Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06LUANDA548
2006-05-30 09:29:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Luanda
Cable title:  

PDAS Pittman Meets with Angolan Ministry of

Tags:  PREL PGOV ECON EAID AO 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO0814
RR RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR
DE RUEHLU #0548 1500929
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 300929Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY LUANDA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2882
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
UNCLAS LUANDA 000548 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AFFO AND AF/S

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON EAID AO
SUBJECT: PDAS Pittman Meets with Angolan Ministry of
External Relations

UNCLAS LUANDA 000548

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AFFO AND AF/S

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON EAID AO
SUBJECT: PDAS Pittman Meets with Angolan Ministry of
External Relations


1. Summary: During a meeting with the Ministry of External
Relations PDAS Bobby Pittman committed to additional high-
level State Department visitors to Angola; discussed how
best Angola might benefit from AGOA, and exchanged views on
the voter registration and election timetable in Angola,
noting how important it is for the people of Angola to have
faith in the electoral system. End Summary.


2. PDAS Bobby Pittman met on May 19, 2006, with Balbina da
Silva, Director for the Americas at the Ministry of External
Relations. PDAS Pittman was accompanied by Charge James
Knight and Management Officer (notetaker). Director Balbina
was accompanied by Counselor for Economic Affairs, Domingos
Antonio. Balbina opened with regrets that Foreign Minister
Miranda and Vice Minister Chicoty were both traveling and
unavailable to meet with PDAS Pittman.


3. PDAS Pittman expressed his commitment to a greater
number of high-level visits from Washington, not only
additional visits of his own, but also from Deputy Assistant
Secretaries Jeff Krilla and Carol Thompson. Director

SIPDIS
Balbina said the GRA would welcome additional visits and
hoped that Assistant Secretary Frazer would soon propose a
date for her postponed visit.


4. Director Balbina thanked the U.S. for its assistance in
the health sector, citing the President's Malaria Initiative
and programs to combat the spread of HIV. She noted that
Angola has a relatively low level of HIV but that additional
assistance would help prevent the spread of the disease.

Interest in AGOA
--------------


5. Director Balbina said she hoped Angola would benefit
from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and
requested PDAS Pittman's help in this regard. She noted the
Monday, May 22 AGOA digital video conference scheduled in
Luanda, and expressed her hope that the conference would
help clarify how Angolan exporters could meet customs and
market requirements. PDAS Pittman acknowledged that it is
often difficult for countries to attain AGOA status, but
noted that President Bush's African policy is based on
partnerships. He said he hoped Angolan exporters would be
able to partner with American buyers but cited two
challenges: export regulations and the size of the market.
With regard to the first, PDAS Pittman related the
experience of Afghanistan, where changes in the regulatory
environment reduced the time required to register small
businesses from ninety days to one week. On the second
point, PDAS Pittman shared the example of a supplier of high
quality doors in South Africa. The Home Depot Inc. placed
an order for the doors which was more than the supplier
could produce in 10 years. Both Director Balbina and PDAS
Pittman agreed that it would be critical to link the right
partners and better define the market.

Election Timetable?
--------------


6. PDAS Pittman asked Director Balbina for her views on the
timetable for voter registration and elections and offered
U.S. assistance in addressing obstacles that might remain.
Balbina said voter registration would begin soon, but noted
that landmines remained a danger for voters and election
officials. She reported that a landmine commission had been
created to speed up the de-mining effort. (Note: Balbina is
the deputy of the National Landmine Committee. End Note.)
PDAS Pittman pointed to the importance of a strong electoral
commission, contrasting the positive experience of Zambia
with that of Mauritania. He pointed out that the way in
which election results are viewed can be linked to the
confidence of voters in the strength and integrity of the
electoral commission. Balbina replied that the Angolan
electoral commission was not appointed by the government and
enjoys broad representation. She said that what happened in
1992 would not happen again, predicting that whoever lost
would have to accept the result. PDAS Pittman said it was
important that the people have confidence in the system and
observed that Angola seemed to be on the right path.
Pressed for a timetable on elections, Director Balbina
replied that although she is not an expert on elections, she
couldn't imagine that it would take more than one year to
register voters. Note: Voter registration is planned to
take six months. End Note.


7. PDAS Pittman has cleared this message.

KNIGHT