US embassy cable - 03ROME5689

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 005689 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/09/2013 
TAGS: PINR, EAID, IT, SU, KPRP 
SUBJECT: ITALY TO INCREASE SUDAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE 
(C-AL3-01178) 
 
REF: SECSTATE 332595 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: ECONOMIC COUNSELOR KATHLEEN REDDY, REASONS 1.5 B AND D. 
 
1.  (U) IN SEPARATE MEETINGS WITH PAOLA IMPERIALE, MFA OFFICE 
DIRECTOR FOR EAST AFRICA, AND GIOVANNI BATICCI, MFA AFRICA 
DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE EXPERT, EMBOFFS RECEIVED DETAILED 
    INFORMATION ON ITALY'S PLANNED 63 PERCENT EXPANSION OF 
ASSISTANCE TO SUDAN IN 2004.  PLEASE NOTE THAT THE FOLLOWING 
INFORMATION IS KEYED TO THE QUESTIONS LISTED REFTEL. 
 
2.  (C) PARAGRAPH 1. A: 
 
-- IN 2003, ITALY GRANTED EURO 8 MILLION TO SUDAN, BUT WILL 
INCREASE THE AMOUNT TO EURO 13 MILLION IN 2004. 
 
-- ITALY EXTENDS NO LOANS TO SUDAN.  ITALY GIVES ONLY 
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO SUDAN.  FORTY PERCENT OF WHICH IS 
BILATERAL, WITH THE REMAINDER CHANNELED THROUGH UNICEF, THE 
WHO, ETC.  ITALY WILL NOT EXTEND LOANS TO SUDAN BEFORE 2005. 
-- ITALY WILL PARTICIPATE IN PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS.  THE 
MFA HAS REQUESTED PERSONNEL FROM THE ITALIAN JOINT STAFF, BUT 
HAS YET TO RECEIVE A RESPONSE.  AS PEACEKEEPING MAY FALL 
UNDER UN JURISDICTION, ITALY'S CONTRIBUTION COULD BE 
DETERMINED BY QUOTA. 
 
-- IN 2004, ITALY WILL INCREASE ITS AID TO SUDAN BY 63 
PERCENT.  WHILE FUNDING TO IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN ARE AT HIGHER 
LEVELS (EURO 60-70 MILLION ANNUALLY, ON AVERAGE), SUDAN 
NONETHELESS IS A TOP PRIORITY FOR ITALY. 
 
-- ITALY IS INVOLVED WITH FOOD DISTRIBUTION, WATER, 
SANITATION, AND CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAMS IN THESE SECTORS 
IN BOTH THE NORTH AND SOUTH OF THE COUNTRY. 
 
-- ASSISTANCE TO THE NORTH IS CONCENTRATED IN DARFUR AND 
CASALA; TO THE SOUTH, IN NUBA AND WEST BARAGAZAL. 
 
    -- ITALY IS PROVIDING HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE MOSTLY THROUGH 
ITALIAN AND INTERNATIONAL NGOS. 
 
-- ITALY'S INTEREST IN SUDAN IS STRICTLY HUMANITARIAN. 
 
-- IN THE GOI VIEW, IT IS NECESSARY TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO FOOD 
AND WATER TO RESOLVE THE IMMEDIATE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS.  OVER 
THE LONGER-TERM, ITALY IS FOCUSED ON CAPACITY BUILDING IN 
PRIMARY ECONOMIC SECTORS. 
 
-- ITALY SEES THE NEED FOR ASSISTANCE IN SUDAN AS "VERY 
LARGE, THE WORST SITUATION WE'VE SEEN IN TWENTY YEARS." 
 
3.  (C) PARAGRAPH 1. B: 
 
-- ITALY SUPPORTS REESTABLISHING LOME COOPERATION, TO ENABLE 
SUDAN TO TAP INTO THE EU INVESTMENT BANK INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDS 
AS WELL AS A SIZABLE DEVELOPMENT FUNDING. 
 
-- THE EU PROVIDES ONLY HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO SUDAN AND 
NOT DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE.  EU DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IS 
CONTINGENT UPON SUDAN'S SIGNING THE PEACE AGREEMENT, WHICH 
THE GOI HOPES COULD HAPPEN AS EARLY AS MARCH, 2004.  IF SO, 
EURO 434 MILLION WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR SUDANESE 
PEACE/CAPACITY BUILDING AND FOR FOOD SECURITY PROJECTS. 
DISPERSAL OF FUNDS WOULD BE LINKED TO IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 
AGREEMENT AND ONGOING PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS. 
SEMBLER 
 
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 2003ROME05689 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL