UNDP HOLDS FOLLOW-UP MEETING WITH THE DONOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 006423 SIPDIS NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH LONDON FOR CGURNEY PARIS FOR BWILLIAMS NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD - DWELLER, AND AFR/SA - CPALMA, NNEWMAN, A/AID RMCCALL, DAA/AFR VNEWTON PASS USTR - ROSA WHITAKER CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 06423 01 OF 02 171216Z E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/17/10 TAGS: PGOV EAGR ZI SUBJECT: UNDP HOLDS FOLLOW-UP MEETING WITH THE DONOR COMMUNITY ON THE LAND REFORM PROCESS IN ZIMBABWE. CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR TOM MCDONALD FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: THE UN RESIDENT COORDINATOR IN HARARE, VICTOR ANGELO, HOSTED A FOLLOW-UP MEETING OF THE LOCAL DONOR COMMUNITY ON NOVEMBER 9. THE PURPOSE WAS TO ALLOW THE DONOR COMMUNITY TO RESPOND TO THE DRAFT UNDP MISSION REPORT ON THE LAND REFORM PROCESS IN ZIMBABWE, AS WELL AS TO DISCUSS HOW THE UNDP AND DONOR COMMUNITY COULD MOVE THE DIALOGUE WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE (GOZ) AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS ON THE LAND REFORM PROCESS IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION WITHOUT REWARDING LAWLESSNESS. THE RESIDENT COORDINATOR ACKNOWLEDGED THAT MUCH OF THE CRITICISM OF THE MISSION REPORT REGARDING HISTORICAL INACCURACY AND A BIAS AGAINST THE ROLE OF THE DONOR COMMUNITY IN THE LAND REFORM PROCESS IN ZIMBABWE WAS AN ACCURATE CRITIQUE OF THE REPORT. A MAJORITY OF THE DONOR REPRESENTATIVES AGAIN EMPHASIZED THAT THEIR GOVERNMENTS WILL NOT SUPPORT THE LAND REFORM PROCESS IN ZIMBABWE UNTIL THE GOZ RESPECTS THE RULE OF LAW AND ENDS THE ILLEGAL OCCUPATION OF COMMERCIAL FARMS. THE DANISH AMBASSADOR TOLD THE GROUP THAT THE DANISH MINISTER FOR DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION HAD MADE CLEAR TO PRESIDENT MUGABE THAT THERE WAS NO DONOR CONSPIRACY AGAINST THE GOZ, BUT THAT A RETURN TO THE RULE OF LAW AND A TRANSPARENT LAND REFORM PROCESS WERE PREREQUISITES FOR CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 06423 01 OF 02 171216Z DANISH ASSISTANCE TO THE GOZ. AMBASSADOR MCDONALD PROPOSED THAT A POSSIBLE WAY TO MOVE FORWARD ON LAND REFORM WOULD BE FOR THE DONOR COMMUNITY TO SEND AN INFORMAL DELEGATION TO VISIT THE PROVINCE OF MIDLANDS WHERE THE GOVERNOR AND COMMERCIAL FARMERS ARE OPEN TO DIALOGUE AND LOCAL SOLUTIONS THAT MIGHT MORE CLOSELY FOLLOW THE 1998 DONORS' CONFERENCE GUIDELINES ARE BEING CONSIDERED. WHILE SOME RESERVATIONS WERE EXPRESSED, THE DONORS AS A WHOLE AGREED THAT THIS WAS A WORTHY INITIATIVE TO FOLLOW. END SUMMARY. -------------- UNDP HOSTS DONOR COMMUNITY MEETING �00A; -------------- ¶2. (C) THE UN RESIDENT COORDINATOR VICTOR ANGELO HOSTED A DONOR COMMUNITY MEETING ON NOVEMBER 9 FOR THE AMBASSADORS OF 22 DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS, THE DIRECTOR OF USAID, THE COUNSELOR OF THE UNITED KINGDOM'S DEPARTMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (DFID),THE EUROPEAN UNION REPRESENTED BY THEIR LEAD TECHNICAL OFFICER, AND THE WORLD BANK DEPUTY RESREP. THE PURPOSE OF THE MEETING WAS FOR RESREP ANGELO TO RECEIVE DONORS' REACTIONS TO THE DRAFT UNDP MISSION REPORT ON THE LAND REFORM PROCESS IN ZIMBABWE, AS WELL AS TO DISCUSS HOW THE UNDP AND DONOR COMMUNITY COULD