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OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #8880 2950522
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 211810Z OCT 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 8251-8253

UNCLAS STATE 108880 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
C O R R E C T E D  C O P Y (SENSITIVE CAPTION ADDED) 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KPKO UNSC
SUBJECT: DISCUSSIONS ON SYG REPORT ON SUPPORT FOR AFRICAN 
UNION PEACEKEEPING AND DRAFT PRST TEXT 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Consultations are taking place in New York in 
advance of the October 26 Council meeting to discuss the 
report of the Secretary General on Support to African Union 
Peacekeeping Operations, and to consider a draft PRST on the 
issue.  The draft PRST text shared by Uganda includes 
language expressing the intention of the UNSC to consider the 
use of assessed contributions to support specific African 
peacekeeping operations authorized by the Security Council 
(SC)--on a case by case basis and for a period of six months 
or such period as may be determined by the Council--to ensure 
sustainability and to facilitate transition to a UN 
operation.  Other language in the statement includes, inter 
alia: calls for enhancement of interaction and coordination 
between the two organizations; the need for a joint study on 
lessons learned from previous joint operations; establishment 
of a joint team to work on operationalizing key 
recommendations to further the strategic partnership between 
the UN and AU; development of a long-term capacity-building 
road map; and a request for a progress report from the SYG in 
six months. 
 
¶2. (SBU) While we want to enhance the strategic partnership 
and institutional coordination between the two organizations, 
we need to remain cautious about any initiatives that call 
for the use of assessed funds except in cases of extreme last 
resort and only on a case-by-case basis. Moreover we need to 
obtain a clearer picture of downstream financial and other 
implications of any such initiative.  Past Congressional 
correspondence and recent discussions with Hill staffers have 
also underscored the critical need to obtain buy-in from 
senior legislators and staff before considering pushing the 
current envelope on the funding issue.  Thus, we should 
underscore with the Ugandans (and other interlocutors) the 
need to focus on elements that encourage closer strategic 
links between the AU and the UN, and stress the need for the 
AU to take ownership of its capacity building along the full 
spectrum of peace operations. Our redlines on the draft PRST 
would be to eschew financial commitments such as the possible 
use of assessed contributions for AU peacekeeping operations. 
 Some issues falling just outside of our redlines include 
para 9 (of the Ugandan draft) calling for further 
strengthening the work of the UN liaison office in Addis 
Ababa and enhancement of regular interaction, coordination, 
and consultations on matters of mutual interest to the UN and 
AU.  We fully support this goal, but note that resource 
issues will need to be addressed.  Secondly, para 11 (again 
of the Ugandan draft) has language on developing a long-term 
capacity-building road map for the AU "in conjunction with 
the UN and other International Partners."  USUN should seek 
to refine this language to underscore that the main effort 
has to be with the AU itself. 
 
¶3. (SBU) USUN may draw on the following points: 
 
-- Welcome the SYG's efforts to strengthen strategic 
cooperation between the AU Commission and the UN Secretariat. 
 
-- Note that that efforts to better prepare the UN and other 
bodies to meet the growing demands placed on international 
peacekeeping are consistent with President Obama's recent 
commitment (made at the UNGA) for the United States to do its 
part in seeking clear, credible, and achievable peacekeeping 
mandates; to intensify diplomatic efforts to support fragile 
peace processes; to improve bilateral efforts to train 
peacekeepers; to help mobilize necessary enabling assets; and 
to work closely with partners in addressing existing gaps and 
to discuss proposals to assure the future success of UN 
peacekeeping. 
 
-- Acknowledge the importance of AU capacity building along 
the entire spectrum of conflict management, including 
mediation, crisis management, post-conflict reconstruction 
and peacebuilding and civil society and emphasize the 
importance of building conflict prevention capacity of 
civilian institutions and civil society. Acknowledge also the 
need for further enhancement to the AU Secretariat's capacity 
to plan, manage, and sustain PKOs. 
 
-- Underscore, however, the need for the AU to take greater 
ownership of its capacity building. 
 
-- Call on donors to continue financial support to develop 
African peacekeeping either through in-kind bilateral support 
or through trust funds. Note the need for donors to 
coordinate more closely, particularly in the area of 
administrative reporting and accounting requirements, so that 
the AU Secretariat is not overwhelmed with accommodating 
different requirements for each donor. 
 
