COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR CHRISTOPHER

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MAPUTO 000446

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD OTRA CTM MZ
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR CHRISTOPHER
PETERSON TO TRAVEL TO MOZAMBIQUE

REF: USDA FAS WASHDC 683827


1. Embassy Maputo welcomes and grants country
clearance for Christopher Peterson from 16 April
2007 until 30 April 2007 to travel to Mozambique,
to assist Chikweti Forests and local population
with termite control. Please advise as soon as
possible regarding any schedule or itinerary
changes; refer to paragraph 13 regarding visa
requirements.


2. Control Officer: John Wysham, Chief
Econ/Commercial Officer, will be control
officer. He can be contacted at:

-- Office telephone: (258) 2149-27-97, ext.3425
-- Office fax: (258) 2149-35-74
-- Cellular: (258) 82-315-7170


3. Hotel Reservations: Post understands that hotel
reservations have been made by prior arrangement at
the Holiday Inn and that no expeditor is needed.


4. Medical Services: Maputo has limited medical
facilities. Visitors will have to be medevaced
in the event of a major injury or illness. In
the past, we have had visitors nearly die because
details of their medevac insurance were not
readily available. Direct Hire employees (not
contractors) of the Department of State, USAID,
Department of Defense, CDC, and Peace Corps need
not take any further action. Direct Hire
employees of other U.S Government agencies are
requested to provide to their control officer
before arrival a name and 24-hour point of
contact for their agency that can authorize
medical evacuation. Contractors are requested to
provide to their control officer before arrival
the name, phone number, and policy number of
their medevac insurance provider(s) for use in
case of emergency.


5. Health: Travelers are advised that
chloroquine resistant malaria is present in
Mozambique. The most recent guidance from the
Department of State Medical Office recommends
weekly use of mefloquine as the drug of choice
for malaria prophylaxis in chloroquine-resistant
areas. Mefloquine must be started one to two
weeks before arriving at post. Daily doxycycline
is an alternative regimen. Doxycycline must be
started three days before arriving at post. Both
malaria prophylaxis medications must be continued
for four weeks after departing post.


6. Security and Required Briefing: TDY visitors
spending more than 48 hours in Mozambique must
obtain a security briefing from the EmbassyQs
Regional Security Office. The biggest threat
facing U.S. citizens visiting Mozambique is
crime. The State Department has designated
Mozambique a critical-threat post for crime.
Street crime and vehicle hijackings are common
and can be violent. Visitors must be vigilant
when out in public areas and should not display
jewellery or other items of high value. Visitors
should avoid carrying backpacks or purses, as
these can draw unwanted attention of would-be
muggers. Isolated areas, such as along the
Marginal (the Maputo road along the sea),should
be avoided as joggers and pedestrians have been
mugged frequently, even during daylight hours.


7. There are no known terrorist groups active in
Mozambique and no current indications that U.S.
citizens are being targeted by terrorist
organizations.


8. The police are poorly paid, poorly equipped,
and lack the professionalism that U.S. citizens
are accustomed to in the United States. Visitors
requiring emergency assistance should not rely on
local emergency services, but should contact the
Marine Security Guard at Post One at (21) 49-27-

97. Mozambican law requires that all persons
carry an identity document, such as a passport,
when out in public and produce it if requested by
police. A copy of passport identity and visa
pages is acceptable. There are certain areas in
the city of Maputo where pedestrian traffic is
prohibited, e.g., in front of the presidential
offices located north of the Hotel Polana on the
seaside of Avenida Julius Nyerere and on the

MAPUTO 00000446 002 OF 003


Monument to Mozambican Heroes near the Maputo
airport. Such areas are sometimes marked with
international "no trespassing" signs/symbols.


9. Overland travel after dark is extremely
dangerous due to poor road conditions, lack of
emergency services, and the increased potential
for vehicle hijackings. Official Americans
serving in Mozambique, including those on TDY,
are prohibited from overland travel outside city
limits during the hours of darkness.


