MCC CEO VISITS TANZANIA: GREAT EXPECTATIONS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 DAR ES SALAAM 000168 SIPDIS /// CORRECTED COPY -- CLASSIFIECATION MARKING PARA 11 // SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/A B YODER AND D MALAC ALSO FOR MCC FOR G BREVNOV AND M KAVANAUGH E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PREL PGOV EFIN ECON ETRD TZ SUBJECT: MCC CEO VISITS TANZANIA: GREAT EXPECTATIONS DAR ES SAL 00000168 001.4 OF 003 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. During his visit to Tanzania from January 28-30, Ambassador Danilovich, Chief Executive Officer of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC),commended Tanzania's engagement in the MCC Compact process. Repeatedly, he expressed his confidence that the MCC would successfully conclude a Compact with Tanzania and that the Compact would be the largest Compact the MCC had ever signed. Throughout a series of high-level meetings, key GOT officials including, President Kikwete and President Karume, underlined their appreciation for the MCC, their high expectations, and their hope that the Compact would be concluded as soon as possible. Without specifying an exact date, Ambassador Danilovich assured the GOT that he expected the Compact to be concluded before the end of the calendar year. In addition to discussions on the Compact, Ambassador Danilovich stressed the importance of the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Threshold Program as a "stepping stone" to a full Compact. The GOT assured MCC delegates that it would uphold its "end of the bargain", implementing all components of the Threshold Program including the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), which the GOT said would be operational by July 1, 2007. END SUMMARY. MCC CEO: Confident About Success in Tanzania -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Ambassador Danilovich commended the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Jakaya Kikwete, President of Zanzibar, Amani Abeid Karume, and Minister of Finance, Zakia Meghji, for submitting an "excellent" Compact proposal to the MCC. He emphasized the dedication which the Government of Tanzania (GOT) had demonstrated and said he had every confidence the MCC would conclude a successful compact in Tanzania. ¶3. (SBU) "For MCC, we have only praise and appreciation," President Kikwete said, summarizing the GOT's sentiment to Ambassador Danilovich during their meeting on January 28. Kikwete assured Ambassador Danilovich that whatever remained on Tanzania's side of the bargain "would be taken care of," noting that any delays with respect to establishment of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) were "merely bureaucratic." 
 Kikwete highlighted that he had signed the Anti-Money Laundering Bill and that he expected Parliament to pass the Anti-Corruption Bill in 2007. President Karume, Minister Meghji and other ministers echoed this sentiment throughout the MCC delegation's visit, expressing gratitude and great expectations for the Compact to have a nationwide impact on economic growth. MCC in Tanzania: Largest Compact to Date -------------- ¶4. (SBU) In the first of several meetings with the MCC delegation, Minister Meghji expressed her hope that the main projects in the GOT's Compact proposal would "sail through." She noted that there were additional projects outlined in the addendum to the GOT's proposal which she hoped might also be considered. Ambassador Danilovich cautioned Meghji on adding projects at this stage of the process, explaining that the MCC Investment Committee had already approved advancement of Tanzania's proposal to the due diligence phase. Adding projects, he noted, could cause delay and raise difficulties given financial constraints facing MCC. ¶5. (SBU) Ambassador Danilovich pointed out that while the amount was not yet final, Tanzania's Compact was likely going to be the largest Compact the MCC had ever signed. To date, Ghana's Compact is the largest, totaling USD 547 million. In the final wrap-up meeting on January 30, Minister Meghji assured Ambassador Danilovich that the GOT understood the resource limitations facing MCC and said that the GOT would not seek to add any projects from the addendum project list. She reiterated the GOT's great expectations for the Compact and the transformational impact it would have on economic growth. She stressed Tanzania's interest in quickly moving through the due diligence process and arriving at the point of Compact signing as soon as possible. DAR ES SAL 00000168 002.4 OF 003 Compact Timing: Balancing