POSITIVE ANSWER TO MALLOCH BROWN LETTER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000488 SIPDIS NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR LONDON FOR GURNEY NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SA C. PALMA PASS USTR FOR AFRICA DESK E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/24/2011 TAGS: PREL EAGR EAID EAGR EAID ZI SUBJECT: POSITIVE ANSWER TO MALLOCH BROWN LETTER CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 00488 01 OF 02 241249Z EXPECTED REF: 00 HARARE 6981 CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: THE UNDP RESREP IN HARARE INFORMED HEADS OF MISSION AND AID DIRECTORS JANUARY 23 THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE (GOZ) HAS NOT YET RESPONDED TO THE UNDP ADMINISTRATOR'S LETTER TO PRESIDENT MUGABE ON BREAKING THE LAND REFORM IMPASSE, BUT EXPECTS A RESPONSE SOON. THE RESREP BELIEVES THAT GOZ TECHNOCRATS ARE DEVISING A POSITIVE RESPONSE TO THE LETTER, AND THAT THE GOZ LEADERSHIP IS CONSIDERING ALTERNATIVE LAND PROGRAMS. THE COMMERCIAL FARMERS UNION (CFU) IS PULLING TOGETHER A NEW TEAM TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE GOZ ON WAYS TO HAND OVER FIVE MILLION HECTARES OF LAND FOR RESETTLEMENT IN AN ORDERLY WAY. THE RESREP'S SUNNY APPRAISAL OF THE LAND REFORM SITUATION DID NOT SIT WELL WITH MOST OF THE DONORS, AND CALLS INTO QUESTION THE UNDP'S UNDERSTANDING OF THE LAND SITUATION HERE. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) THE UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (UNDP) RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE IN HARARE, VICTOR ANGELO, CONVENED A MEETING OF HEADS OF MISSION AND AID DIRECTORS JANUARY 23 TO INFORM THEM THAT THE ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT HAD NOT YET RESPONDED TO THE LETTER UNDP ADMINISTRATOR MARK MALLOCH-BROWN SENT TO PRESIDENT MUGABE ON DECEMBER 15 (REFTEL). ANGELO ADDED THAT HE EXPECTED AN ANSWER CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 00488 01 OF 02 241249Z SOON, PERHAPS BY THE END OF THE WEEK OF JANUARY 29, AS HE HAD TOLD SEVERAL SENIOR GOVERNMENT INTERLOCUTORS THAT IT WAS URGENTLY NEEDED IN ORDER FOR DONORS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT WANTED NEXT AND WHAT KIND OF ENGAGEMENT IT WOULD LIKE. BASED ON HIS SOUNDINGS OF THE "TECHNICAL PEOPLE," THE UNDP RESREP EXPECTED A "POSITIVE RESPONSE," AS THE TECHNOCRATS WISH THE DONORS TO PERCEIVE THE ANSWER AS A SIGNAL THAT THE ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT WANTS TO RE-ENGAGE. HE CONTINUED THAT HE HAD PROMPTED THESE INTERLOCUTORS TO INCLUDE IN THE RESPONSE A COUPLE OF PARAGRAPHS DEALING WITH GENERAL ISSUES (E.G., THE RULE OF LAW). HE TOLD THEM THAT THEY SHOULD PICK A COUPLE OF PROPOSALS FROM THE MALLOCH-BROWN LETTER THAT ARE EASILY IMPLEMENTED AS A START AND INCLUDE LANGUAGE THAT PROMOTES INTERNAL DIALOGUE, A CREDIBLE INFORMATION SYSTEM, A TECHNICAL SUPPORT UNIT WITHIN UNDP, AND SIGNALS CLEAR SUPPORT FOR BOTH COMPLEMENTARY APPROACHES AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR INITIATIVE. ¶3. (SBU) ANGELO CHARACTERIZED "COMPLEMENTARY APPROACHES" (TO LAND RESETTLEMENT) AS "LOCAL-LEVEL INITIATIVES" DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED IN A HIGHLY PARTICIPATORY MANNER BY CONCERNED DISTRICT/VILLAGE STAKEHOLDERS. (NOTE: COMPLEMENTARY APPROACHES HAVE BEEN PROPOSED AND SUPPORTED BY DONORS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS SINCE THE 1998 DONORS' LAND CONFERENCE AS ALTERNATIVE RESETTLEMENT MODELS TO GOVERNMENT'S MORE RIGID, CENTRALLY-ADMINISTERED APPROACHES TO THIS ISSUE. THEY HAVE MET WITH ONLY MIXED RESULTS TO DATE. THEY ARE SEEN BY SOME KEY PLAYERS AS A POSSIBLE MECHANISM FOR BREAKING THE CURRENT IMPASSE THROUGH A LIMITED RE-ENGAGEMENT BY CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 HARARE 00488 01 OF 02 241249Z DONORS IN SPECIFIC, MUTUALLY-ACCEPTED SCHEMES. HOWEVER, TO DATE, GOVERNMENT HAS YET TO APPROVE ANY SUCH ALTERNATIVES TO ITS CURRENT "FAST-TRACK" PROGRAM. END NOTE.) ¶4. (SBU) THE PRIVATE SECTOR INITIATIVE (PSI) IS ANOTHER "ALTERNATIVE" PLAN DEVELOPED BY KEY LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING THE NON-GOVERNMENTAL LEADERSHIP OF THE LAND TASK FORCE OF THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC