US embassy cable - 04ROME876

UNCLAS  ROME 000876 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
ASMARA FOR AMBASSADOR MCCONNELL AND USAID DIRECTOR CHEEMA 
STATE FOR AS/PRM DEWEY, PRM/P, AF/E AND IO/EDA BEHREND AND 
KOTOK 
USAID FOR AA/DCHA WINTER, DCHA/FFP LANDIS, AFR/EA 
USDA/FAS FOR CHAMBLISS/TILSWORTH/GAINOR 
GENEVA FOR AMBASSADOR MOLEY, RMA LYNCH AND NKYLOH/USAID 
USUN FOR AMBASSADOR NEGROPONTE AND MLUTZ 
BRUSSELS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS AND USAID/LERNER 
NSC FOR JDWORKEN AND AFRICA DIRECTORATE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, EAGR, AORC, PREF, KUNR, WFP, UNHCR 
SUBJECT: WFP BOARD APPROVES SUDAN (ERITREAN REFUGEES) 
PROTRACTED RELIEF AND RECOVERY OPERATION (PRRO) VALUED AT 
U.S. DOLLARS (USD) 15.52 MILLION - 35,344 METRIC TONS 
 
REF: (A) 02 ROME 04756 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. 
NOT SUITABLE FOR INTERNET POSTING. 
 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1. (SBU) The WFP Executive Board, at its first regular 
session (February 23-26), approved a Protracted Relief and 
Recovery Operation for Sudan (Eritrean refugees). The 
project 10122.1, entitled Food Assistance for Eritrean 
Refugees, is for two years (April 2004 - March 2006) with a 
total cost to WFP of USD 15.52 million. Beneficiaries are 
estimated at 95,300 (April 2004 to December 2004) and 60,000 
(January 2005 - March 2006). Over the life-of-project, WFP 
will supply (subject to the availability of funds) a total 
of 35,344 metric tons of food aid. The Netherlands raised 
the concern that the Government of Eritrea is now reportedly 
imposing internal travel restrictions on UN personnel, which 
could impede their carrying out the UN's humanitarian 
mission. WFP's regional manager Holdbrook Arthur will visit 
Eritrea March 7-10 and inter alia would like to discuss this 
matter with U.S. Embassy Asmara. End summary. 
 
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Background 
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2. (U) This is one of Africa's longest running refugee 
situations, involving some 160,000 Eritreans, many of whom 
fled to Sudan during the civil strife occurring under the 
Mengistu regime and in some cases even earlier, during the 
reign of the Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie. In March 
2001, Eritrea and Sudan agreed on an eventual repatriation. 
However, following closure of the border between Sudan and 
Eritrea in early October 2002, the UN was forced to halt the 
on going repatriation efforts. In June 2003, the GOS and the 
GOE (under the auspices of UNHCR) reached agreement on the 
modalities of repatriation that led in turn to the 
repatriation of 1,652 Eritreans prior to the recent onset of 
rains. Approximately 95,300 UNHCR/WFP-assisted Eritrean 
refugees still remain in Sudan, presently living in 8 camps 
(consolidated from 20 camps previously in June 2003) located 
in four states of eastern Sudan. Camp populations are as 
follows: Kassala state (71,426); Gedaref (16,338); Wad 
Madani (Gazira state), 1,280; Sennar state (2,244); 
transfers from the closed camp of UM Sagata (approximately 
3,500). 
 
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U.S. intervention in support of approval of the Sudan 
(Eritrean refugees) PRRO 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
3. (U) Herewith the essence of the supportive U.S. 
intervention: 
 
-USDEL notes that since the May 2001 repatriation agreement, 
some 47,000 Eritreans have returned home through UNHCR 
convoys and another 58,000 have returned through their own 
means - a total of 105,000 returnees. 
 
-The UN position, which USDEL shares, is that the root 
 
causes of the Eritrean refugee problem no longer exist, as 
fundamental and durable changes have occurred with the end 
of the 30-year-old war with Ethiopia in 1991, Eritrean 
independence in 1993, and the Ethiopian-Eritrean cease-fire 
agreement of June 2000. 
 
-USDEL appreciates the comment of UN High Commissioner 
Lubbers during his visit to Eritrea in November 2003 that: 
"The return operation needs to go beyond crossing the 
border." We note that Eritrea is one of four countries that 
have been chosen by UNHCR for the pilot testing of a new 
initiative "the 4Rs" - Repatriation, Reintegration, 
Rehabilitation and Reconstruction - designed to create a 
conducive environment to facilitate and sustain return. 
 
-Finally, USDEL expects that the joint UNHCR-Government of 
Sudan screening teams will remain fully operative in the 
eastern regions of Kassala, Wad Madani (Gezira), Sennar and 
Gedaref in order to further clarify and finalize: a) the 
number of Eritreans still in need of international 
protection; and b) the number applying to remain as 
immigrants. 
 
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U.S. support to WFP's Sudan PRRO for Eritrean refugees 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
4. (U) Against the two previous PRROs (6189.0 and 10122.0 
which cover the period May 2000-end April 2004), with a 
combined requirement of USD 28.28 million (73,431 metric 
tons), U.S. contributions are USD 10.14 million (26,845 
metric tons). Japan is the second largest donor with a 
contribution of USD 5.35 million (17,125 metric tons). 
 
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Other donor comments 
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5. (SBU) The Netherlands raised two critical issues: a) that 
roughly a third of Eritrea's population is now classified as 
food insecure, not a good omen for returning refugees; and 
b) they understand that the Government of Eritrea is now 
imposing internal travel restrictions on UN personnel which 
could impede their carrying out the UN's humanitarian 
mission. 
 
6. (SBU) The Eritrean delegate (Eritrea is a member of the 
Board) went into a lengthy and hard to follow rambling which 
seemed to imply that the UN was being "punished" for not 
being more active in persuading Ethiopia to accept the 
demarcation suggested by an independent boundary commission, 
which emanated from the Ethiopian-Eritrean peace deal 
concluded in Algiers in 2002. 
 
7. (SBU) Note. Without entering into detail, WFP regional 
manager Holdbrook Arthur conveyed to US Mission privately 
that there are some "difficulties." He personally had to 
wait ten days for a visa. He will visit Eritrea March 7-10 
and inter alia would like to discuss this matter with U.S. 
Embassy Asmara. End note. 
 
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Executive Board approval 
------------------------ 
 
8. (U) The WFP Board approved the Protracted Relief and 
 
Recovery Operation for Sudan (Eritrean refugees). The 
project 10122.1, entitled Food Assistance for Eritrean 
Refugees, is for two years (April 2004 - March 2006) with a 
total cost to WFP of USD 15.52 million. Beneficiaries are 
estimated at 95,300 (April 2004 to December 2004) and 60,000 
(January 2005 - March 2006). Over the life-of-project, WFP 
will supply (subject to the availability of funds) a total 
of 35,344 metric tons of food aid. Hall 
 
 
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	2004ROME00876 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED