AMBASSADOR URGES TANZANIA?S PRIME MINISTER FORWARD

UNCLAS DAR ES SALAAM 001282 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT AF/E FOR BYODER, ALSO FOR OES TREASURY FOR L KOHLER PASS TO USAID AF/W PASS ALSO TO CDC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KTFN EAID TZ SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR URGES TANZANIA?S PRIME MINISTER FORWARD IN FIGHT AGAINST AIDS AND FINANCIAL CRIME REF: DAR ES SALAAM 01090 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. To urge the Government of Tanzania (GOT) forward on HIV/AIDS testing policy and anti-money laundering (AML) legislation, Ambassador Retzer, together with USAID Director Pam White, called on Prime Minister Lowassa during their visit to Dodoma on July 19. Prime Minister Lowassa promised to work with the Minister of Health to address the GOT's delayed procurement of new test kits and delayed transition to new and more effective "pin- prick" test technology. On the AML issue, Prime Minister Lowassa assured the Ambassador that the legislation was progressing and would be introduced in the October 2006 Parliamentary session with an appropriate Swahili name. From his side, the Prime Minister expressed his worry that the emerging conflict in the Middle East might extend to Iran. END SUMMARY. Reform Needed: Tanzania's HIV/AIDS Testing Policy -------------- -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The Ambassador expressed to Prime Minister Lowassa his continuing concern regarding HIV/AIDS testing in Tanzania, especially the GOT's delay in transitioning to easier to use "pin-prick" test kits. Highlighting the urgency of the matter, the Ambassador said, "Every day 435 Tanzanians die from AIDS; that is like a passenger plane crashing in Tanzania every day." White added that currently three quarters of the country is lacking test kits and that without testing, the U.S. cannot get people on life saving drugs. Lowassa looked surprised and responded that he had already told the Minister of Health, Dr. David Mwakyusa, to look into the problem. ¶3. (SBU) When the Ambassador noted that Dr. Mwakyusa had been unprepared to provide a response on the issue earlier in the morning, Lowassa immediately told his assistant in Swahili to have the Minister of Health report to his office at 2:00 p.m. Lowassa promised to address the issue and said, "Ambassador, I realize this must be very important to you since we have discussed this twice in just two weeks." (See Reftel A). ¶4. (SBU) When the Ambassador emphasized the need for stronger legislation on HIV/AIDS testing, Lowassa's first reaction was that "opt-out testing" might be too harsh. However, Lowassa seemed unfamiliar with the concept and when the Ambassador and White couched it in the context of testing those patients who might be at higher risk, such as pregnant women and patients with Tuberculosis, Lowassa fully agreed that such testing would be sensible. New: Anti-Money Laundering has Swahili Soundbite -------------- --- ¶5. (SBU) Addressing the second item on the Ambassador's agenda, Prime Minister Lowassa assured the Ambassador that the GOT was making progress on the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Bill. He said that a Cabinet sub-Committee had already looked at the bill closely. The plan was to introduce the legislation during the October 2006 Parliamentary session and Lowassa did not foresee any problems with the bill's passage. Smiling, Lowassa told the Ambassador that the sub-Committee had even given the legislation a good Swahili name: "Biashara Kusafisha Pesa" (Business to Clean Money). Lowassa translated this for the Ambassador and appeared pleased with the image of someone literally trying to clean or wash illegality off money. Tanzania on the National Mall -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Finishing with an upbeat agenda item, the Ambassador introduced Prime Minister Lowassa to the concept of the annual Smithsonian summer exhibition on the National mall in Washington D.C. The Ambassador explained that every year the event honors one country, bringing wide exposure to the country's culture and tourist sites. Drawing more than one million visitors per year, the Ambassador suggested what a unique opportunity the event could offer if Tanzania were selected. Prime Minister Lowassa appeared receptive to the notion and again signaled to his assistant asking to call on the Minister of Tourism (Anthony Diallo) to look into the idea. Prime Minister's Concerns: Kikwete's Reception in U.S., ¶8. (SBU) Second, Lowassa asked Ambassador Retzer for insight about the situation in Lebanon and expressed fears that the conflict could spill over into Iran. Ambassador explained that Israel had been fighting for life since its birth, a small state surrounded by countries rejecting its raison d'etre. Emphasizing the U.S. government's hope for a diplomatic solution to the problem, the Ambassador told Lowassa that the Secretary of State, Condelezza Rice, would be traveling to the region in the near future. The Ambassador also stressed the importance of non-aligned countries serving as mediators through the United Nations to prevent further escalation. Comment: PM Responsive to USG Priorities -------------- ¶9. (SBU) Comment: The joint call on Prime Minister Lowassa, by the Ambassador and USAID Director Pam White, followed on the heels of their June 23 meeting and proved a powerful way to drive home the importance of two USG priorities in Tanzania: fighting HIV/AIDS and fighting financial crime. The message on HIV/AIDS testing, for example, clicked when Lowassa exclaimed, "Ambassador, this must be very important since you have raised it twice in just two weeks." Calling on his aides to arrange follow-up meetings to address the Ambassador's concerns, Lowassa demonstrated his continuing responsiveness to U.S. interests. The adoption of a catchy Swahili soundbite for the AML bill was also music to our ears, signaling greater country ownership of the money laundering problem. The GOT's adoption of a Swahili acronym for its Poverty Reduction Strategy in 2005 ("Mkukuta") gave the document a new significance and the name is now widely used among GOT officials, the donor community and even the general population. END COMMENT. RETZER