GOV GRANTED OBSERVER STATUS IN AU

UNCLAS CARACAS 000080 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD USOFFICE FRC FT LAUDERDALE FOR CLAMBERT E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL VE SUBJECT: GOV GRANTED OBSERVER STATUS IN AU REF: CARACAS 03227 ¶1. (U) Vice-Minister for Africa Reinaldo Bolivar announced December 23 that the African Union (AU) had approved Venezuela's May 2005 request for observer status. Venezuela is now one of 23 non-African states, including Cuba, granted observer status since the AU established guidelines for their participation last March. In order to maintain observer status, AU guidelines stipulate that all non-African states must cooperate with and support the work of the African Union. While representatives of non-African states are permitted to attend open sessions and with the permission of the chairperson, participate in meetings, they do not retain voting power. Juan Carlos Barrios, Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Office of African Affairs, told poloff January 10 that Venezuela's Ambassador to Ethiopia, Luis Mata, would serve as the GoV's representative to the AU and that the government had invited the President of the AU's Commission, Alpha Oumar Konare, to visit Caracas near the end of January. Plans for Konare's visit, according to Barrios, have not been confirmed. ¶2. (U) Barrios explained that the Africa Agenda, a 12-page document outlining the GoV's foreign policy strategy toward sub-Saharan Africa, seeks to strengthen diplomatic ties with the 54 nations of the region (see ref A). Last year the GoV opened diplomatic missions in Benin, Senegal and Ethiopia, and the government reportedly plans to open an additional three missions in the region before the year's end (a total of 14 missions). Barrios said the government had not determined where these missions would be located. The GoV's ultimate goal is open a total of 18 missions in the region by 2007 and to establish a diplomatic presence in remaining African states. ¶3. (U) The Africa Agenda also identifies opportunities for cooperation in health and preventative diseases; one of the AU's principle objectives. Through "Triangular Cooperation" with Cuba, the Agenda outlines a strategy to assist African leaders in the areas of medical research, medical production and application of preventative vaccines such as rabies and malaria (see ref A). Bolivar commented January 5 that the GoV is currently working with the Cuban government to create several health programs designed to promote greater salubrity in the sub-Saharan Africa. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶4. (SBU) The catalyst behind the GoV's desire to obtain observer status in the AU is rooted in Chavez' desire to increase Venezuela's participation in cooperative, regional organizations as well as to strengthen its ties throughout the developing world. (Note: The GoV is also currently investigating observer status in the Arab League.) Venezuela's observer status in the AU is only a minor step toward Chavez' goal to exert greater influence, in general, and gain support for the international elements of his bolivarian agenda among leaders in developing nations. Whether or not the GoV can maintain its observer status is, however, contingent upon the administration's ability to transform its 12-page Africa Agenda into substantive actions. WHITAKER