Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09HARARE44
2009-01-16 10:11:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Harare
Cable title:
HARARE 2009 BFIF PROJECT PROPOSAL
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000044
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR B. WALCH
AF/EPS FOR ANN BREITER
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B. PITTMAN
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR L.DOBBINS AND E.LOKEN
TREASURY FOR D. PETERS
COMMERCE FOR ROBERT TELCHIN
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ABUD AMGT BEXP ECON ETRD ZI
SUBJECT: HARARE 2009 BFIF PROJECT PROPOSAL
REF: 08 STATE 128559
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000044
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR B. WALCH
AF/EPS FOR ANN BREITER
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B. PITTMAN
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR L.DOBBINS AND E.LOKEN
TREASURY FOR D. PETERS
COMMERCE FOR ROBERT TELCHIN
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ABUD AMGT BEXP ECON ETRD ZI
SUBJECT: HARARE 2009 BFIF PROJECT PROPOSAL
REF: 08 STATE 128559
1. (U) Embassy Harare proposes to draw on the Business
Facilitation and Incentive Fund (BFIF) to promote corporate
governance in Zimbabwe.
--------------
Support for Corpoate Governance
--------------
2. (SBU) Post proposes providing financial suport to the
Institute of Directors of Zimbabwe (IDZ) to secure an
international speaker on corporae governance at IoDZ,s
Director of the Year Awar ceremony -- the country,s most
prestigious annul business event. In addition, the funding
willsupport corporate governance workshops to be conduted
on the following day by the guest speaker at Zimbabwe,s
leading business organizations.
3. (U) IoD is a more than 100-year-old international
organization based in the UK that promotes professionalism in
the boardroom and an environment conducive to business
success. In Zimbabwe, where it has 350 members, including
directors of state-owned enterprises, IoD,s focus is on
corporate governance and executive training.
4. (U) On April 2, 2009, IoDZ will hold its annual Director
of the Year award ceremony, in which the Director of the Year
will be announced in the categories of large and listed
companies; small and medium enterprises; parastatals, NGOs
and public sector enterprises; plus an overall winner.
Candidates are identified and nominated by the business
community and the winners are selected by a committee of
eminent businessmen and women.
-------------- --------------
The Corporate Governance/Public Governance Connection
-------------- --------------
5. (SBU) Post continues to regard the business community as
a critical player in supporting economic and political
reform. Within the business community, IoDZ plays an
important role. It includes numerous directors who have
supported the ruling party since the country,s independence.
We saw in the past year, however, the extent to which
business community support for the ruling party has eroded,
when it backed a pro-business opposition candidate for
president of Zimbabwe. The intense pressure bearing down on
the government is now coming from the business community as
well as the general populace.
6. (SBU) Post has sought to engage traditionally pro-ruling
party business leaders in a series of lunches hosted by
Ambassador McGee and at business organization roundtables
where the Ambassador has presided as guest speaker. In the
past year, Post supported IoDZ,s corporate governance
agenda. Ambassador McGee broke ground in 2008 in making the
connection between corporate governance and public governance
in an address to the IoDZ. We see the Director of the Year
award ceremony as a vehicle for continuing to put reformist
ideas in the public sphere. The Director of the Year award
ceremony and opening address receive wide coverage in the
government and independent press. We anticipate that the
address will embolden public discussion about Zimbabwe's need
HARARE 00000044 002 OF 002
to start planning for the post-Mugabe era.
7. (SBU) In a time of economic distress in Zimbabwe, our
financial support to the event would allow IoDZ to attract
and pay for a more eminent corporate governance speaker than
the organization could otherwise afford. Additionally, while
political sensitivities would preclude public disclosure of
our involvement, our support would bring us closer to IoDZ
and the business community in general, and would place us in
a position to exercise more influence with that sector.
8. (U) We are requesting US$5,000 for costs of travel and
remuneration for a speaker for two days. The amount could be
less depending on where the speaker is from. Planning
milestones are identification of potential speakers in
Embassy coordination with IoDZ, and securing the
organizational support of business groups such as the
Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI),the Bankers'
Association of Zimbabwe, the Employers' Confederation of
Zimbabwe (EMCOZ),and the American Business Association of
Zimbabwe (ABAZ) in conducting follow-on workshops.