-- Note that--as President Obama emphasized--the United 
States is ready to do its part. Underscore that we will 
continue to provide substantial bilateral assistance to 
partners in the AU, and note the efforts that we have made in 
the months following the March 18 discussion of Peace and 
Security in Africa. The US has consulted more closely with 
lead troop and police contributing countries. Additionally, 
we have stressed the importance of realistic mandates that 
are matched with the capacity of peacekeeping missions. 
 
 
¶4. (SBU) Recommended PRST language follows. Please note that 
this text is still a starting point for discussions and we 
need to retain flexibility to accommodate potential 
review/input from Department principles. 
 
¶1. The Security Council recalls its previous relevant 
resolutions and statements of its President which underscore 
the importance of developing effective partnerships between 
the United Nations and regional organizations, in particular 
the African Union, in accordance with the United Nations 
Charter and the relevant statutes of the regional 
organizations, 
 
¶2. The Security Council reiterates its primary responsibility 
for the maintenance of international peace and security, and 
recalls that cooperation with regional and sub-regional 
organizations in matters relating to the maintenance of peace 
and security and consistent with chapter VIII of the Charter 
of the United Nations, can improve collective security, 
 
¶3. The Security Council welcomes the continuing important 
efforts of the African Union to settle conflicts in the 
African continent, and expresses its support for peace 
initiatives conducted by the African Union, 
 
¶4. The Security Council reaffirms its resolution 1809 (2008) 
which recognizes the need to enhance the predictability, 
sustainability and flexibility of financing regional 
organizations when they undertake peacekeeping under a United 
Nations mandate. The Security Council recognizes that in 
deploying peacekeeping operations, the African Union is 
contributing towards maintenance of international peace and 
security, consistent with the provisions of Chapter VIII of 
the United Nations Charter, 
 
¶5. The Security Council reiterates that regional 
organizations have the responsibility to secure human, 
financial, logistical and other resources for their 
organizations including through contributions by their 
members and support from development partners, 
 
¶6. The Security Council recalls the Statement of its 
President (S/PRST/2009/3) in which it requested the 
Secretary-General to submit a report on practical ways to 
provide effective support for the African Union when it 
undertakes peacekeeping operations authorized by the United 
Nations, that includes a detailed assessment of the 
recommendations contained in the Report of the African 
Union-United Nations Panel, in particular those on financing, 
as well as on the establishment of a joint African 
Union-United Nations team, 
 
¶7. The Security Council welcomes the Report of the 
Secretary-General on support to African Union peacekeeping 
operations authorized by the United Nations (A/64/359 - 
S/2009/470, 
 
¶8. The Security Council notes that the Report of the African 
Union-United Nations Panel (A/63/666 - S/2008/813) is an 
important contribution towards the overall efforts to enhance 
the capacity of the African Union in undertaking peacekeeping 
operations, 
 
¶9. The Security Council reiterates the importance of 
establishing a more effective strategic relationship between 
the United Nations Security Council and the African Union 
Peace and Security Council and between the United Nations 
Secretariat and the African Union Commission. The Council 
encourages further strengthening of the United Nations 
Liaison Office in Addis Ababa and enhancement of regular 
interaction, coordination, and consultation between the 
United Nations and the African Union on matters of mutual 
interest. The Security Council requests the Secretary-General 
to liaise with the African Union to discuss key 
recommendations including strengthening further the strategic 
partnership between the United Nations and the African Union, 
and developing a long-term, comprehensive capacity-building 
road-map, 
 
¶10. The Security Council underlines the importance of the 
Ten-year Capacity-Building Program for the African Union, 
mainly focusing on peace and security, in particular the 
operationalization of the African Union Standby Force and the 
Continental Early Warning System. The Security Council 
supports the ongoing efforts to strengthen the African Peace 
and Security Architecture and reiterates its call for the 
international community, particularly the donors, to fulfill 
their commitments as endorsed by the 2005 Summit Outcome 
document, 
 
¶11. The Security Council notes that the African Union needs 
to enhance its institutional capacity to enable it to 
effectively plan, manage, and deploy peacekeeping operations. 
The Security Council, in this regard, calls upon the African 
Union to develop a long-term, comprehensive capacity-building 
road map, 
 
¶12. The Security Council underlines the need for a 
comprehensive joint United Nations-African Union study of 
lessons learned from the Light and Heavy support packages for 
AMIS, the logistics package for AMISOM, as well as 
collaboration under UNAMID and the United Nations Support 
Office for AMISOM (UNSOA) with a view to identifying best 
practices to inform the development of capacity-building 
initiatives, particularly those for the medium to long-term, 
 
¶13. The Security Council requests the Secretary-General to 
submit a progress report no later than April 26, 2010. 
CLINTON