CHARGE CALLS ON AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION CHAIR PING

C O N F I D E N T I A L ADDIS ABABA 002017

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/FO, AF/RSA, AF/S, AND AF/C

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/18/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV AU
SUBJECT: CHARGE CALLS ON AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION CHAIR PING

Classified By: CDA Roger Meece, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (SBU) In his first visit to the African Union as CDA for
the bilateral mission and USAU, Ambassador Meece met with AU
Commission Chairperson Jean Ping and reaffirmed USG interest
in deepening ties with the continental organization. U.S.
interest in Africa is growing, the CDA told Ping, citing the
Secretary's recent multi-country tour in Africa and President
Obama's earlier speech in Ghana. For his part, Ping said he
fully intends to reinforce exchanges with Washington,
reiterating his intention to conduct at least two official
visits to the United States each year, beginning with the UN
General Assembly and following up with a visit to Washington
in the spring.


2. (C) Turning to the upcoming election in Gabon, Ping's
country of origin, the AUC Chairperson confided that the AU
is "concerned" about how his fellow citizens will respond,
particularly in the post-election period. He informed the
CDA that the AU will send Senegalese politician and diplomat
Mustapha Niasse to Gabon on a preventive diplomacy mission on
August 24. "There is a risk of violence," Ping said.
"Regardless of who wins, there will be a challenge." The AU
already has a pre-election assessment team on the ground, and
it will be sending an observer mission for the August 30
election. Ping assessed that if the election goes well, it
will be a model of transition that other African states can
follow. Ping and the CDA both noted a trend of successful
elections in Africa and expressed optimism that this trend
would continue.


3. (C) On Zimbabwe, there was agreement that the country's
economy had been severely damaged in recent years, and Ping
expressed optimism about the country emerging from its
political crisis. Prime Minister Tsvangirai will eventually
take power, he predicted. The only reason President Mugabe
has remained in power is that his advisers have urged him to
do so to protect their own interests, he assessed.


4. (SBU) The CDA also informed Ping of USAU Ambassador
Michael Battle's anticipated mid-September arrival in Addis
Ababa, The introductory call in Ping's office was also an
opportunity to briefly review a meeting that Ping will have
on August 20 with USAFRICOM Commander General Ward, and a
still-unconfirmed meeting on August 22 with Special Envoy for
Sudan Gration.
MEECE