MOVE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE GOZ OVER THE LAND REFORM PROCESS IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION. THE RESIDENT COORDINATOR ALSO INFORMED THE DONORS THAT HE HAD MET WITH HIGH LEVEL OFFICIALS OF THE GOZ REGARDING THE UNDP DRAFT REPORT AND HE HAD EMPHASIZED TO THEM THAT FOR THE UNDP TO SUPPORT THE GOZ LAND REFORM PROGRAM, IT CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 HARARE 06423 01 OF 02 171216Z WOULD HAVE TO BE MADE LEGAL, CREDIBLE, AND IMPLEMENTABLE. WHEN ASKED BY THE ASSEMBLED DONORS WHAT HE MEANT BY THESE WORDS, THE RESIDENT COORDINATOR ANSWERED THAT "LEGAL" MEANT LEGAL, "CREDIBLE" MEANT THAT IT HAS TO BE BASED ON A WIDE NATIONAL CONSENSUS, AND "IMPLEMENTABLE" MEANT THAT WHAT IS OCCURRING NOW IS NOT IMPLEMENTABLE. -------------- DONOR CRITICISM OF THE UNDP DRAFT REPORT -------------- ¶3. (C) A NUMBER OF ATTENDEES SPOKE STRONGLY ABOUT THE HISTORICAL INACCURACY OF THE DRAFT REPORT REGARDING THE ROLE OF THE DONOR COMMUNITY ON LAND REFORM IN ZIMBABWE, AS WELL AS THE APPARENT BIAS IN THE REPORT AGAINST THE DONOR COMMUNITY AS A POSITIVE FORCE IN THE LAND REFORM PROCESS IN ZIMBABWE. THE COUNSELOR FOR DFID STRESSED THAT THE REPORT MADE NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF ALL THE SUPPORT THE UNITED KINGDOM HAS PROVIDED TO LAND REFORM AND RESETTLEMENT SINCE ZIMBABWE'S INDEPENDENCE. THE WORLD BANK DEPUTY RESREP SAID WHAT WAS VERY DISTURBING ABOUT THE REPORT WAS THAT IT LACKED THE PERSPECTIVE OF STAKEHOLDERS, AND THAT IT PORTRAYED THE GOZ AND THE DONOR COMMUNITY AS BEING IN OPPOSITION TO ONE ANOTHER CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PTQ8610 PAGE 01 HARARE 06423 02 OF 02 171223Z ACTION AF-00 INFO LOG-00 AID-00 CIAE-00 COME-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 EB-00 EUR-00 VC-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 L-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OMB-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 SS-00 TRSE-00 T-00 USIE-00 PMB-00 DRL-02 G-00 SAS-00 /005W -------------- A04EF3 171223Z /22 R 171029Z NOV 00 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO SECSTATE WASHDC 7637 INFO NSC WASHDC SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY PARIS AMEMBASSY NAIROBI C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 006423 SIPDIS NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH LONDON FOR CGURNEY PARIS FOR BWILLIAMS NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD - DWELLER, AND AFR/SA - CPALMA, NNEWMAN, A/AID RMCCALL, DAA/AFR VNEWTON PASS USTR - ROSA WHITAKER CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 06423 02 OF 02 171223Z E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/17/10 TAGS: PGOV EAGR ZI SUBJECT: UNDP HOLDS FOLLOW-UP MEETING WITH THE DONOR COMMUNITY ON THE LAND REFORM PROCESS IN ZIMBABWE. OVER LAND REFORM. THE RESIDENT COORDINATOR ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE CRITICISM THE UNDP HAD RECEIVED REGARDING THE DRAFT REPORT WAS LARGELY VALID AND THAT CHANGES WOULD BE MADE TO THE REPORT. -------------- -------------- DONOR PREREQUISITES FOR MOVING FORWARD ON LAND REFORM -------------- -------------- ¶4. (C) RESIDENT COORDINATOR ANGELO QUERIED THE ASSEMBLED GATHERING IF ANYONE HAD CONSTRUCTIVE IDEAS ON HOW TO MOVE THE DISCUSSION ON LAND REFORM WITH THE GOZ IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION. A NUMBER