9. (U) Post point of contact is econoff Frances Chisholm,
263-4-250-595, ext. 4337, chisholmfm@state.gov.
MCGEE
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR B. WALCH
AF/EPS FOR ANN BREITER
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B. PITTMAN
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR L.DOBBINS AND E.LOKEN
TREASURY FOR D. PETERS
COMMERCE FOR ROBERT TELCHIN
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ABUD AMGT BEXP ECON ETRD ZI
SUBJECT: HARARE 2009 BFIF PROJECT PROPOSAL
REF: 08 STATE 128559
1. (U) Embassy Harare proposes to draw on the Business
Facilitation and Incentive Fund (BFIF) to promote corporate
governance in Zimbabwe.
--------------
Support for Corpoate Governance
--------------
2. (SBU) Post proposes providing financial suport to the
Institute of Directors of Zimbabwe (IDZ) to secure an
international speaker on corporae governance at IoDZ,s
Director of the Year Awar ceremony -- the country,s most
prestigious annul business event. In addition, the funding
willsupport corporate governance workshops to be conduted
on the following day by the guest speaker at Zimbabwe,s
leading business organizations.
3. (U) IoD is a more than 100-year-old international
organization based in the UK that promotes professionalism in
the boardroom and an environment conducive to business
success. In Zimbabwe, where it has 350 members, including
directors of state-owned enterprises, IoD,s focus is on
corporate governance and executive training.
4. (U) On April 2, 2009, IoDZ will hold its annual Director
of the Year award ceremony, in which the Director of the Year
will be announced in the categories of large and listed
companies; small and medium enterprises; parastatals, NGOs
and public sector enterprises; plus an overall winner.
Candidates are identified and nominated by the business
community and the winners are selected by a committee of
eminent businessmen and women.
-------------- --------------
The Corporate Governance/Public Governance Connection
-------------- --------------
5. (SBU) Post continues to regard the business community as
a critical player in supporting economic and political
reform. Within the business community, IoDZ plays an
important role. It includes numerous directors who have
supported the ruling party since the country,s independence.
We saw in the past year, however, the extent to which
business community support for the ruling party has eroded,
when it backed a pro-business opposition candidate for
president of Zimbabwe. The intense pressure bearing down on
the government is now coming from the business community as
well as the general populace.
6. (SBU) Post has sought to engage traditionally pro-ruling
party business leaders in a series of lunches hosted by
Ambassador McGee and at business organization roundtables
where the Ambassador has presided as guest speaker. In the
past year, Post supported IoDZ,s corporate governance
agenda. Ambassador McGee broke ground in 2008 in making the
connection between corporate governance and public governance
in an address to the IoDZ. We see the Director of the Year
award ceremony as a vehicle for continuing to put reformist
ideas in the public sphere. The Director of the Year award
ceremony and opening address receive wide coverage in the
government and independent press. We anticipate that the
address will embolden public discussion about Zimbabwe's need
HARARE 00000044 002 OF 002
to start planning for the post-Mugabe era.
7. (SBU) In a time of economic distress in Zimbabwe, our
financial support to the event would allow IoDZ to attract
and pay for a more eminent corporate governance speaker than
the organization could otherwise afford. Additionally, while
political sensitivities would preclude public disclosure of
our involvement, our support would bring us closer to IoDZ
and the business community in general, and would place us in
a position to exercise more influence with that sector.
8. (U) We are requesting US$5,000 for costs of travel and
remuneration for a speaker for two days. The amount could be
less depending on where the speaker is from. Planning
milestones are identification of potential speakers in
Embassy coordination with IoDZ, and securing the
organizational support of business groups such as the
Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI),the Bankers'
Association of Zimbabwe, the Employers' Confederation of
Zimbabwe (EMCOZ),and the American Business Association of
Zimbabwe (ABAZ) in conducting follow-on workshops.
9. (U) Post point of contact is econoff Frances Chisholm,
263-4-250-595, ext. 4337, chisholmfm@state.gov.
MCGEE