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P 101626Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY LONDON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2580
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 3478
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1449
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LONDON 001373 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL EAID PINR KPKO EFIN SL LI XY UK
SUBJECT: WEST AFRICA: UK RESOURCE CRUNCH MEANS PROGRAM CUTS 
 
REF: A. LONDON 848 
     ¶B. LONDON 1229 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary.  Budget cuts in the UK's Conflict 
Prevention Program (CCP) have hurt the UK's programming in 
West Africa "more than most" regions (reftel A), new Foreign 
Office West Africa team leader Paul Welsh told Poloff June 9. 
 On Sierra Leone, Welsh and Sierra Leone Desk Officer Simon 
Day highlighted the UK Government's continued support through 
the elections; noted the likelihood of violence in the run-up 
to the elections; inquired about greater USG support for the 
International Military Advisory and Training Team (IMATT); 
and indicated the Special Court's funding should come from UN 
assessed costs, rather than discretionary funding.  On 
Liberia, Welsh and Day said consideration of how to draw down 
UNMIL should be done in close consultation with the 
commanders on the ground and the UK was keen to review 
individual sanctions cases to "tie up any loose ends."  On 
Ghana, Welsh said that President John Atta Mills' May visit 
to the UK had been "very good," especially as Mills has 
"Ghana's interests at heart," and indicated that the biggest 
challenge facing the country would be getting oil wealth 
right.  He also noted that budget cuts meant the UK no long 
offers financial assistance to Ghana's military staff college 
and the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training 
Center.  Welsh also noted the UK Government's desire to 
coordinate more with the USG on anti-narco-trade and 
counter-terrorism activities in the region (reftel B).  End 
Summary. 
 
Sierra Leone 
------------ 
 
¶2. (SBU) Following his recent visit to Sierra Leone and 
Ghana, new Foreign Office (FCO) West Africa team leader Paul 
Welsh told Poloff June 9 that he assessed the greatest 
threats to political stability in Sierra Leone to be 
political parties' use of violence and youth unemployment. 
Welsh said the March violence had been "orchestrated," and it 
is likely that there will be more violence in the run-up to 
the elections, though it did serve as a wake-up call for some 
officials in the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL).  He said 
there remains the strong perception in the minds of most 
people in Sierra Leone that the UK will "defend Sierra Leone" 
if anything goes bad and affirmed that the UK would continue 
its current level of support through at the elections, in 
spite of UK Government budget cuts.  He highlighted the 
November donor and investment conference in London as a good 
opportunity for the GoSL to shore up sustained support and 
said President Koroma appears willing to conduct a roadshow 
in preparation for big assistance pledges. 
 
¶3. (SBU) FCO Sierra Leone Desk Officer Simon Day inquired if 
the USG would be interested in offering greater support to 
the International Military Advisory and Training Team 
(IMATT), noting the significant burden the UK had been 
carrying.  He also said the UK Government wants funding for 
the Special Court to come from UN assessed costs, rather than 
discretionary funding, in order to "burden share" the costs 
of the court's operations. 
 
Ghana 
----- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Ghanaian President John Atta Mills' May visit to 
London was "good," Welsh said, saying Mills has the country's 
"best interests at heart."  Welsh assessed that Ghana's 
biggest challenge is "getting the oil right," which Mills 
also seems keen to do.  He also noted that budget costs has 
meant the UK no long offers financial assistance to Ghana's 
military staff college and the Kofi Annan International 
Peacekeeping Training Center. 
 
Liberia 
------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Welsh and Day said consideration of how to draw down 
UNMIL should be done in close consultation with the 
commanders on the ground and the UK was keen to review 
individual sanctions cases to "tie up any loose ends." 
 
Regional Issues 
--------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Welsh also noted the UK Government's desire to 
coordinate more with the USG on anti-narco-trade and 
counter-terrorism activities in the region (reftel B).  He 
said he understand Africa Director Adam Wood and Minister for 
Africa Lord Mark Malloch-Brown plan to raise these issues in 
their upcoming, separate trips to Washington.  On the UK's 
 
LONDON 00001373  002 OF 002 
 
 
diplomatic presence in the region, Welsh said the UK would 
re-consider opening an embassy in Cote d'Ivoire "if the 
elections go well."  He also noted that the UK was 
re-considering its presence in Mali and will likely make a 
decision after the EU's July mission to establish how the EU 
should engage in Mali. 
 
 
Visit London's Classified Website: 
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Unit ed_Kingdom 
 
LeBaron