Cablegate: Kenya to Retain Igad Chair, Plans Summit On

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PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHNR #2040 1341241
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 141241Z MAY 07 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9650
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 9302
RUEHDR/AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM 5272
RUEHDJ/AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI 4696
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2044
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 1173
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 2242
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 2199
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFIUU/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS NAIROBI 002040

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KE SO SU
SUBJECT: KENYA TO RETAIN IGAD CHAIR, PLANS SUMMIT ON
SUDAN'S CPA

1. (SBU) Summary: Kenya will retain the chairmanship of IGAD
at least through August and probably beyond. Kenya's
immediate tasks as IGAD Chair are 1) to convince Eritrea to
return to IGAD, 2) to promote Somali reconciliation and the
success of AMISOM, and 3) to convene an IGAD Head of State
summit on Sudan's Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) before
the end of August, without alienating the Government of
Sudan. End Summary.

2. (SBU) Tom Amolo, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Director
for Political Affairs, spoke to PolCouns about the state of
IGAD diplomacy. Foreign Minister Tuju is consulting with
IGAD Heads of State about next steps, hence his recent trip
to Djibouti and his imminent trip to Uganda. Amolo said that
consensus opinion within IGAD is that now is not the time for
the chairmanship to rotate to Ethiopia. Ethiopia shares this
view.

3. (SBU) Amolo said that before the rotation of the
chairmanship to Ethiopia can occur, Kenya must try to woo
back Eritrea, which suspended its membership following the
Council of Ministers meeting in April due to disagreements
concerning Somalia. Eritrea is very unlikely to return to an
IGAD headed by Ethiopia, Amolo added. He indicated that
Kenya is also considered by IGAD members to be in a better
position than Ethiopia to promote regional diplomacy on
behalf of a favorable outcome in Somalia and the success of
AMISOM.

4. (SBU) Amolo said that yet another reason for retention of
the chairmanship by Kenya is that "delicate negotiations" are
underway for the convening of a Head of State IGAD Summit
sometime before the end of August on the topic of Sudan's
Comprehensive Peace Agreement. "If this issue is not handled
correctly, then Sudan could walk away from IGAD just as
Eritrea did." Amolo pointed out that IGAD is a "guarantor"
of the CPA and hence had a role to play in ensuring its
implementation. "But we cannot do this alone. We need all
those who made the CPA a reality to re-engage with the
parties to insist they live up to their commitments." Amolo
confirmed that the CPA will be the sole focus of the IGAD
Summit.
RANNEBERGER

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