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Diana T Fritz 06/05/2007 04:15:39 PM From DB/Inbox: Search Results
Cable
Text:
UNCLASSIFIED
SIPDIS
TELEGRAM January 15, 2003
To: No Action Addressee
Action: Unknown
From: AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI (ABU DHABI 245 - UNKNOWN)
TAGS: EAID, PREL
Captions: None
Subject: UAEG'S PLEDGE OF ASSISTANCE TO AFGHANISTAN -- THE GIFT
THAT KEEPS ON GIVING
Ref: None
_________________________________________________________________
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 00245
SIPDIS
CXABU:
ACTION: POL
INFO: ECON DCM P/M RSO AMB
DISSEMINATION: POL
CHARGE: PROG
APPROVED: A/DCM: TEWILLIAMS
DRAFTED: POL: MMENARD
CLEARED: POL: STWILLIAMS
VZCZCADI775
OO RUEHC RUEHZM RUEHBUL RUEHKO RUEHGV RUCNDT
DE RUEHAD #0245/01 0151256
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 151256Z JAN 03
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7910
INFO RUEHZM/GCC COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0080
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 0260
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 0500
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1116
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 000245
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR NEA/ARP AND SA/PAB
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID PREL AF TC
SUBJECT: UAEG'S PLEDGE OF ASSISTANCE TO AFGHANISTAN -- THE
GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING
REF: 02 STATE 262304
1. (U) Classified by Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Thomas
E. Williams for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).
2. (SBU) SUMMARY: According to UAEG reports, the UAE
pledged $36 million at the Tokyo Conference and has
provided additional humanitarian and reconstruction
assistance to Afghanistan totaling approximately $80
million since 9/11, for a total assistance package thus far
of approximately $116 million. Of the assistance already
distributed, we estimate that the UAEG provided about $53
million in assistance in November and December 2002. The
UAEG has supported a wide range of projects, from providing
food, housing and clothing to repatriating refugees to
building homes, hospitals and mosques. END SUMMARY.
Tokyo Pledge
------------
3. (SBU) In a document dated 21 December 2002, the UAEG
confirmed that the UAEG pledged $36 million towards the
reconstruction of Afghanistan at the January 2002 Tokyo
Conference. Of this $36 million, the UAEG allocated $30
million towards reconstruction and $6 million towards
humanitarian aid. The latest UAEG reports indicate that
the $30 million reconstruction pledge is still pending and
awaiting decision-making as to its use. Preliminary UAEG
reports state that the reconstruction pledge will likely be
used for road reconstruction.
Additional UAEG Assistance to the Afghan Government
--------------------------------------------- --------------
6. (U) The UAEG has donated an additional approximate $7.6
million in assistance to the Afghan government, including a
donation to the Afghan People's Fund in December 2002, cash
assistance in payment of government employee salaries, and
in-kind assistance of vehicles and transportation
equipment.
7. (U) In November 2002, the UAEG delivered an additional
$50 million assistance-in-kind donation to the Afghan
government.
Assistance from the UAE Red Crescent Authority
and the H.H. Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum
Humanitarian and Charity Establishment
--------------------------------------------- -
5. (U) The UAEG reports that the UAE Red Crescent
Authority (RCA) thus far has donated approximately $14
million in additional humanitarian and reconstruction
assistance to Afghanistan.
6. (U) Of the $14 million RCA donation, assistance valued
at about $9.2 million has already been delivered for
various projects. Illustrative examples of these projects
include building, supplying and operating refugee camps;
providing food, clothing, medicines, medical supplies,
ambulance cars and transportation vehicles; providing
financial aid in support of the educational sector; hosting
Ramadan iftars; assisting orphans; and providing computer
and communication equipment to the Afghan Red Crescent
Society.
7. (U) Of the $14 million RCA donation, development
projects valued at more than $4.8 million are currently
under way, including building villages; reconstructing and
maintaining orphanages; building and equipping an Afghan
Red Crescent Hospital; digging wells; and building mosques.
8. (U) The UAEG also reports that the His Highness
Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum Humanitarian and Charity
Establishment has thus far donated approximately $6 million
in assistance to Afghanistan.
Ad Hoc Contributions by Individuals and NGOs
--------------------------------------------
7. (U) The UAEG reports that a number of individuals and
other NGOs have also donated assistance to Afghanistan
valued at more than $4 million for projects including
assisting refugees, providing armored vehicles for the
Afghan government, building orphanages and building a women
and children's hospital.
Amount delivered in past 2 months
---------------------------------
8. (U) The UAEG delivered the following assistance between
November 2002 and January 2003:
--In November 2002, the UAEG delivered an in-kind
donation of $50 million in machinery and equipment
to the Afghan government. As part of this package,
the UAEG intends to deliver an additional in-kind
assistance package of vehicles and IT/media and
office equipment to the Afghan government.
--In December 2002, the UAEG announced a $3 million
donation to the Afghan People's Fund.
Type of Assistance and Projects Supported
-----------------------------------------
9. (U) Since 9/11, the UAE's assistance to Afghanistan has
supported a wide range of reconstruction and humanitarian
projects, including:
--payment of government employee salaries;
--financial support for the educational sector;
--assistance to refugees;
--building, operating and supplying refugee camps;
--voluntary repatriation of refugees in cooperation
with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the
Pakistani authorities;
--vehicles, including armored vehicles for the
President, ambulances, fire trucks;
--heavy machinery for civil construction
--building, reconditioning and maintaining orphanages;
--assistance to orphans;
--building and equipping a women and children's
hospital;
--building and equipping an Afghan Red Crescent
hospital;
--hosting Ramadan iftars for the poor and needy;
--office furniture, equipment and supplies;
--communications and IT/media equipment;
--food; clothing; medical supplies; medicines;
--communication and computer equipment for the Afghan
Red Crescent Society;
--digging wells;
--rebuilding villages;
--building mosques.
10. (SBU) COMMENT: The UAEG does not generally seek
publicity for its charitable giving, even though it does so
generously. The UAE has far exceeded its Tokyo pledge.
Emirati officials, however, report that they continue to
consider additional requests for assistance. END COMMENT.
WAHBA