AMBASSADOR RETZER AND PRESIDENT KIKWETE DISCUSS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 DAR ES SALAAM 001740

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/25/2011
TAGS: PREL PGOV ENRG EAID ECON PHUM TZ
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR RETZER AND PRESIDENT KIKWETE DISCUSS
HIV, MCC, AND MIL-TO-MIL RELATIONS

REF: DAR ES 01090

Classified By: Ambassador Retzer, Chief of Mission, for reason 1.4(d).


1. (SBU) SUMMARY. During his meeting with Ambassador Retzer
on October 23, President Kikwete stressed his desire to
launch an HIV/AIDS campaign targeting teachers and leveraging
his wife's work with teacher's associations. The Ambassador
expressed his support and designated post's PEPFAR
coordinator to liaise with the First Lady and her staff.
From the U.S. side, the Ambassador raised his concern over
the energy crisis and told Kikwete that, without a clear plan
for reform, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) had
reservations about investing in power projects proposed for
the compact. While acknowledging the Richmond debacle, and
the severity of the crisis with the closure of Kidatu and
Mtera dams, Kikwete has yet to reveal his long-term vision
for reforming the sector. With respect to the increasingly
warm U.S.-Tanzanian military-to-military relationship,
momentum continues to build. President Kikwete promised to
personally address pending issues with the Chief of Defense
Forces, expressed his delight about the opportunity to send
candidates to U.S. military academies, and specifically
inquired about General Ward's visit to Tanzania. END SUMMARY.


HIV/AIDS Campaign for Tanzania's Teachers
--------------

2. (U) President Kikwete told the Ambassador that he wanted
to launch an HIV/AIDS testing and treatment campaign
specifically for teachers. "Every month in Tanzania between
50 to 100 teachers die from AIDS," Kikwete said and explained
that his wife, First Lady Salma Kikwete, could leverage her
work with the teachers associations to have a far-reaching
and measurable impact on this heavily affected group.
Teacher associations, Kikwete emphasized, have
representatives in every region, in every district and every
school. "Through the associations, we can move fast to
prevent infections among and provide treatment for teachers.
Then we can focus on additional groups like the civil
service, the military, the police etc.," Kikwete said.


3. (U) President Kikwete outlined the three main goals of the
campaign: (i) to test all teachers; (ii) to treat those
teachers who test positive; and (iii) to counsel those who
are negative "to take care" and stay negative. The key,
Kikwete stressed, would be to ensure that anti-retro viral
drugs (ARVs) were accessible so that teachers had an
incentive to "know their status." While the campaign would
be led by the First Lady, the Ministries of Health,
Education, Local Governance and Public Service would also
have to be involved, Kikwete noted. Ambassador Retzer
responded that under the Presidential Emergency Plan for AIDS
Relief (PEPFAR),ARVs were available and that Tanzania's
PEPFAR coordinator, Tracy Carson, would coordinate with the
First Lady's office.

National HIV/AIDS Testing Day
--------------

4. (U) In the discussion on HIV/AIDS, Ambassador Retzer
emphasized the importance of the "know your status" component
of the campaign. He raised the idea of a National HIV
Testing Day where key government officials, sports stars and
other celebrities could participate, getting tested in the
public eye. President Kikwete said that he was committed to
this and would announce a National HIV Testing Day on
December 1 (World AIDS Day). The Ambassador also raised the
issue of progress on the HIV testing algorithm or the
"pin-prick" test kits, explaining that testing could far more
accessible if "pin-prick" tests were used as opposed to
testing methodologies which required drawing blood from a
vein (reftel). President Kikwete agreed and promised to
follow-up with the Ministry of Health on the progress of
approving such testing kits.

Concern Over Energy Crisis,...
--------------

5. (C) Ambassador Retzer expressed his concern about the
energy sector, noting that the Millennium Challenge
Corporation (MCC) had increasing reservations about investing
in the GOT's proposed power projects. In particular, the
Ambassador highlighted the lack of transparency in
procurement processes as evidenced by the current deal with

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Richmond Development Company (a little known U.S. based
company contracted to install a 100 MW power plant for USD
172 million). Although the Ambassador suggested a high-level
stakeholders meeting with the MCC, World Bank, donors and
high-level GOT representatives, he emphasized that the
commitment to transform the energy sector would ultimately
need to come from the GOT.