CONSULTATIVE FORUM (NECF). THE NECF IS AN IMPORTANT TRIPARTITE FORUM THAT HAS BEEN LARGELY SIDELINED SINCE THE FARM INVASIONS AND THE BEGINNING OF THE FAST-TRACK PROGRAM. IT FOCUSES ON FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS UNDERTAKEN BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR FOR THE ACQUISITION AND RESETTLEMENT OF AN INITIAL TRANCHE OF 200 FARMS. ALTHOUGH SERIOUS CONCERNS REMAIN REGARDING THE ALTERNATIVE PLAN, INCLUDING THE DEGREE OF GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT AND CONTROL, AND ITS FAILURE TO ADDRESS THE RULE OF LAW, THE PSI IS INCREASINGLY FAVORED WITHIN GOZ CIRCLES, WITH A CABINET-LEVEL REVIEW SCHEDULED FOR MID-FEBRUARY. ¶5. (SBU) THE COMMERCIAL FARMERS UNION (CFU) AND THE ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT BELIEVE IT IS NECESSARY TO SIT AROUND THE TABLE AND AGREE ON A WAY FORWARD, ANGELO TOLD US. THE CFU HAS A FOUR-MEMBER TEAM LED BY DAVID IRVINE, CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PTQ2145 PAGE 01 HARARE 00488 02 OF 02 241249Z ACTION AF-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AGRE-00 AID-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 COME-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EB-00 EUR-00 VC-00 HHS-01 H-01 SSA-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 OES-01 OIC-02 OMB-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 STR-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 R-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /010W -------------- BAE5AE 241250Z /38 P 241247Z JAN 01 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8066 INFO NSC WASHDC PRIORITY SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AMEMBASSY NAIROBI C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 000488 SIPDIS NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR LONDON FOR GURNEY NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SA C. PALMA PASS USTR FOR AFRICA DESK E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/24/2011 TAGS: PREL EAGR EAID EAGR EAID ZI SUBJECT: POSITIVE ANSWER TO MALLOCH BROWN LETTER CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 00488 02 OF 02 241249Z EXPECTED A POULTRY PRODUCER. THE TEAM MEMBERS ARE NOT MEMBERS OF THE CFU EXECUTIVE, BUT HAVE "FULL CARTE BLANCHE" TO DISCUSS THE ORDERLY TRANSFER OF 5 MILLION HECTARES OF COMMERCIAL FARMLAND TO THE GOVERNMENT. THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT YET READY TO NEGOTIATE WITH THIS GROUP, ANGELO CONCEDED. ANGELO INDICATED THAT THERE HAD BEEN SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT CONSOLIDATING THIS NEW COMMITTEE WITHIN THE PSI, OR (MORE LOGICALLY) PURSING BOTH OF THESE INITIATIVES UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE NECF LAND TASK FORCE. HOW THIS SHAKES OUT WILL BECOME CLEARER OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, HE REMARKED. ¶6. (C) FINALLY, THE UNDP RESREP ADVISED THAT HIS AGENCY HAD BEEN WORKING ON A PREPAREDNESS PLAN, IN THE EVENT ALL ITS EFFORTS COME TO NOUGHT AND A HUMANITARIAN CRISIS EMERGES. THE PLAN WILL BE DISCUSSED WITH DONORS AT THE TECHNICAL LEVEL ON FEBRUARY 7. WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE UNDP RULE OF LAW MISSION THAT WAS TO HAVE FOLLOWED THE OCTOBER TECHNICAL MISSION, A FLUSTERED ANGELO RESPONDED THAT ONE WAS IN TOWN, KEEPING A VERY LOW PROFILE. HE WOULD NOT ELABORATE ITS MANDATE EXCEPT TO SAY THAT HE CHARACTERIZED IT AS "OPENING DIALOGUE" ON THIS THORNY SUBJECT. ¶7. (C) COMMENT: ANGELO STRAINED HIS CREDIBILITY WITH THIS MEETING. MOST HEADS OF MISSION EXPRESSED OPEN SKEPTICISM ABOUT THE UTILITY OF HIS QUEST, WITH ONE AMBASSADOR NOISILY WALKING OUT IN APPARENT DISGUST WITH THE RESREP'S SUNNY ACCOUNT OF GOVERNMENT INTENTIONS. AT CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 00488 02 OF 02 241249Z THIS POINT, PEOPLE APPEAR FAR MORE INTERESTED IN ACTIONS RATHER THAN WORDS OR INTENTIONS, FOLLOWING REPEATED PUBLIC ASSURANCES THAT HAVE ENDED IN BROKEN PROMISES AND DASHED HOPES AND EXPECTATIONS. TACTICALLY, IT MAY HAVE BEEN MORE USEFUL FOR THE UNDP RESREP TO HAVE DISSEMINATED THE GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE AND THEN CALL FOR A MEETING TO DISCUSS IT, ESPECIALLY IF IT WAS SIGNED BY MUGABE HIMSELF. END COMMENT. IRVING CONFIDENTIAL >