OF AMBASSADORS AND HIGH COMMISSIONERS SPOKE ON THE REQUIREMENT THAT THE GOZ RETURN TO THE RULE OF LAW AND A TRANSPARENT AND EQUITABLE LAND REFORM PROCESS THAT ADHERES TO THE TENETS OF THE 1998 DONORS' CONFERENCE AGREEMENT. THE GERMAN AMBASSADOR AND THE AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER BOTH SPOKE FORCEFULLY ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE PREREQUISITES, BEFORE THEIR RESPECTIVE GOVERNMENTS COULD AGAIN PROVIDE SUPPORT TO THE LAND REFORM PROCESS IN ZIMBABWE. ¶5. (C) THE DANISH AMBASSADOR TOLD THE GROUP THAT AT THE NOVEMBER 7 MEETING BETWEEN THE DANISH MINISTER FOR DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION, JAN TROJBORG, AND PRESIDENT CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 06423 02 OF 02 171223Z MUGABE, THE MINISTER HAD TRIED TO MAKE CLEAR TO THE PRESIDENT THAT THERE WAS NO DONOR CONSPIRACY AGAINST THE GOZ AND LAND REFORM IN ZIMBABWE, AND THE DANISH GOVERNMENT WAS WILLING TO ASSIST ZIMBABWE ON LAND REFORM. HOWEVER, HE ALSO STRESSED THAT THE RETURN TO THE RULE OF LAW ON OCCUPIED FARMS AND A TRANSPARENT LAND REFORM PROCESS BASED ON THE 1998 DONORS' CONFERENCE WERE PREREQUISITES FOR DANISH ASSISTANCE. -------------- AMBASSADOR MCDONALD PROPOSES A WAY FORWARD -------------- ¶6. (C) AMBASSADOR MCDONALD THEN PROPOSED THAT A WAY TO BREAK THE CURRENT IMPASSE AND MOVE THE DISCUSSIONS ON LAND REFORM FORWARD WOULD BE TO VISIT SITES IN MIDLANDS PROVINCE WHERE THE AMBASSADOR IN AN EARLIER TRIP AND USAID OFFICIALS IN JUST THE LAST FEW WEEKS HAD VISITED WITH GOVERNOR CEPHAS MSIPA AND COMMERCIAL FARMERS WHO HAD BEEN WORKING TOGETHER CONSTRUCTIVELY ON LAND REFORM IDEAS. THE GENERAL ASSESSMENT OF THE USAID OFFICIALS WHO VISITED THIS PROVINCE IS THAT THERE IS A REASONABLE SET OF ACTORS OF GOODWILL, INCLUDING THE GOVERNOR, WHO MIGHT DEVELOP THEIR OWN COMMUNITY INITIATIVES. THE AMBASSADOR SUGGESTED THAT AN INFORMAL DELEGATION FROM DONOR EMBASSIES AND THE UNDP VISIT THESE SITES IN MIDLANDS AND SEE FIRSTHAND WHETHER THERE ARE COMPLEMENTARY NON-GOVERNMENTAL APPROACHES TO LAND REFORM IN THIS PROVINCE THAT THE DONOR COMMUNITY COULD CONSIDER SUPPORTING. THE AMBASSADOR MADE CLEAR THAT THIS WOULD BE A LOOK SEE MISSION WITH NO COMMITMENTS BEING MADE AND CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 HARARE 06423 02 OF 02 171223Z THAT THE UNDERTAKING WOULD BE UNDP LED. WHILE THERE WERE SOME RESERVATIONS RAISED BY MEMBERS OF THE ASSEMBLED DONOR COMMUNITY CONCERNING THE GOZ'S WILLINGNESS TO ALLOW SUCH APPROACHES, A CONSENSUS WAS REACHED TO SEND A SMALL DELEGATION TO MIDLANDS PROVINCE AND REPORT BACK TO THE UNDP AND THE DONOR COMMUNITY AT A FUTURE MEETING. ¶7. (C) COMMENT: IT WAS CLEAR FROM THIS MEETING THAT THERE REMAINS A GREAT DEAL OF SKEPTICISM AND CONCERN WITHIN THE DONOR COMMUNITY REGARDING THE FINAL VERSION OF THE UNDP MISSION REPORT ON THE LAND REFORM PROCESS IN ZIMBABWE. THERE ALSO REMAINS A STRONG CONSENSUS AMONG THE DONORS, THAT UNTIL THE GOZ UPHOLDS THE RULE OF LAW AND SHOWS READINESS TO RETURN TO THE PRINCIPLES OF THE 1998 DONOR CONFERENCE, THERE IS LITTLE OR NO ROOM TO MANEUVER ON THIS ISSUE. JUDGING BY THE DONOR REPRESENTATIVES RESPONSES, WE ARE ENCOURAGED THAT AMBASSADOR MCDONALD'S PROPOSAL MAY OFFER A WAY FOR THE UNDP TO TAKE THE LEAD ON FINDING A MECHANISM FOR REENGAGING PRESIDENT MUGABE AND THE GOZ ON THE LAND REFORM ISSUE. END COMMENT. MCDONALD CONFIDENTIAL >