Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05MAPUTO106
2005-01-21 10:49:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Maputo
Cable title:  

Mozambique: Request for FY 2005 ESF funding

Tags:  PGOV PREL MZ KCOR ELAB ESF 
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UNCLAS MAPUTO 000106 

SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF/S -- HTREGER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL MZ KCOR ELAB ESF
SUBJECT: Mozambique: Request for FY 2005 ESF funding

REF: STATE 4550

UNCLAS MAPUTO 000106

SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF/S -- HTREGER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL MZ KCOR ELAB ESF
SUBJECT: Mozambique: Request for FY 2005 ESF funding

REF: STATE 4550


1. Summary: Post requests USD 700,000 for FY2005 to fund efforts
to combat official corruption by promoting integrity and
transparency within the public sector and to improve the
investment climate by making the regulatory framework for
resolving labor disputes more investment-friendly. Anti-
corruption projects will focus on strengthening institutions to
enforce new conflict of interest and procurement rules. The
labor component will help to develop a more flexible labor law
and establish a labor dispute resolution function within the
Attorney General's Office. End Summary.

-------------- --------------
Activity One: Expand Capacity to Combat Official Corruption
-------------- --------------

2. Senior GRM officials, including President-elect Armando
Guebuza, have expressed growing concern over official corruption
in Mozambique. Combating corruption featured prominently in
President-elect Guebuza's campaign. In 2004, the National
Assembly passed new anti-corruption measures due largely to
increasing public pressure for action against rumored high-level
stealing and bribery. The new rules arm prosecutors with
legislation governing conflict of interest and procurement
procedures areas where official corruption is particularly
pernicious. At present, however, the GRM has very limited
implementation and enforcement capacity for these new
regulations.


3. Post's Mission Performance Plan includes efforts to combat
official corruption through effective implementation of these
legal reforms. The strategies include educating targeted groups
(e.g. individuals and companies that do business with donors and
government officials involved in procurement) on legal and
ethical issues related to conflict of interest and procurement
rules; training government inspectors and Administrative Court
auditors on implementing these rules; and providing technical
assistance to strengthen the conflict-of-interest and
procurement laws.


4. Post requests USD 400,000 for this effort. The activity
would be managed by USAID and implemented through contract(s)
with local or international consultants and/or firms.

-------------- --------------
Activity Two: Create a More Flexible Regulatory Framework for
Labor Mediation
-------------- --------------

5. Post's top priority in its Mission Performance Plan is
working to improve the business and investment climate in
Mozambique. The GRM urgently needs labor legislation that is
more investment-friendly. A substantial backlog of unresolved
labor cases now exists. As a result, there is a strong
consensus among government, unions and private sector
representatives on the need for labor arbitration mechanisms.
Mozambique compares unfavorably to its neighbors in this
respect, all of which have functioning labor courts and well-
developed alternative dispute resolution (ADR) forums. It
appears likely that the GRM will approve the labor mediation
bill and implement new labor legislation by late 2005.


6. Post requests USD 300,000 to help the GRM draft a new labor
law and train lawyers working in the Attorney General's Office
in labor dispute resolution. Using USD 150,000, Post would
provide a grant for technical assistance to CTA, a confederation
of business associations representing the private sector, to
draft the employer's required input to labor legislation.
Additionally, USD 150,000 would be used to provide training, via
a private law firm, to lawyers working in the Attorney General's
Office. This would serve to train public officials in labor
dispute resolution in order to resolve the backlog of cases
currently waiting to be heard in court. The activity would be
managed by USAID.
LA LIME