Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
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00HARARE5514 | 2000-09-28 14:53:00 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Harare |
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. CONFIDENTIAL PTQ7402 PAGE 01 HARARE 05514 01 OF 02 281451Z ACTION IO-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 AGRE-00 AID-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 SMEC-00 DINT-00 DODE-00 DOTE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EB-00 EUR-00 FAAE-00 FBIE-00 VC-00 HHS-01 H-01 SSA-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 OES-01 OIC-02 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 SSO-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 R-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 PRM-01 DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 SWCI-00 /012W ------------------8AFA84 281454Z /38 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7227 INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY USDOC WASHDC |
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 005514 |
1. (SBU) UNDP RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE AND UN RESIDENT COORDINATOR IN ZIMBABWE VICTOR ANGELO BRIEFED DONORS ON SEPTEMBER 28 ON THE TERMS OF REFERENCE OF A FIVE-PERSON MISSION SENT TO LOOK FOR POSSIBLE AREAS OF ENGAGEMENT ON ZIMBABWE'S LAND REFORM PROGRAM. THIS MISSION IS A FOLLOW-UP TO THE RECENT "MINI-LAND SUMMIT" AT UNGA IN NEW YORK, WHERE IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT THE UN MIGHT PLAY A "FOCAL ROLE" IN ASSISTING TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE (REF B). PRINCIPALLY THE TEAM WILL DETERMINE WHETHER A SOUND TECHNICAL PROCESS CAN BE ESTABLISHED GUIDED BY AND CONSISTENT WITH THE PRINCIPLES AGREED AT THE 1998 LAND DONORS' CONFERENCE. THE IMPRESSIVELY QUALIFIED TEAM, WHICH ARRIVED ON SEPTEMBER 26 AND WILL DEPART ON OCTOBER 13, CONSISTS OF DR. JACQUES CHONCHOL (CHILE), AN EXPERT ON LAND REFORM; PLINIO SAMPAIO (BRAZIL) AN EXPERT IN ANALYSIS AND APPRAISAL OF LAND REFORM AND AGRICULTURE; PROFESSOR H.W.O. OKOTH-OGENDO (KENYA) AN EXPERT IN LAND LAW AND LEGISLATION; KENNETH ALLISON (JAMAICA), AN CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 05514 01 OF 02 281451Z EXPERT IN PROPERTY EVALUATION; AND JEAN BARUT, (BURUNDI) A SENIOR UNDP ECONOMIST. THE UNDP RESIDENT COORDINATOR INVITED THE HEAVILY ATTENDED MEETING PARTICIPANTS TO RETURN OCTOBER 12 FOR AN OUT-BRIEFING BY THE TEAM ON ITS FINDINGS. 2. (SBU) THE UNDP RESREP REPORTED THAT THE TEAM'S FIRST MEETING HAD BEEN WITH NEWLY INSTALLED MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PERMANENT SECRETARY WILLARD CHIWEWE, WHO WILL BE THE TEAM'S GOVERNMENT POINT OF CONTACT, AND WILL CHAIR ALL MEETINGS ON THE GOVERNMENT SIDE. WHILE CALLING THE MISSION'S VISIT "A NEW BEGINNING," CHIWEWE IMMEDIATELY LAID DOWN A MARKER: THE GOVERNMENT'S "FAST TRACK" APPROACH TO LAND REFORM WAS "NON-NEGOTIABLE" AND COULD NOT BE CHALLENGED. ANGELO SUGGESTED THAT TO OVERCOME THE ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT'S INITIAL HARD-LINE POSITION THE TEAM WOULD PROBABLY PROPOSE THREE SCENARIOS, STARTING WITH A SHORT-TERM ONE (LEAST FEASIBLE) AND PROCEEDING TO A LONG-TERM (MOST FEASIBLE) ONE. THE SENIOR ZIMBABWEAN DIPLOMAT