged it likely that some Darfuri IDPs 
would cross the border into Chad in the coming months, but it 
was impossible to specify how many.  IRC headquarters sent 
Raikes to Chad to analyze the organization's existing systems 
and capacity to scale up its response.  Raikes agreed with 
other NGOs' recent assessments that the logistical challenge 
of bringing supplies to eastern Chad would constitute the 
greatest constraint on rapid response capacity.  She said IRC 
would be able to increase staff capacity using emergency 
response team members who are capable of deploying within 48 
hours.  However, it would be difficult to increase stocks in 
the East without significant prior planning.  Raikes asked 
about the possibility of specific USG funding to NGOs 
preparing to provide emergency assistance. 
 
¶3. (U) IMC Country Director Dayan Woldemichael said his 
organization had already requested additional shipments of 
medical supplies in preparation fro a potential refugee 
influx from Sudan this year.  IMC says it can cope with a 
possible increase of 50,000 refugees for three to four months 
using essential drugs already stocked in the East and a 
donation-in-kind shipment of medicines from AmeriCares.  This 
shipment of anti-malarials, anti-infectives, and surgical 
supplies is already in country and in the process of being 
cleared through customs.  In addition, one UNICEF health 
emergency kit and two WHO basic kits are stocked in-country. 
These kits generally contain medical supplies and equipment 
sufficient to treat 10,000 people for a three month period. 
According to Woldemichael, IMC medical staff and mobile teams 
could reasonably handle an additional 40,000 refugees spread 
over the four camps where they work, however they would need 
to recruit additional volunteer community health workers. 
The PRM-funded IMC-run hospital in Guereda currently provides 
referral services, including surgical services, to 
approximately 200,000 refugee and host population 
beneficiaries.  In the event of a significant influx to the 
area, the hospital would require additional doctors and 
nurses. 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
THE IMPACT OF RECENT CENTRAL AFRICAN REFUGEES 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) RefCoord met with United Nations High Commissioner for 
Refugees (UNHCR) Deputy Representative Emmanuel Gignac March 
30 who reported another inflow of Central African refugees 
into the southeastern corner of Chad.  Approximately 2,500 
refugees arrived within the last week and settled in a new 
site near Koanie.  These new arrivals bring the total of 
recent Central African refugees to about 14,000 individuals 
spread over six sites in three different locations.  UNHCR is 
concerned that unless food assistance is provided by 
humanitarians operating in northern C.A.R., the displaced 
will continue to cross the border into Chad.  NGOs active in 
the Vakaga region of C.A.R. like Solidarite and IMC report 
that recent fighting between rebels and government forces has 
left displaced villagers unable to access their farms.  The 
unpredictable security environment has also made it 
impossible for humanitarian agencies to operate effectively 
in the region.  Continued food insecurity is likely to force 
more of the displaced to seek food assistance where it is 
available, across the border in Chad.  UNHCR will continue to 
maintain a presence in southeastern Chad in the areas of 
Daha, Massembagne and now Koanie until the rainy season makes 
it impossible to continue delivering assistance.  This recent 
influx of Central African refugees has had an impact in terms 
of human resources and budget, but UNHCR believes it will not 
diminish its ability to respond to a possible influx of 
Darfuri in the East.  UNICEF, UNFPA, and several NGOs are 
also providing aid to the new Central African refugee 
population. 
 
 
------------------------------- 
FILLING HEALTH GAPS IN THE EAST 
------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) RefCoord met with UNHCR and European Commission 
Humanitarian Affairs Office (ECHO) colleagues March 31 to 
discuss options for continued health services in Iriba and 
surrounding refugee camps following the scheduled departure 
of Medecins Sans Frontiers (MSF) Luxembourg in June.  The 
question of who will take over the four health centers and 
one hospital in the Iriba area has been a concern for donors 
since MSF-L announced its impending departure earlier this 
year.  The choice of new implementing partners will likely 
come down to a choice between IMC and the Comite d'Aide 
Medical (CAM) a French NGO not yet established in Chad. 
Based on discussion with other key donors like ECHO, there is 
a preference for funding CAM because doing so would introduce 
a new partner into the health sector.  The sector has become 
increasingly dominated by those few international NGOs 
capable of taking over MSF operations as MSF gradually 
diminishes its presence in Chad.  RefCoord, UNHCR< and ECHO 
representatives met with the CAM evaluation team currently in 
country and agreed on a general outline of respective funding 
capacities.  The fact that MSF-L will leave behind well 
equipped facilities should make it less costly for whichever 
new organization eventually takes over in Iriba. 
 
 
NIGRO