Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
01HARARE3612
2001-12-03 14:02:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Harare
Cable title:  

UNDP TEAM FINDS LITTLE TO APPLAUD IN ABUJA

Tags:  ECON EAGR PGOV ZI 
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031402Z Dec 01


 CONFIDENTIAL PTQ2053

PAGE 01 HARARE 03612 01 OF 02 031909Z 
ACTION AF-00 

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AGRE-00 AID-00 CEA-01 CIAE-00 CTME-00 
 DODE-00 DOEE-00 DOTE-00 WHA-00 PERC-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 
 EAP-00 EB-00 EUR-00 EXIM-01 E-00 FAAE-00 VC-00 
 FRB-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 ITC-01 L-00 
 VCE-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-00 
 PC-01 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 IRM-00 
 SSO-00 STR-00 USIE-00 BBG-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 PRM-00 
 DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 SWCI-00 /012W
 ------------------46650E 031909Z /02 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0455
INFO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
NSC WASHDC
DEPT TREAS WASHDC
USDOC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
AMEMBASSY ABUJA 
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 
AMEMBASSY CANBERRA
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 003612 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/S, AF/EX, HR/OE
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JFRAZER
USDOC FOR 2037 JDIEMOND
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 HARARE 03612 01 OF 02 031909Z
NAIROBI PASS TO ASSISTANT SECRETARY WKANSTEINER
LONDON FOR CGURNEY
PARIS FOR NEARY
PRETORIA FOR AG ATTACHE
PASS USTR - ROSA WHITAKER
TREASURY FOR ED BARBER AND C. WILKINSON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/02/2011
TAGS: ECON EAGR PGOV ZI
SUBJECT: UNDP TEAM FINDS LITTLE TO APPLAUD IN ABUJA
COMPLIANCE REVIEW

REF: HARARE 3518

CLASSIFIED BY JOSEPH G. SULLIVAN FOR REASONS 1.5 B/D

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 003612

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/S, AF/EX, HR/OE
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JFRAZER
USDOC FOR 2037 JDIEMOND
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 HARARE 03612 01 OF 02 031909Z
NAIROBI PASS TO ASSISTANT SECRETARY WKANSTEINER
LONDON FOR CGURNEY
PARIS FOR NEARY
PRETORIA FOR AG ATTACHE
PASS USTR - ROSA WHITAKER
TREASURY FOR ED BARBER AND C. WILKINSON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/02/2011
TAGS: ECON EAGR PGOV ZI
SUBJECT: UNDP TEAM FINDS LITTLE TO APPLAUD IN ABUJA
COMPLIANCE REVIEW

REF: HARARE 3518

CLASSIFIED BY JOSEPH G. SULLIVAN FOR REASONS 1.5 B/D


1. (C) SUMMARY: THE UNDP-LED MISSION TO EVALUATE
COMPLIANCE WITH, AND SUGGEST WAYS FORWARD ON THE ABUJA
ACCORD ON LAND REFORM HAS FOUND MOSTLY FRUSTRATIONS AND
ONLY OCCASIONAL BRIGHT SPOTS DURING THEIR EXTENDED
MISSION IN ZIMBABWE. PATTERNS VARY WIDELY ACROSS THE
COUNTRY, BUT THE DISRUPTION PROVOKED BY LACK OF CLEAR
DIRECTION IS CAUSING WIDESPREAD DIFFICULTIES IN
PLANTINGS FOR BOTH ORIGINAL FARMERS AND FOR NEW
SETTLERS. SOME GOZ MINISTERS HAVE SOUGHT TO BULLY THE
UNDP-LED MISSION INTO ACCEPTING THE CHAOTIC PROCESS, BUT
THE TEAM SEEMS FIXED ON PRESENTING AN HONEST, IF NON-
CONFRONTATIONAL REPORT. THE GOZ IS SUPPOSED TO SEND A
DELEGATION TO NY IN ANOTHER WEEK TO MEET WITH MARK
MALLOCH BROWN AND SEE WHAT FOLLOW-UP CAN BE GIVEN TO
TEAM RECOMMENDATIONS. MOST UNDP-LED TEAM MEMBERS SEE
LITTLE PROSPECT FOR PROGRESS UNTIL AFTER ZIMBABWE'S
ELECTIONS, BUT THEY WISH TO KEEP THE DOOR OPEN FOR
FUTURE ENGAGEMENT BY PRESENTING A SERIES OF
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE STEPS. END SUMMARY


