US embassy cable - 04BRUSSELS3057

UNCLAS BRUSSELS 003057 
 
SIPDIS 
 
PASS TO USADI FOR RMT DARFUR; PPC SWIFT; NAIROBI FOR SFO 
ANDERSON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, EAID, EUN, USEU BRUSSELS 
SUBJECT: EC FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR DARFUR CRISIS: DEMARCHE 
RESPONSE FOLLOW-UP 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 145183 
 
     B. BRUSSELS 02897 
 
1. (U) Following up on reftel demarche request for further 
information on EU funding initiatives, PRM Assistant and 
USAID Advisor for Humanitarian Assistance met with Javier 
Perez, ECHO desk officer for Sudan.  According to Perez, the 
EC has mobilized nearly 70.7 million Euros from different 
budget lines for Darfur, including 14 million Euros for 
Sudanese refugees in Chad. EC contributions to Darfur include 
12.4 million in contributions to the cease-fire, 44.3 million 
Euros for on-going humanitarian activities in Darfur, and 14 
million Euros for humanitarian activities in Chad for 
refugees from Darfur.  An additional 18.1 million Euros for 
humanitarian activities in Darfur is currently under 
preparation. This will bring the total to nearly 88.8 million 
Euros for Darfur and refugees in Chad. Included in this sum 
is the July 12 funding decision of 18 million Euros, which is 
to be channeled through the Humanitarian Aid Office of the 
European Commission, ECHO. 
 
 
2. (C) PRM Assistant also spoke with Roger Moore, DG 
Development Acting Director Horn of Africa, East and Southern 
Africa, and Joaquim Salqueiro, DG Development Officer for 
Sudan.  Moore confirmed earlier reports that a possible 
budgetary shift could account for an additional 40 million 
Euros to be made available within the next six months.  The 
shift would entail the transfer of monies from the A-Envelope 
of the European Development Fund (EDF), currently reserved 
for development funds subject to agreements with the 
receiving governement, to the B-envelope of the EDF, which 
includes, but is not limited to, emerging humanitarian and 
rehabilitation needs unhindered by such constraints.  This 
would set in motion funds that have been essentially hijacked 
by the lack of progress on the peace accord.  There remains 
nearly 450 million Euros in the EDF for development projects 
in Sudan. In light of this, Moore added that the total amount 
in the A-envelope would likely be reduced and partitioned to 
other regional projects.  He also intimated that it would not 
surprise him to see more budgetary shifts into humanitarian 
accounts for Sudan and Chad if prospects for peace remain 
elusive. 
 
3. (SBU) Regarding disbursements of the aforementioned 
funding initiatives, Salqueiro stated that it should not be 
much longer before money begins moving.  Specifically, he 
said that we should expect to see the disbursement of last 
month's pledge of 12 million Euros for the Peace Facility 
within the next two weeks, that the delay should not pose a 
problem since funding will be retroactive to expenses already 
incurred. 
MINIMIZE CONSIDERED 
 
McKinley