VZCZCXRO9338
OO RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKH #0924 2230730
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 110730Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4225
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000924 
 
DEPT FOR SE GRATION, S/USSES, AF A/S CARSON, AF/E 
NSC FOR MGAVIN 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV EPET EFIN ECON UNSC SU
SUBJECT: GNU REIMBURSES GOSS $52 MILLION FOR UNAUTHORIZED DEDUCTIONS 
FROM OIL REVENUE 
 
REF: A) KHARTOUM 806 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Government of National Unity (GNU) has 
reimbursed the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) the equivalent of 
USD 52 million for unauthorized deductions from its share of oil 
revenues, as agreed to at the July 21 Trilateral talks in 
Washington.  GOSS Petroleum Commission Director, Yousif Ramadan, 
provided documentation of the transaction to Econoff in a meeting on 
August 4. Ramadan also credited the Trilateral talks with opening 
the door for a team from the GOSS Auditor General to conduct audits 
at the GNU Ministry of Energy and Mining, Ministry of Finance, and 
Central Bank.  With regard to the Permanent Court of Arbitration's 
July 22 ruling on Abyei, Ramadan noted that he and the rest of the 
Joint Technical Committee on Oil Accounts are still awaiting 
guidance from the parties on how to proceed. END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Meeting with Econoff on August 4, Ramadan stated that GNU 
has reimbursed the GOSS for unauthorized deductions from its share 
of oil revenue for the amount of 117.39 million Sudanese pounds 
(approximately $52 million). He provided documentation that the 
funds, which had been deducted from GOSS' share of oil revenues to 
pay for national elections, were transferred on July 27. Ramadan 
said the issue was effectively resolved at the June 21 Trilateral 
Talks in Washington. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Ramadan also reported that Juba has sent a team from the 
GOSS Auditor General to Khartoum to audit GNU offices dealing with 
wealth sharing: the Ministry of Energy and Mining, the Ministry of 
Finance and National Economy, and the Central Bank of Sudan. Ramadan 
stated that the GOSS auditors have been granted full access 
throughout, which he credited to high level instructions given 
following the Trilateral Talks. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Asked about the impact of the July 22 PCA Decision on Abyei 
on oil revenue sharing, Ramadan reported that neither he nor the 
rest of the Joint Technical Committee on Oil Accounts have been 
given instructions on how to proceed.  While the Joint Technical 
Committee meets regularly, Ramadan lamented that the National 
Petroleum Commission, the high level entity charged with reviewing 
contracts and otherwise providing transparency and oversight of the 
sector, is completely dormant. "I can't remember the last time they 
met," he remarked. 
 
¶5. (SBU) COMMENT: Reimbursement of the elections funds is welcome 
news and further evidence of the ability of the Trilateral Forum to 
achieve tangible results.  To our knowledge, neither party reached 
out to share this information proactively with either the Embassy or 
S/USSES, emphasizing the need for robust monitoring mechanisms to 
track all future progress emanating from the Trilateral talks. END 
COMMENT. 
 
WHITEHEAD