2. (C) DURING A NOVEMBER 29 LUNCHEON WITH THE UNDP-LED
TEAM, KEY GOZ MINISTERS AND SOME POTENTIAL DONORS,
EXCLUDING THE UK, THE AMBASSADOR HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SOUND OUT PROGRESS OF THE PROLONGED MISSION. TEAM
LEADER ABDULLAH JANNE TOLD US THAT THE TEAM HAD FOUND
MANY PROBLEMS AND ONLY A FEW BRIGHT SPOTS. HE SAID THE
TEAM HAD TRAVELLED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND HAD WIDE-
RANGING CONVERSATIONS TO EVALUATE THE STATE OF THE ABUJA
AGREEMENT ON LAND AND PROSPECTS FOR INTERNATIONAL
ENGAGEMENT ON LAND REFORM. JANNE SAID THE TEAM WOULD
DEPART THE MIDDLE OF DEC 2 WEEK AND ISSUE A REPORT OF
OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS WHICH WOULD IDENTIFY
POSITIVE AREAS TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON AND PROBLEMS WHICH
NEEDED TO BE ADDRESSED. A GOZ TEAM LED BY AGRICULTURE

MINISTER MADE WOULD THEN TRAVEL TO NY FOR ENGAGMENT WITH
THE UNDP.


3. (C) OTHER TEAM MEMBERS, INCLUDING WORLD BANK, IMF AND
EU REPRESENTATIVES, TOLD US THAT THE PROGRESS OF
GOVERNMENT LAND REFORM EFFORTS VARIED WIDELY WITH THE
ABSENCE OF CLEAR RULES AND DISRUPTION OF PRODUCTION MOST
PREVALENT. A POSITIVE EXCEPTION WAS MIDLANDS PROVINCE
WHERE THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNOR, SENIOR GOVERNMENT
MINISTERS COMMERCIAL FARMERS AND SETTLERS ALL WORKING
COLLABORATIVELY TO OVERCOME MOST PROBLEMS THAT HAVE
EMERGED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF LAND REDISTRIBUTION.
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 04 HARARE 03612 01 OF 02 031909Z
AS A RESULT, IN MIDLANDS TILLING IS PROCEEDING ON BOTH
COMMERCIAL AND SETTLED FARMS. TEAM MEMBERS GAINED THE
IMPRESSION OF CONSIDERABLE DIFFERENCES WITHIN THE
GOVERNMENT ITSELF. FOR EXAMPLE, THEY WERE TOLD THAT THE
AGRICULTURE MINISTER'S RECENT DECLARATION OF LOW LIMITS
ON MAXIMUM FARM SIZE TO BE ENFORCED BY GOVERNMENT LAND
ACQUISITION WOULD NEVER BE APPROVED BY THE PARLIAMENT.


4. (C) AT THE NOV 29 LUNCHEON, AGRICULTURE MINISTER MADE
WAS HIS USUALLY AGGRESSIVE SELF TOWARD TEAM LEADER JANNE
IN FRONT OF A TABLE OF ABOUT EIGHT OTHER TEAM MEMBERS
AND DONORS. MADE ACCUSED JANNE'S TEAM OF ASKING
INTRUSIVE QUESTIONS IN THEIR FARM VISITS WHICH SHOWED
LACK OF RESPECT FOR THE GOVERNMENT'S REPORT OF THE
STATUS OF THE RESETTLEMENT PROCESS. JANNE, A NATIVE OF
SIERRA LEONE, KEPT HIS COOL, BUT WE UNDERSTAND THAT
UNSYG KOFI ANNAN WAS VERY UPSET WITH GOZ TREATMENT OF
HIS MISSION.


