Cablegate: Africom Humanitarian Affairs Conference,

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RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
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ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 250549Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9449
INFO RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 1661
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 0185
RUEHJB/AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA 3208
RUEHLGB/AMEMBASSY KIGALI 1685
RHMFIUU/CJTF HOA
RHMFISS/CDR USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHLMC/MCC WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DAR ES SALAAM 000184

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DEPT FOR AF/E JTREADWELL
STATE PASS AID AFR/SD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID MARR MCAP TZ
SUBJECT: AFRICOM HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS CONFERENCE,
ARUSHA, TANZANIA, 2-5 FEB 2010

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Background
----------

1. The United States Africa Command Humanitarian Assistance Branch
conducted a Humanitarian Assistance (HA) conference in Arusha,
Tanzania, from 02-05 February 2010. The conference brought together
Department of Defense security assistance officers, their locally
employed staff, DoD civilians providing HA, U.S. Africa Command HA
managers, and various subject experts, along with State Department
and USAID officers engaged in HA (including USAID Mission
Director/Senegal, who addressed the gathering on the first day). The
conference provided an overview of the direction of humanitarian
assistance under U.S. Africa Command and processes for execution of
that assistance. The conference's goal was twofold: to improve the
knowledge of DoD action officers regarding HA processes and to
synergize DoD HA efforts with DoS and USAID HA programs on the
continent by incorporating a 'whole of government' approach.

2. Dr. Diana Putman, the U.S. Africa Command Humanitarian Assistance
Branch Chief (and a USAID career employee), launched the conference
with a quick overview of the goals for the week, which included
laying out the roles of various agencies from across the U.S.
government, developing partnerships, synergizing new and existing
programs, and capturing lessons learned. In her introduction of the
keynote speaker, Ambassador J. Anthony Holmes, the U.S. Africa
Command Deputy for Civil Military Affairs, she commented on how the
interagency process for HA is still relatively new and requires
effort to implement. Communication is a key facet of interagency
process because while the 'whole of government' is not easy to begin
with, the various agencies (DoD, DoS, and USAID) look at the world
differently. Dr. Putman concluded by expressing hope the conference
would 'build bonds' and understanding between the agencies and
participants in order to advance the President's foreign policy
goals.

Keynote Speaker: Ambassador J. Anthony Holmes
--------------------------------------------- -

3. AFRICOMQs Deputy for Civilian-Military Activities, Ambassador
Holmes, opened the conference by laying out in detail the Obama
AdministrationQs vision of AFRICOMQs 'whole of government' approach
to its engagement in Africa, of which humanitarian activities are an
important part. He described how the underfunding of diplomacy and
development since the end of the Cold War, and the uneven
allocations of foreign assistance across both geographic and
functional areas, had created imbalances that need to be carefully
managed. The key to managing AFRICOMQs mil-mil and civ-mil
engagement, he stressed, was the active involvement of the entire
U.S. country team to ensure that our military assistance dovetails
properly with the other components of our bilateral and regional
programs. AFRICOM understands the long-term nature of the
challenges Africa faces, Amb. Holmes emphasized, and it wants to
work closely with country teams to achieve the best match between
its strengths and expertise and the priorities of each U.S.
ambassador on the continent.

4. To accomplish its mission of sustained engagement to enhance the
United StatesQ broad security interests in Africa, through a robust
contribution to professionalizing African militaries and ensuring
their proper role in democratic societies, AFRICOM needs the buy-in
from country teams and constructive input from all civilian agencies
at posts. In the humanitarian affairs area, it is trying to develop
institutionalized mechanized for evaluation and follow-up beyond
short-term perspective that has prevailed in the past. To gain the
maximum impact, it is important that country teams meet regularly to
identify gaps in funding and to determine how to best integrate U.S.
defense capacity with our diplomacy and development.

Haiti and HA Funding in Africa
------------------------------

5. A topic of discussion during the HA Conference was the status of
HA funding in light of assistance being provided to Haiti. In the
aftermath of Haiti's tragedy, DSCA requested the return of
unobligated FY 09/10 funds and all FY10/11 funds. The return of
funding placed some projects within Africa on hold. U.S. Africa
Command HA branch has compiled a prioritized list of HA projects
based on feedback from the country teams and various AFRICOM offices
within the Strategy, Plans, and Programs Division. As funding is
returned, HA Branch will fund projects based on priority. The key
issue is when funding will be returned and at what level. (Comment:

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The return of FY10/11 funds affected a school
refurbishment/construction project in Tanzania. However, that
project is in U.S. Africa Command's top 10 list and is expected to
be restored soon.)

Rest of the Week
----------------

6. For the rest of the week, the conference covered the mechanisms
and processes required to synergize and execute HA activities.
Briefers included the USAID Mission Director from Senegal, the
Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), the U.S. Africa Command
HA coordinators, and legal, medical, and engineering reviews.
Specific topics included Humanitarian and Civic Assistance (HCA),
HA-Other (HAO), HA-Excess Property (HA-EP), Disaster Planning and
Preparedness Program (DP3), Pandemic Response Program (PRP), and
Partner Military HIV/AIDS Prevention Program (PMHAP).

ANDRE

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