VZCZCXRO2644
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHDR #0184/01 0560549
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 250549Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9449
INFO RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 1661
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 0185
RUEHJB/AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA 3208
RUEHLGB/AMEMBASSY KIGALI 1685
RHMFIUU/CJTF HOA
RHMFISS/CDR USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHLMC/MCC WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DAR ES SALAAM 000184 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/E JTREADWELL 
STATE PASS AID AFR/SD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID MARR MCAP TZ
SUBJECT: AFRICOM HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS CONFERENCE, 
ARUSHA, TANZANIA, 2-5 FEB 2010 
 
DAR ES SAL 00000184  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Background 
---------- 
 
¶1. The United States Africa Command Humanitarian Assistance Branch 
conducted a Humanitarian Assistance (HA) conference in Arusha, 
Tanzania, from 02-05 February 2010.  The conference brought together 
Department of Defense security assistance officers, their locally 
employed staff, DoD civilians providing HA, U.S. Africa Command HA 
managers, and various subject experts, along with State Department 
and USAID officers engaged in HA (including USAID Mission 
Director/Senegal, who addressed the gathering on the first day). The 
conference provided an overview of the direction of humanitarian 
assistance under U.S. Africa Command and processes for execution of 
that assistance.  The conference's goal was twofold: to improve the 
knowledge of DoD action officers regarding HA processes and to 
synergize DoD HA efforts with DoS and USAID HA programs on the 
continent by incorporating a 'whole of government' approach. 
 
¶2. Dr. Diana Putman, the U.S. Africa Command Humanitarian Assistance 
Branch Chief (and a USAID career employee), launched the conference 
with a quick overview of the goals for the week, which included 
laying out the roles of various agencies from across the U.S. 
government, developing partnerships, synergizing new and existing 
programs, and capturing lessons learned.  In her introduction of the 
keynote speaker, Ambassador J. Anthony Holmes, the U.S. Africa 
Command Deputy for Civil Military Affairs, she commented on how the 
interagency process for HA is still relatively new and requires 
effort to implement.  Communication is a key facet of interagency 
process because while the 'whole of government' is not easy to begin 
with, the various agencies (DoD, DoS, and USAID) look at the world 
differently.  Dr. Putman concluded by expressing hope the conference 
would 'build bonds' and understanding between the agencies and 
participants in order to advance the President's foreign policy 
goals. 
 
Keynote Speaker:  Ambassador J. Anthony Holmes 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶3.  AFRICOMQs Deputy for Civilian-Military Activities, Ambassador 
Holmes, opened the conference by laying out in detail the Obama 
AdministrationQs vision of AFRICOMQs 'whole of government' approach 
to its engagement in Africa, of which humanitarian activities are an 
important part.  He described how the underfunding of diplomacy and 
development since the end of the Cold War, and the uneven 
allocations of foreign assistance across both geographic and 
functional areas, had created imbalances that need to be carefully 
managed.  The key to managing AFRICOMQs mil-mil and civ-mil 
engagement, he stressed, was the active involvement of the entire 
U.S. country team to ensure that our military assistance dovetails 
properly with the other components of our bilateral and regional 
programs.   AFRICOM understands the long-term nature of the 
challenges Africa faces, Amb. Holmes emphasized, and it wants to 
work closely with country teams to achieve the best match between 
its strengths and expertise and the priorities of each U.S. 
ambassador on the continent. 
 
¶4.  To accomplish its mission of sustained engagement to enhance the 
United StatesQ broad security interests in Africa, through a robust 
contribution to professionalizing African militaries and ensuring 
their proper role in democratic societies, AFRICOM needs the buy-in 
from country teams and constructive input from all civilian agencies 
at posts. In the humanitarian affairs area, it is trying to develop 
institutionalized mechanized for evaluation and follow-up beyond 
short-term perspective that has prevailed in the past.  To gain the 
maximum impact, it is important that country teams meet regularly to 
identify gaps in funding and to determine how to best integrate U.S. 
defense capacity with our diplomacy and development. 
 
Haiti and HA Funding in Africa 
------------------------------ 
 
¶5. A topic of discussion during the HA Conference was the status of 
HA funding in light of assistance being provided to Haiti.  In the 
aftermath of Haiti's tragedy, DSCA requested the return of 
unobligated FY 09/10 funds and all FY10/11 funds.  The return of 
funding placed some projects within Africa on hold.  U.S. Africa 
Command HA branch has compiled a prioritized list of HA projects 
based on feedback from the country teams and various AFRICOM offices 
within the Strategy, Plans, and Programs Division.  As funding is 
returned, HA Branch will fund projects based on priority.  The key 
issue is when funding will be returned and at what level.  (Comment: 
 
DAR ES SAL 00000184  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
The return of FY10/11 funds affected a school 
refurbishment/construction project in Tanzania.  However, that 
project is in U.S. Africa Command's top 10 list and is expected to 
be restored soon.) 
 
Rest of the Week 
---------------- 
 
¶6. For the rest of the week, the conference covered the mechanisms 
and processes required to synergize and execute HA activities. 
Briefers included the USAID Mission Director from Senegal, the 
Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), the U.S. Africa Command 
HA coordinators, and legal, medical, and engineering reviews. 
Specific topics included Humanitarian and Civic Assistance (HCA), 
HA-Other (HAO), HA-Excess Property (HA-EP), Disaster Planning and 
Preparedness Program (DP3), Pandemic Response Program (PRP), and 
Partner Military HIV/AIDS Prevention Program (PMHAP). 
 
ANDRE