AMBASSADOR DELIVERS TIP REPORT TO FOREIGN

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000786 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ELAB KTIP KCRM KWMN PGOV PHUM PREL SMIG CG SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR DELIVERS TIP REPORT TO FOREIGN MINISTER REF: STATE 60622 ¶1. (U) Ambassador Garvelink was received August 25 by Foreign Minister Alexis Thambwe Mwamba in the context of an appointment the ambassador had requested to discuss a broad range of issues. Also present were diplomatic advisor Clementine Shakembo and Americas director Louis Lokosu Nkulufa. Ambassador was accompanied by DCM. ¶2. (SBU) Ambassador raised the issue of the annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report, explaining the rating system used by the USG to categorize the TIP situation throughout the world. He stressed the importance of close cooperation between the United States and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to bring about an improvement in the TIP situation in the DRC, noting specifically that the Tier 2 rating here needed to go up as quickly as possible. ¶3. (SBU) Thambwe Mwamba was receptive, expressing total agreement that every effort needed to be made to bring about an improvement in the TIP situation. He asked what specific TIP problems existed in the DRC so that the DRC's effort could be as focused as possible. The ambassador replied that the issue of child soldiers was particularly worrisome. ¶4. (SBU) Thambwe promised to work with other concerned GRDC entities to effect positive change on TIP. Ambassador left a copy of the recently issued French translation of the 2008 TIP report. GARVELINK