MOZAMBIQUE: ON WORLD AIDS DAY, PRESIDENT GUEBUZA

UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 MAPUTO 001562 SIPDIS SIPDIS AF/S - HTREGER, AF/PD - LMING, AF/PD - PZABRISKIE, S/GAC - AMB.TOBIAS, S/GAC - MDYBUL, S/GAC - SHIEGG, S/GAC - JPETERSON, PASS USAID FOR AA/AFR AND AFR/SA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KHIV TSPL OSCI TBIO KSCA EAID KPAO OIIP MZ SUBJECT: MOZAMBIQUE: ON WORLD AIDS DAY, PRESIDENT GUEBUZA SHOWS HE GETS IT *********************** * Missing Section 001 * *********************** MAPUTO 00001562 002.2 OF 002 Media Coverage -------------- ¶5. (U) The event received substantial play in the Mozambican press. TVM, the state-run television station (national coverage of up to 2,000,000),aired a three-minute story on its nightly newscast, prominently featuring Guebuza's groundbreaking comments, as well as giving high visibility coverage to the USG delegation. Noticias, the state-run national daily (nationwide circulation of 25,000, readership of 250,000),featured the event as its top story under the headline "The Challenge of the Government is to Change People's Behavior." Busy President -------------- ¶6. (U) President Guebuza left the country December 2 for Bamako to attend a France-Africa summit. He then travels to Atlanta December 5, where he will take part in the Carter Center Development Forum. He will depart Atlanta on December 9 to return to Mozambique. Comment -------------- ¶7. (U) The World AIDS Day event was a success in several respects. Guebuza has never spoken as emotionally on this topic during his presidency, and his ardor clearly moved his audience. His candid, populist style made him very convincing and may mark a turning point in Mozambique's anti-AIDS campaign. The USG created the forum in which Guebuza was able to shine and speak candidly on subjects often too taboo to address publicly. He openly thanked the United States for its support. In this manner, the USG succeeded in encouraging bold leadership at the highest levels in the country's battle against the growing AIDS pandemic. End comment. La Lime