5. (C) THE AMBASSADOR WAS SEATED AT A TABLE WITH
MINISTER OLIVA MUCHENA, WHO WORKS ON LAND ISSUES WITH
VICE PRESIDENT MSIKA. MUCHENA, WHO HAS WORKED CLOSELY
WITH THE COOPERATIVE LAND REFORM INITIATIVE, ZJIRI, SAID
SHE WAS WORKING HARD WITH THE COMMERCIAL FARMERS AND
PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPANTS IN THE ZJIRI INITIATIVE TO

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL PTQ1197

PAGE 01 HARARE 03612 02 OF 02 031454Z
ACTION AF-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AGRE-00 AID-00 CEA-01 CIAE-00 CTME-00
DODE-00 DOEE-00 DOTE-00 WHA-00 PERC-00 SRPP-00 DS-00
EAP-00 EB-00 EUR-00 EXIM-01 E-00 FAAE-00 VC-00
FRB-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 ITC-01 L-00
VCE-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-00
PC-01 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 SSO-00
STR-00 USIE-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 PRM-00 DRL-02 G-00
NFAT-00 SAS-00 SWCI-00 /012W
-------------- 46427F 031454Z /38
P 031402Z DEC 01
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0456
INFO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
NSC WASHDC
DEPT TREAS WASHDC
USDOC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
AMEMBASSY ABUJA
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
AMEMBASSY CANBERRA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 003612

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/S, AF/EX, HR/OE
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JFRAZER
USDOC FOR 2037 JDIEMOND
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 HARARE 03612 02 OF 02 031454Z
NAIROBI PASS TO ASSISTANT SECRETARY WKANSTEINER
LONDON FOR CGURNEY
PARIS FOR NEARY
PRETORIA FOR AG ATTACHE
PASS USTR - ROSA WHITAKER
TREASURY FOR ED BARBER AND C. WILKINSON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/02/2011
TAGS: ECON EAGR PGOV ZI
SUBJECT: UNDP TEAM FINDS LITTLE TO APPLAUD IN ABUJA
COMPLIANCE REVIEW

KEEP IT ALIVE, DESPITE THE COMMERCIAL FARMERS'
DISCONTENT WITH OTHER ASPECTS OF THE LAND REFORM
PROCESS. BUT IN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS FROM HER TABLE
MATES, MUCHENA SEEMED TO PUT MASSIVE LAND DISTRIBUTION
AHEAD OF ALL OTHER GOALS. SHE INCLUDED NORTH KOREA AND
UGANDA AS VALID MODELS FOR ZIMBABWEAN LAND REFORM, SAID
SHE WISHED TO ACHIEVE BOTH MASSIVE LAND REDISTRIBUTION
AND COMMERCIAL PRODUCTIVITY, BUT WAS PREPARED FOR
ZIMBABWE TO MAKE ITS OWN MISTAKES TO ACHIEVE ITS
REDISTRIBUTION OBJECTIVES.


6. (C) COMMENT: THE UNDP HAS AN IMPOSSIBLE MISSION, BUT
ITS REPORT ON THE FINDINGS OF ITS THREE-WEEK MISSION
WILL PROVIDE AN IMPORTANT AND IMPARTIAL REFERENCE POINT
FOR ALL ON THE STATUS AND EFFECTS OF THE GOVERNMENT LAND
REDISTRIBUTION ACTIVITIES AND THE STATUS OF COMPLIANCE
ON ABUJA ACCORD COMMITMENTS. END COMMENT.

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 03 HARARE 03612 02 OF 02 031454Z
SULLIVAN

CONFIDENTIAL

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