GOM WELCOMES MADAGASCAR'S TIER ONE TIP STATUS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANTANANARIVO 000440 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR G/TIP RYOUSEY DEPT FOR INL DEPT FOR AF/E BEYZEROV DEPT FOR AF/RSA DEPT FOR DRL HARPOLE DEPT PLEASE PASS TO USAID PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM KCRM KWMN ASEC ELAB EAID MA SUBJECT: GOM WELCOMES MADAGASCAR'S TIER ONE TIP STATUS ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: On June 12, in conjunction with the World Day Against Child Labor, Embassy Antananarivo organized a digital videoconference (DVC) featuring Ambassador Mark Lagon and Director of the Office for East Africa James Knight from Washington with high-level representatives from the Government of Madagascar (GOM), international partners, civil society, and media in order to launch the eighth annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, with the special announcement that Madagascar has finally achieved Tier 1 status. GOM officials welcomed the news with pride, were curious to know how Madagascar can maintain Tier 1 status in the future, and pledged to continue their efforts in collaboration with international partners and local NGOs to combat TIP on Malagasy soil. END SUMMARY. THE BUZZ AROUND TOWN - - - - - - - - - - - ¶2. (U) Even before the news hit the Malagasy media at the June 12 DVC, Prime Minister Rabemananjara, who had been notified along with other government and international partners by Deputy Chief of Mission Sibley the week prior, announced Madagascar's achievement of Tier 1 status to donors as a special good news flash at the high-level Madagascar Action Plan Round Table on June 10. The Minister of Labor and the heads of UNICEF and the International Labor Organization - International Program for the Elimination of Child Labor (ILO-IPEC) privately expressed their excitement to Embassy staff before the public announcement as well, pleased that their intensive efforts over the previous years were being recognized. PLAYING TO A PACKED AUDIENCE - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶3. (U) The DVC event on June 12 was held in a packed room with almost 100 representatives from the GOM, international organizations, local NGOS, media, and members of civil society. VIP participants included the Ministers of Justice, Labor and Education; the Secretary General of the Madagascar Action Plan (MAP) at the Presidency; the State Secretariat for Public Security; the Vice Minister of Health; and the Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Ambassador of Mauritius and the Swiss Charge d'Affaires attended, as well as the country representatives of the UNDP, UNICEF, and ILO-IPEC. Members listened attentively as first Ambassador Marquardt and then Ambassador Lagon and AF/E Director Knight announced that Madagascar was the only country in Sub-Saharan Africa to achieve Tier 1 status, congratulated both the government and partners on the specific prosecution efforts that had bumped Madagascar up in 2008, and recommended future actions to help maintain Tier 1 status. The head representatives of UNDP, UNICEF, ILO-IPEC, and Catholic Relief Services were clearly pleased to be singled out as major contributors to this achievement. ¶4. (U) During the following discussion period, the audience posed several main questions: What steps must Madagascar take in the future to continue improving the struggle against TIP? How can Madagascar make progress when rampant poverty continues to pull victims into trafficking situations or leave "rescued" victims even more destitute? How can Madagascar make progress when discussing trafficking remains taboo? How will the United States support GOM efforts, both in tackling the poverty underlying trafficking and in addressing corruption of government officials at the local level? ¶5. (U) The Minister of Justice took advantage of the wide audience to make two announcements. Madagascar's Parliament adopted a law on May 16 against torture and other forms of cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment; it also authorized the ratification of the Convention for the Repression of Human Trafficking and other Forms of Exploitation. EXTENSIVE MEDIA COVERAGE - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶6. (U) Less than one week after the DVC event, Madagascar's Tier 1 status has received extensive media coverage. Public and private television and radio stations, as well as six local newspapers, featured excerpts of the report, both Ambassadors' speeches, and the Embassy-prepared press release. ANTANANARI 00000440 002 OF 002 ¶7. (SBU) COMMENT: Post appreciates the Department's recognition of the GOM's efforts to combat TIP, as well as its support of the GOM through the funding of several programs. However, the general lack of resources and capacity will continue to be a roadblock to the larger fight against TIP in Madagascar. Post assesses that this desperately poor government, although undoubtedly well-intentioned, will only be able to maintain and enhance its current efforts through continued assistance and partnership with international partners and donors, notably including the U.S. END COMMENT. MARQUARDT