VZCZCXRO6462
PP RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHQU RUEHVC
DE RUEHOT #0429/01 0871745
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 271745Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7574
INFO RUEHNJ/AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA PRIORITY 0016
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM PRIORITY
RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 OTTAWA 000429
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PREF EAID CA CD SU
SUBJ: CANADA EXPRESSES CONCERNS, ANNOUNCES AID TO SUDAN AND CHAD
1. (SBU) Summary: Foreign Affairs Minister Bernier used his visit to
Sudan from March 25 to 27 to tie Canada's relationship with Sudan to
the situation in Darfur and to express at the highest levels of the
Sudanese government Canada's concern over the violence and
humanitarian crisis in the region, as well as its support for the
Comprehensive Peace Agreement. Bernier announced a package of up to
C$275 million in 2008-2009 for security, diplomacy and aid to Sudan.
He termed the initiative a "major Canadian engagement for peace in
Sudan." Separately, the Canadian International Development Agency
(CIDA) announced C$6 million in aid to UNHCR, ICRC, OCHA, Medecins
Sans Frontieres, and other humanitarian organizations to help those
affected by the ongoing conflicts in Sudan and Chad. End summary.
Foreign Minister Brings Carrots and Concerns
--------------------------------------------
2. (U) On March 25, Minister Bernier held what he publicly described
as "productive and frank" discussions with Sudanese Foreign Minister
Deng Alor Kuol and presidential adviser Dr. Mustafa Osman Ismail in
Khartoum, during which he conveyed Canada's concern about human
rights and the violence and humanitarian crisis in Darfur and urged
the Sudanese government fully to implement the Comprehensive Peace
Agreement in Southern Sudan. He underlined the need for swift and
full deployment of UNAMID. Minister Bernier traveled to El Fasher
in Darfur on March 26, where he met Canadian peacekeeping troops
with UNAMID and visited an internally displaced persons camp. On
March 27, he went Juba in Southern Sudan to meet officials of the
government of Southern Sudan in order to demonstrate Canada's
support for the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.
3. (U) As part of its continuing peace and aid commitment to Sudan,
Bernier announced that Canada will shift its focus from peacekeeping
to a broad whole-of-government, country-wide strategy by investing
about C$275 million in Sudan in 2008-2009 in three areas: C$155
million for security; C$20 million for diplomacy; and, C100 million
for other aid. The figure includes Canada's assessed contributions
for UN peacekeeping missions in Sudan and builds upon the C$388
million in voluntary contributions that Canada has made since
January 2006.
4. (U) Canada will also allocate up to C$71 million in voluntary
support for the UNAMID and UNMIS peacekeeping missions. The funds
include up to C$40 million to provide equipment, training, and
logistical support to UNAMID, and up to C$26 million to deploy as
many as 50 Canadian Forces personnel to UNAMID and UNMIS, to
increase the professional expertise of UN peacekeeping troops, and
to continue the loan of over 100 armored personnel carriers to
UNAMID troop-contributing countries. Canada will allocate a further
C$5 million to deploy up to 25 civilian police to the two
peacekeeping missions, making Canada the second-largest voluntary
financial supporter of UNAMID after the United States.
5. (U) At the same time, Canada will provide C$20 million to support
peace building and diplomatic activities, including C$17 million to
support the negotiation and implementation of peace agreements,
justice and security sector reform, disarmament, demobilization, and
reintegration. There will also be C$100 million in humanitarian
assistance, early recovery, and governance programs to address the
needs of people affected by conflict, up from the C$71 million that
Canada provided for this purpose in 2007-2008.
Q
6. (U) Minister Bernier admittedly publicly that he could not
predict how Khartoum would react to Canada's concerns and declined
to comment on what Canada would do if the Sudanese government
refuses to act to end the conflict in Darfur. He underscored that
it is up to Khartoum to improve the Canada-Sudan relationship and
that "they must show their willingness." He suggested that one
option would be for Canada to send a message by supporting the
Official Opposition Liberal Party's motion calling for disinvestment
in Sudan, which is currently awaiting debate in the Canadian House
of Commons.
Other aid in the region on the way
----------------------------------
7. (U) On March 12, International development Minister Beverley
Oda announced more than C$6 million in additional humanitarian
assistance for Sudan and Chat, noting that "the support to
humanitarian organizations that we are providing will help meet the
basic needs of populations affected by ongoing conflicts. Canada
stands ready to react quickly in the face of humanitarian
emergencies - when lives are threatened and time counts."
8. (U) Canada plans to allocate these additional funds as follow:
a). C$3.25 million to the United Nations High Commission for
Refugees (UNHCR) for operations to assist and protect internally
displaced persons in Chad and Chadian refugees in the region. The
funding will also facilitate the voluntary return of Sudanese
refugees to southern Sudan, and will meet the basic needs of
OTTAWA 00000429 002 OF 002
internally displaced persons and Sudanese refugees in Darfur and
Chad;
b). C$1.5 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross
and Red Crescent Societies (ICRC) for operations to assist
internally displaced persons and refugees in Sudan and Chad. This
money will aid the provision of water and sanitation services,
emergency health care, food, shelter, and protection;
c). Over C$400,000 to the Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to coordinate emergency services across
Sudan;
d). C$500,000 to Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) for operations that
will provide medical assistance and other humanitarian services to
internally displaced persons in eastern Chad;
e). C$350,000 to help international humanitarian and NGOs to meet
the urgent needs of the people affected by the crisis in Chad;
9. (U) Since 2006, CIDA has provided more than C$102 million in
humanitarian assistance to Sudan, representing Canada's largest
humanitarian commitment to country (although its overall aid to
Afghanistan will overtake this level by 2011). Canada also made a
recent contribution to the World Food Program that included C$44.7
million to provide food for internally displaced persons, refugees,
and returnees in Sudan and Chad.
10. (U) Note: as of March 27, C$1 equals 98 U.S. cents.
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WILKINS