10. Consular Registration: All TDY visitors
spending more than two workdays in Maputo are
required to register with the Consular Section in
the Chancery to ensure that the Mission has
current emergency contact information for each
visitor.


11. Financial Matters: With the exception of the
main hotels, Mozambique is essentially a cash
economy. Credit cards are of limited utility.
Vendors will accept U.S. dollars (or at times
South African rand) in lieu of the local
currency, the metical. For a day trip to Maputo,
we recommend visitors bring with them USD 100 in
cash for spending money. Dollars can be
exchanged at any bank or currency exchange
facility. Embassy Maputo recommends against the
use of travelers checks, as transaction charges
are uniformly high. Please note that Embassy
Maputo will need fiscal data in the event that
extensive services or goods are required during
the visit. Mozambican Airlines (LAM) accepts the
American Express credit card. Please note that
charge limits are in effect on most credit card
transactions, and hotel bills need to be settled
every few days.


12. New Currency: On July 1, 2006, Mozambique
introduced its new currency: the New Metical
(abbreviated MTn.) This currency replaces the
Metical(MT). One New Metical is equivalent to
1,000 Meticais (1 MTn = 1,000 MT.) At current
exchange rates, 1 USD equals approximately 26 MTn
and 26,000 MT. From July 1st, 2006 through
December 31st, 2006, both currencies are in
circulation, and all prices are expressed in both
currencies. After December 31st, 2006, only the
New Metical will be in circulation. The most
obvious differences between the two currencies
are that the New Metical notes have three fewer
zeroes than Metical notes of the same value and
that the New Metical notes are in much better
condition than Metical notes. The largest New
Metical note is 1,000 MTn (versus 500,000 MT.)
The smallest New Metical note is 20 MTn (versus
10,000 MT.) For further guidance, please refer
to the images of the New Metical on our intranet
site at
http://maputo.state.gov/Sections/FMO/fmo.htm


13. Visas and Airport Departure Taxes: Visas are
required for entry into Mozambique, and Embassy
Maputo urges travelers to have them prior to
travelling. Travelers arriving from a country
without a Mozambican embassy can get visas at the
airport or land border entry points for 20 USD or
300 MTn. Those arriving from a country with a
Mozambican embassy can obtain visas at the
airport or land border entry points for 25 USD.
There is an airport departure tax payable only in
cash, of 20 USD or equivalent in Metical or Rand
for regional flights, 8 USD for domestic flights
and 20 USD for intercontinental flights.


14. Luggage Precautions: Post urges travelers to
keep in mind restrictions on carry-on luggage on
international flights. At present, there are
restrictions on carrying liquids, gels, and
cosmetics on board international flights leaving
the United States.


15. Travelers also should bear in mind that
security of checked baggage is a significant
problem for travelers who transit Johannesburg
airport. Many items have been stolen from checked
bags, including the checked bags themselves. The
items stolen most often are electronics
(including I-Pods, cameras, and alarm clocks),
toiletries (such as cosmetics, soap, shaving kits
and cologne) and shoes (especially
running/athletic shoes). A LOCKED BAG DOES NOT

MAPUTO 00000446 003 OF 003


ENSURE SECURITY. One security measure that seems
to meet with some success is to have your luggage
stretch-wrapped at your point of departure. The
stretch-wrapping makes it more difficult for the
thieves to gain access to your luggage. Be aware
that flights between Johannesburg and Maputo are
often serviced by a small plane with little space
for carry-on luggage. This may require
passengers to check their larger carry-on items.
Please ensure your valuables are kept in a bag
small enough to carry on your lap to keep them
with you at all times. We take this problem very
seriously and are doing what we can to help aid a
solution. In brief, please:

-- Leave behind irreplaceable valuables;
-- Always lock your bags;
-- Have your luggage stretch-wrapped when
possible;
-- Keep your valuables with you in a small carry-
on;
-- Make sure that your carry-on luggage complies
with current international
restrictions/regulations.

DUDLEY