US embassy cable - 04KINSHASA1830

UNCLAS KINSHASA 001830 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AIDAC 
STATE FOR AF/C ALLAN EASTHAM, C.PASCHALL 
STATE FOR INR/AA 
AID/W FOR DCHA/OFDA - I.MACNAIRN, M.MARX, T.MCRAE 
AID/W FOR DCHA/FFP - DWELLER, N.CARLSON, N.COX 
AID/W FOR AFR - K. O'DONNELL 
NAIROBI FOR USAID/OFDA/ARO - J.MYER 
NAIROBI FOR USAID/FFP - P. FESSENDEN, A.DEPREZ 
ROME FOR USUN FODAG - T.LAVELLE 
 
E.O. 12958; NA 
TAGS: EAID, PREF, CG 
SUBJECT: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO (DRC): FY 
         2005 DISASTER DECLARATION 
 
 
1.  (U) SUMMARY:  THE U.S. AMBASSADOR TO DRC HAS 
DETERMINED THAT THE EMERGENCY HUMANITARIAN NEEDS 
BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE WAR OF 1998-2003 CONTINUE, AND 
THAT THE CRISIS IS OF SIGNIFICANT MAGNITUDE TO WARRANT 
THE U.S. GOVERNMENT'S CONTINUED ASSISTANCE IN FY 2005. 
THE GOVERNMENT OF DRC HAS ESTABLISHED A NEW MINISTRY OF 
HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS TO ASSIST INTERNATIONAL 
HUMANITARIAN AGENCIES IN COORDINATING EMERGENCY 
ASSISTANCE. MISSION AND ITS FIELD PARTNERS APPRECIATE 
THE U.S. GOVERNMENT'S CONTRIBUTIONS IN FY 2004. THIS 
ASSISTANCE HELPED SIGNIFICANTLY TO ALLEVIATE THE 
CONSEQUENCES OF THE WAR FOR PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE 
POPULATIONS. MISSION REQUESTS THAT OFDA FUNDING BE 
CONTINUED. END SUMMARY. 
2. (U) THE CHIEF OF MISSION HEREBY DETERMINES THAT THE 
COMPLEX HUMANITARIAN EMERGENCY IN DRC BROUGHT ABOUT BY 
THE WAR WHICH STARTED IN AUGUST 1998, CONTINUES TO BE 
OF SIGNIFICANT MAGNITUDE TO WARRANT U.S. GOVERNMENT'S 
ASSISTANCE IN FY 2005. CONTINUED OFDA FUNDING IS 
THEREFORE REQUESTED. 
3. (U) THE WAR RESULTED IN THE DISPLACEMENT OF OVER 2 
MILLION CIVILIANS AND PARALYZED BASIC SOCIAL SERVICES 
(HEALTH, EDUCATION AND SANITATION) IN THE EASTERN PARTS 
OF THE COUNTRY FOR MORE THAN FIVE YEARS.  IT DISRUPTED 
AN ALREADY WEAK TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE AND 
AGGRAVATED THE IMPOVERISHMENT OF MILLIONS OF CONGOLESE. 
ALTHOUGH THE WAR IS OFFICIALLY OVER AND A NEW 
TRANSITIONAL GOVERNMENT IS IN PLACE, INSECURITY 
CONTINUES IN MANY PARTS OF THE COUNTRY DUE TO THE 
EXISTENCE OF ARMED GROUPS NOT PARTY TO THE PEACE 
PROCESS. EVEN IN AREAS HAVING SEEN A RETURN OVER THE 
PAST YEAR TO RELATIVE STABILITY, THE HUMANITARIAN 
SITUATION WILL IMPROVE ONLY SLOWLY. MISSION ANTICIPATES 
THAT DISASTER ASSISTANCE FUNDS WILL BE NEEDED THROUGH 
FY 2005 IN ORDER TO RESPOND TO THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF 
INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (IDPS), RETURNING IDPS, 
AND OTHER WAR-AFFECTED VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. 
4. (U) UNDER THE TRANSITIONAL CONSTITUTION, A NEW 
MINISTRY OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS AND SOLIDARITY HAS 
BEEN CREATED.  HOWEVER, MISSION BELIEVES THAT THE ON- 
GOING HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IS BEYOND THE GOVERNMENT'S 
OWN CAPACITY TO RESPOND EFFECTIVELY. ON SEVERAL 
OCCASIONS, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS HAVE APPEALED TO DONORS 
AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS FOR ASSISTANCE TO WAR- 
STRICKEN POPULATIONS. MISSION ALSO BELIEVES IT IS IN 
THE U.S. GOVERNMENT'S INTEREST TO PROVIDE HUMANITARIAN 
ASSISTANCE TO THOSE MOST AFFECTED BY THE WAR. 
5. (U) MISSION AND ITS FIELD PARTNERS APPRECIATE THE 
U.S. GOVERNMENT'S CONTRIBUTIONS IN FY 2004. THIS 
ASSISTANCE HELPED SIGNIFICANTLY TO ALLEVIATE THE 
CONSEQUENCES OF THE WAR FOR THE ASSISTED POPULATIONS. 
IN FY 2004, USG FUNDS WERE USED TO SECURE SEEDS AND 
TOOLS FOR RETURNEE POPULATIONS ATTEMPTING TO RESTART 
THEIR LIVES, FOR SHELTER AND BASIC NON-FOOD ITEMS FOR 
IDPS, AND FOR PRIMARY HEALTH CARE FOR POPULATIONS IN 
THE MOST WAR-AFFECTED HEALTH ZONES.  USG FUNDS WERE 
ALSO USED TO REOPEN THE CRITICAL RAILROAD LINE BETWEEN 
LUBUMBASHI AND KINDU, GREATLY CONTRIBUTING TO THE FOOD 
SECURITY OF POPULATIONS THAT HAD REMAINED ISOLATED FOR 
THE DURATION OF THE WAR.  USG FUNDS CONTINUE TO PLAY 
THE CRITICAL ROLE OF PROVIDING SUBSIDIZED AIR 
TRANSPORTATION FOR NGOS REACHING DIFFICULT-TO-ACCESS 
AREAS TO DELIVER RELIEF SUPPLIES. 
MEECE