Speed and Quality -------------- ¶6. (SBU) On timing for conclusion of the Compact, Ambassador Danilovich stressed the need to "balance speed and quality." Without predicting a specific date, Ambassador Danilovich told President Kikwete, President Karume and Minister Meghji, that the Compact would be concluded before the end of the year. Ambassador Danilovich explained to Kikwete that the USG was currently facing a continuing resolution in Congress but that the MCC was hopeful to deal with any budget constraints and move forward. President Kikwete said that he had heard about various issues related to MCC in the press and was very relieved to hear that the Compact for Tanzania was on track for 2007. MCA Threshold: A Stepping Stone to Compact -------------- ¶7. (SBU) In addition to the MCC Compact, Ambassador Danilovich held discussions regarding the MCA Threshold Program, reminding the GOT that the Threshold Program was an important "stepping stone" to a full Compact. He stressed the need to reach targets in each area of the Threshold program including establishment of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU),stating that the Compact "cannot happen without the FIU." Gray Mgonja, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Finance and the GOT's point of contact for the Threshold Program, told Ambassador Danilovich that he understood the MCA Threshold was a sort of "trigger" for the Compact. ¶8. (SBU) With respect to establishment of the FIU - one of the four main components of the MCA Threshold program - Mgonja told Ambassador Danilovich that the FIU would be operational by July 1, 2007. Ambassador Danilovich noted that having an operational FIU was crucial to the Compact and repeated the need for the FIU to meet the international standards set by the Egmont Group. Mgonja said the GOT would move quickly toward making the FIU operational and added that the FIU Stakeholders, Roundtable discussion, which the GOT had postponed in January 2007, would be held in March 2007 after the February session of Parliament. Mgonja admitted that the GOT, together with the USG and other stakeholders, would need to define "operational" and determine the best use of resources and expertise to ensure a fully functioning, well-equipped FIU. ¶9. (SBU) Ambassador Danilovich also met with the newly appointed Director General of the Prevention of Corruption Bureau (PCB),Edward Hoseah, to discuss anti-corruption efforts in Tanzania. Hoseah explained to Ambassador Danilovich that strengthening the legal framework was of paramount importance to improving the environment to prosecute corruption. Hoseah noted that the Anti-Corruption Bill would be presented to Parliament in February 2007 for a first reading and would most likely be passed by Parliament during the April 2007 session. By covering areas such as procurement, tendering, and abuse of position, and including a whistle-blowers provision, Hoseah said that the new legislation "would give the PCB teeth." ¶10. (SBU) With regard to the Threshold targets, Hoseah said he had full confidence that the GOT would reach the target of 28 prosecutions in 2007. Highlighting that the MCC was gearing up to bring in hundreds of millions of dollars to Tanzania, Ambassador Danilovich emphasized the importance of a strong, well-functioning PCB. Hoseah agreed, stating his primary goal was to make corruption a high-risk activity and to make sure that money given to Tanzania reached the intended beneficiaries. Comment: Honeymoon Before the Wedding -------------- ¶11. (U) The MCC and the GOT did not get into detailed discussions of specific Compact projects or implementation mechanisms. Rather, Ambassador Danilovich's visit affirmed that the Compact process was on track in Tanzania and due to be concluded before the end of the year. The GOT made no secret of their high expectations for the MCC grant and SIPDIS demonstrated that securing this grant was high priority. DAR ES SAL 00000168 003.4 OF 003 President Kikwete, who returned to Tanzania between his trips to Davos and Addis Ababa, told Ambassador Danilovich, "I could not miss this meeting! I needed to be here." While at the due diligence and implementation stages there will inevitably be some complications, this visit reflected the good will and enthusiasm on both sides for the MCC venture. There was no trace of discord regarding the GOT's progress on the Threshold Program, but Ambassador Danilovich, together with his team, did provide an unambiguous reminder that Compact funds are contingent upon successful implementation of the Threshold Program. END COMMENT. RETZER