Cablegate: Ambassador Delivers Administrator Fore's Ogaden

VZCZCXRO3849
OO RUEHDE RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHDS #3454 3390651
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 050651Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8745
INFO RUCNSOM/SOMALIA COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA IMMEDIATE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS ADDIS ABABA 003454

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

USAID FOR ADMINISTRATOR FORE AND SPECIAL ASSISTANT BARBARA
FEINSTEIN
STATE DEPARTMENT FOR AF A/S FRAZER, DAS JSWAN, AF/E,
AF/PDPA, OES,
AND PRM/AFR
AFR/AA KALMQUIST, WWARREN, JBORNS, KNELSON, CTHOMPSON
DCHA/AA MHESS, GGOTTLIEB
DCHA/OFDA KLUU, ACONVERY, CCHAN, PMORRIS, KCHANNELL
DCHA/FFP JDWORKEN, PMOHAN, SANTHONY, PBERTOLIN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM EAID PREL ET
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR DELIVERS ADMINISTRATOR FORE'S OGADEN
LETTER TO PRIME MINISTER

REF: A. ADDIS 3386

B. ADDIS 3407

1. (SBU) Ambassador Yamamoto delivered Director of U.S.
Foreign Assistance and USAID Administrator Henrietta Fore's
letter about Ethiopia's Ogaden region to Prime Minister Meles
on December 4. The letter and Ambassador's comments laid out
key findings from Administrator Fore's November 25 visit to
Gode and subsequent meetings -- emphasizing the Ethiopian
Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Agency's (DPPA) own call
for additional food, medicines, trucks, and funding resources
-- and highlighted the United States' willingness to provide
additional resources to meet the humanitarian needs of the
people in conflict affected areas. The Ambassador also
stressed Administrator Fore's offer, in light on on-going
questions about conditions on the ground in the Ogaden, to
send a U.S. assessment team to the region.

2. (SBU) Noting Administrator Fore's findings from her visit,
Prime Minister Meles said that he would check with his people
about these issues and respond if appropriate. Meles was
non-committal on the offered assessment team, noting that
DPPA and the World Food Program are expected to embark on an
assessment mission on December 17. (Note: While the DPPA/WFP
assessment would focus on food needs and logistical
distribution modalities, the proposed U.S. assessment would
focus more broadly on nutritional, health, and other needs as
well). Meles urged the Ambassador to work with DPPA on the
assessment team offer. Ambassador and USAID Mission Director
will follow-up with DPPA on this proposal.
YAMAMOTO

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