US embassy cable - 05KUWAIT1061

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 001061 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, MOPS, PREL, KU, IZ, KUWAIT-IRAQ RELATIONS 
SUBJECT: KUWAIT HUMANITARIAN OPERATIONS CENTER SCHEDULED TO 
CLOSE IN MARCH 
 
1. (U) SUMMARY: Ambassador met with Lieutenant General Ali 
Al-Mumin (ret), Chief of the Humanitarian Operations Center 
(HOC), at the HOC's facilities on March 13, 2005.  Al-Mumin 
described the accomplishments made by the HOC over the past 
two years, the disbursement of $5 million USD that Kuwait has 
donated to Najaf, and the impact that closing the HOC would 
have on the United Nations, United States, Kuwait and Iraq. 
Ambassador subsequently spoke to the Undersecretary of the 
Foreign Ministry to recommend once again extending the life 
of the HOC.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (U) On March 13, 2005, Ambassador met with LTG Ali 
Al-Mumin (ret), Chief of the HOC, and US military officers 
assigned to the HOC to discuss the HOC's operations. 
Al-Mumin began by explaining that the HOC has been 
operational since January 2003 and falls under the Ministry 
of Foreign Affairs (MFA).  He described the purpose of the 
HOC as: facilitating the transfer of donated humanitarian aid 
from NGOs, military, and governments through Kuwait to Iraq. 
He added that the HOC also helps identify needs in Iraq and 
matches those needs with willing donors.  According to 
Al-Mumin, over the past two years the HOC has arranged for 
the transportation of everything from heaters and bedding to 
medical supplies and temporary shelters. 
 
3.  (U) Five million dollars of Kuwait's pledged aid has been 
earmarked for distribution to Najaf through the HOC, Al-Mumin 
said.  He explained that the money for Najaf has been split 
into two separate funds.  The first $2 million was used for 
cash grants, foodstuffs, heaters and other small items.  The 
remaining $3 million is being used to build housing.  The 
plan, he continued, is to allow the displaced children (and 
others) to remain in these houses until they are of age (21) 
and able to support themselves.  Once this happens, they must 
leave the house so that another needy family can move in. 
 
4.  (U) Al-Mumin went on to say that distributing the money 
in Iraq has not been easy.  His preferred method of 
disbursement was to give the money directly to the local 
government in Najaf, reasoning that they are better able to 
identify the most needy projects in their town.  However, he 
said, during one of his trips to the area he heard complaints 
that the money was not going to the right charities and that 
preference was being given to those with connections to 
government officials.  He concluded by saying that 
"corruption" is a real concern in Iraq and that he has had to 
closely monitor the distribution of the $5 million in Najaf 
and has traveled to Najaf on three occasions to check on the 
program. 
 
5.  (U) According to the original charter for the HOC, its 
scheduled closure date was over a year ago.  Since then the 
HOC has received 3-month extensions, the last of which, 
Al-Mumin confirmed, is scheduled to expire on March 31, 2005, 
effectively closing the HOC permanently.  Al-Mumin said that 
he will speak with MFA Undersecretary Khalid Al-Jarallah 
about another extension, but admits that he is frustrated 
with receiving only 3-month extensions.  This time, he plans 
to ask for a longer extension, preferably one that extends 
the HOC's operations to December 2005. 
 
6.  (U) If the HOC closes, Al-Mumin explained, the burden of 
facilitating donations to Iraq would fall on the individual 
ministries.  As an example, he said medical supplies would 
need to be sent through the Ministry of Health and 
educational funds and materials sent through the Ministry of 
Education.  Right now, he said, the HOC takes care of 
coordinating everything with the ministries, the NGOs and the 
governments.  He also added that the United Nations may be 
expected to start handling some of the humanitarian aid, a 
job that he does not feel they are prepared to take on at 
this time.  He was also particularly concerned about 
replicating the HOC's role vis-a-vis Iraqi refugees who find 
themselves in Kuwait. 
 
7.  (U) The Ambassador praised the work that the HOC has 
accomplished over the past two years and told Al-Mumin that 
the HOC should be used as a model for future post-conflict 
humanitarian aid programs. 
 
8.  (U) COMMENT:  The HOC is a useful and integral component 
to Kuwait's assistance program for Iraq.  Closing it now 
would be premature, send the wrong message, and complicate 
the GOK's program of aid to Iraq.  On March 8, Embassy, in 
coordination with US military forces in Kuwait, sent a 
diplomatic note requesting that the GOK continue support for 
the HOC.  The Ambassador also raised this issue with MFA 
Undersecretary Al-Jarallah on March 14.  U/S Al-Jarallah 
indicated that another extension might be considered.  He 
noted, however, that the GOK is also working with the United 
Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) office in Kuwait 
to assume the HOC's responsibilities should the HOC close, as 
scheduled, on March 31, 2005. END COMMENT. 
 
9.  (U) Baghdad minimized considered. 
LEBARON