6. (C) Regarding Richmond Development Company, President
Kikwete suggested that the GOT had been duped. "It seems we
were misled by the beauty of the letters. Richmond must have
had a good consultant to write their proposal. Over time,
however, we started to realize Richmond might be a phantom
company," Kikwete said. He added that he had personally
warned the Minister of Energy, Ibrahim Msabaha, not to give
Richmond a down payment because if Richmond disappeared with
the money, the Minister would want to commit suicide rather
than face the Tanzanian people.

...And Precarious Procurement Process
--------------

7. (C) The Ambassador noted that part of the problem was
selecting "brokers" or "middle-men" rather than dealing
directly with principals. Kikwete agreed with the
Ambassador's advice. He said that unfortunately, with the
closure of Kidatu dam, there was no time to start afresh in
the procuring power generation. Instead, Kikwete explained
that the GOT strategy would be to put pressure on Richmond to
deliver while trying to accelerate timelines on other power
generation projects. (Note: Wartsila, a Finnish Company, is
installing a 100 MW power plant and Aggreko, a UAE based
company, is installing a 40 MW power plant).

GOT Support for Guatemala, TIFA Signing
--------------

8. (C) Ambassador Retzer thanked Kikwete for his support of
Guatemala as the Latin American candidate for the United
Nations Security Council (UNSC) seat. President Kikwete
reiterated his support for Guatemala and called Hugo Chavez,
"a bull in a china shop." Kikwete added that Venezuela had
opposed several initiatives which Tanzania had labored over
including the Peacekeeping Commission, the Human Rights
Commission and the International Labor Organization Report.
The Ambassador also highlighted the upcoming opportunity at
the African Union Trade Ministerial for the East African
Community countries, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, to sign a
Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) with the U.S.
President Kikwete nodded in approval at the mention of the
TIFA and expressed his support but he did not say whether or
not Tanzania had formally2`pPgd@fi;Gd
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!. military academies
in FY 2007. Kikwete was delighted and said he would ensure
the TPDF took advantage of this "great opportunity." The
Ambassador also shared the possibility of positioning a Civil
Affairs team in Tanzania to work on community projects such
as the Msata Clinic which was renovated together by U.S. and
TPDF forces. Finally, the Ambassador raised two issues,
still pending with the Chief of Defense Forces, General
Waitara: (i) the need for an HIV/AIDS coordinator within the
TPDF; and (ii) a suitable timeframe for the peacekeeping
ACOTA conference. President Kikwete explained that some of
his colleagues (i.e. General Waitara) might still have a Cold
War mentality and assured the Ambassador that he would
personally "take up" these issues.


10. (C) After the meeting had ended and as the Ambassador was
walking out the State House, President Kikwete walked back
into the State House lobby. "Balozi (Swahili for
Ambassador),one more thing," Kikwete said, "what about
General Ward's visit?" The Ambassador explained that General
Ward's visit had been delayed unexpectedly but that that his
Defense Attach was working to re-schedule the visit.

Comment:
--------------

11. (C) The fact that General Ward was on President Kikwete's
radar signifies that the GOT places great importance on such
a high-level, U.S. military official's visit. Kikwete's

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inquiry into General Ward's visit also signifies his personal
interest in issues pertaining to U.S.-Tanzanian military
relations. In terms of President Kikwete's teacher focused
HIV/AIDS campaign, one critical message must be that teachers
will be able to retain their jobs regardless of their HIV
status. Post's PEPFAR coordinator believes this assurance
will be crucial, in addition to the availability of ARVs, to
convince teachers to get tested. While Kikwete shared his
personal, pro-active plan to tackle the HIV/AIDS crisis, he
appeared less open and enthusiastic about his plans to tackle
the energy crisis. Clearly, Kikwete understands the damaging
impact of the crisis on the economy, however, his long-term
plan to reform the sector remains to be seen. END COMMENT.
RETZER