HOPED THE MISSION WOULD BREAK NEW GROUND IN FINDING A WAY OF RELAUNCHING THE DIALOGUE ON LAND. ANGELO CONTINUED THAT THE UNITED NATIONS WOULD DEPLOY A "MIRROR MISSION" TO LOOK INTO THE RULE OF LAW, WHICH HE SAID WAS A SINE QUA NON FOR A TECHNICALLY SOUND LAND REFORM PROCESS. THE UNDP RESREP TOOK PAINS TO ASSURE HIS DONOR LISTENERS THAT THE TEAM WOULD CONSULT AS BROADLY AS POSSIBLY WITH ALL STAKEHOLDERS. A SUBTEXT OF ITS ENGAGEMENT WITH THE GOVERNMENT WAS THE NEED TO REACH DOMESTIC CONSENSUS ON A MUTUALLY ACCEPTABLE PLAN OF ACTION, AND THUS IT WOULD AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY REMIND ITS GOVERNMENT INTERLOCUTORS TO CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 HARARE 05514 01 OF 02 281451Z ENTER INTO DIALOGUE WITH CIVIL SOCIETY. BY OCTOBER 12 THE TEAM HOPED TO PRESENT ITS ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT OF THE FAST TRACK PLAN. AMONG THOSE ASPECTS IT WILL INVESTIGATE IS WHETHER THE PROGRAM IS SUSTAINABLE, WHAT IS ITS IMPACT ON CONSIDERATIONS OF SOCIAL JUSTICE, EQUITY, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THE COUNTRY'S NATURAL RESOURCE BASE. THE TEAM WILL ALSO LOOK AT THE IMPACT OF THE FAST TRACK PROCESS ON THE SUB-REGION. 3. (C) ALTHOUGH ANGELO'S PRESENTATION GENERATED LITTLE DEBATE OR QUESTIONING OF THE MISSION'S PURPOSE, VARIOUS DONORS INTERVENED WITH OBSERVATIONS OF WHICH THE UNDP RESREP TOOK NOTE. THE SWEDISH AMBASSADOR SUGGESTED THAT IN TERMS OF DONOR ASSISTANCE TO ZIMBABWE'S LAND REFORM PROGRAM IT WAS NOT NECESSARY TO REINVENT THE WHEEL. THE 1998 DONORS' CONFERENCE HAD PRODUCED MUCH LITERATURE AND WILLARD CHIWEWE HAD BEEN CHAIRMAN OF A KEY WORKING GROUP AT THE CONFERENCE HAMMERING OUT GOVERNMENT DONOR AGREEMENTS. THE AMBASSADOR STRESSED THAT UNLESS RULE OF LAW WAS ESTABLISHED ON THE FARMS THERE WAS NO POINT IN GOING AHEAD WITH LAND REFORM ASSISTANCE, AND URGED THE UN/UNDP MISSION TO TAKE ZIMBABWE'S CURRENT ECONOMIC SITUATION INTO ACCOUNT AS IT FORMULATED ITS RECOMMENDATIONS. A EUROPEAN UNION (EU) REPRESENTATIVE STRESSED THE NEED FOR DOMESTIC DIALOGUE AND NOTED THAT FEW DONORS UNDERSTOOD WHAT THE GOVERNMENT'S FAST TRACK CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PTQ7403 PAGE 01 HARARE 05514 02 OF 02 281451Z ACTION IO-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 AGRE-00 AID-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 SMEC-00 DINT-00 DODE-00 DOTE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EB-00 EUR-00 FAAE-00 FBIE-00 VC-00 HHS-01 H-01 SSA-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 OES-01 OIC-02 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 IRM-00 SSO-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 R-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 PRM-01 DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /012W -------------------------- 8AFA87 281455Z /38 O 281453Z SEP 00 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7228 INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY USDOC WASHDC C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 005514 SIPDIS NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD - DWELLER, AFR/SA - CPALMA, NNEWMAN, AA/AFR - VNEWTON, AND A/AID RMCCALL PASS USTR FOR ROSA WHITAKER LONDON FOR GURNEY CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 05514 02 OF 02 281451Z PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/28/2010 TAGS: EAGR PGOV PINS PINR ZI SUBJECT: UNDP RESREP BRIEFS DONORS ON UN/UNDP MISSION TO REVIEW ZIMBABWE'S LAND REFORM PROGRAM PROGRAM ENTAILED. HE CAUTIONED THE MISSION MEMBERS THAT INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE LAND REFORM AND RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM WAS NOT CLEAR AND DIVIDED AMONG SEVERAL CENTERS, BUT PRESIDENT MUGABE ALWAYS HAD THE LAST WORD. ANOTHER EU REPRESENTATIVE ADVISED THE MISSION NOT TO REPORT IT HAD REACHED EVEN PARTIAL CONSENSUS WHEN NONE IN FACT EXISTED, AS HAD BEEN THE EXPERIENCE OF SEVERAL MISSIONS THAT HAD COME TO ZIMBABWE WITH SIMILAR MANDATES. THE AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER RECEIVED ASSURANCES FROM THE TEAM THAT THE MISSION WOULD COORDINATE ITS WORK WITH THE WORLD BANK, WHICH IS STARTING WORK ON A MODELING ACTIVITY DESIGNED TO ASSESS THE VARIOUS SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF DIFFERENT ZIMBABWE LAND REFORM SCENARIOS. A JAPANESE AID OFFICER URGED THE TEAM TO INCLUDE IN ITS REPORT SOME MENTION OF THE IMPACT ON THE SOME 2 MILLION FARM WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES WHO STAND TO BE DISPLACED BY THE FAST TRACK PROGRAM. THE JAPANESE DIPLOMAT ALSO ASKED THE MISSION TO LOOK CLOSELY AT THE CRITERIA FOR BENEFICIARIES OF LAND REFORM, AND FOR AN ASSESSMENT OF THE FAST TRACK PROGRAM TO DATE. THE NEW ZEALAND HIGH COMMISSIONER CALLED FOR A PROGRAM THAT WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL NO MATTER WHAT THE POLITICAL CIRCUMSTANCES, AND NOTED THAT CARE SHOULD BE CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 05514 02 OF 02 281451Z TAKEN TO ASSIGN LAND TO THOSE WHO WERE CAPABLE OF FARMING IT, WHO WERE FEW. RESPONDING TO A DUTCH DIPLOMAT'S QUESTION OF WHAT WOULD BE THE NEXT STEP FOLLOWING SUBMISSION OF THE TEAM'S REPORT, VICTOR ANGELO REPLIED THAT THE UN SECRETARY GENERAL WOULD HAVE TO DECIDE, BUT THAT BEYOND THAT, NOT MUCH THOUGHT HAD BEEN GIVEN TO THE MATTER. FINALLY, A SWEDISH AID OFFICIAL COMMENTED THAT THE TEAM LIKELY WOULD FIND MANY BRIDGES ON TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAM THAT WOULD BE SHARED BY VERY SENIOR OFFICIALS, INCLUDING MINISTERS. HE ADVISED THE TEAM TO STAY IN CLOSE CONSULTATION WITH CHIWEWE, ARGUABLY MUGABE'S MOST TRUSTED CIVIL SERVANT, TO DETERMINE THE POLITICAL FEASIBILITY OF THOSE TECHNICAL PROPOSALS. 4. (C) COMMENT: OUR COLLEAGUES WERE FOR THE MOST PART THE VERY MODEL OF OLD-FASHIONED DIPLOMATS FACED WITH A PROPOSITION ABOUT WHICH THEY WERE LESS THAN ENTHUSIASTIC: OBLIQUE, POLITE, AND NON-COMMITTAL. THOSE WHO SPOKE CLEARLY, HOWEVER, MADE IT PLAIN THAT RULE OF LAW IS THE ISSUE FOR THE DONOR COMMUNITY, AND IF FAST TRACK IS THE ISSUE FOR THE GOVERNMENT, THEN POTENTIALLY SERIOUS PROBLEMS LIE AHEAD. FOR OUR PART, WHILE WE ARE IMPRESSED WITH THE ASSEMBLED TEAM, WE QUESTION HOW WE CAN GET SOMETHING USEFUL OUT OF SUCH A SHORT TDY, PARTICULARLY IN ZIMBABWE'S POLARIZED POLITICAL CLIMATE. RESREP ANGELO, FOR HIS PART, HAS WALKED INTO A TIGHT SPOT. IF HE IS SEEN AS TOO ACCOMMODATING OF THE GOVERNMENT, HE RISKS A CONTENTIOUS TENURE HERE. END COMMENT. CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 HARARE 05514 02 OF 02 281451Z MCDONALD CONFIDENTIAL > |