COOPERATION WITH THE UNITED KINGDOM IN MOZAMBIQUE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MAPUTO 001372 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREL ECON SNAR EAID UK MZ SUBJECT: COOPERATION WITH THE UNITED KINGDOM IN MOZAMBIQUE REF: SECSTATE 104670 ¶1. (U) Summary: This cable is in response to the request for post input on promoting cooperation with the United Kingdom (UK) on Africa regional issues (reftel). Mission Maputo is actively engaged with HMG in Mozambique and has longstanding cooperation efforts already underway. These efforts include bilateral projects on trafficking in persons, migrant issues, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), military assistance, and economic development. Post continues to seek areas for bilateral cooperation with both HMG's High Commission and Department for International Development (DFID). End Summary. -------------- JOINT EFFORTS ON MIGRANTS, ANTI-TRAFFICKING -------------- ¶2. (U) Mission Maputo has long been working collaboratively with HMG on Africa regional issues. Post's Small Grant's Program is currently engaged in two bilateral projects with the UK High Commission in Maputo. The first project has joint funding and participation in assisting Zimbabwean migrants in Mozambique. This project includes a comprehensive survey of the migrants and the subsequent establishment of income-generating projects. The second venture involves the production of an anti-trafficking in persons media campaign. Post and its UK counterparts are working with local music artists to produce, record, and disseminate a music recording and accompanying video which features an anti-trafficking in persons message prior to the start of the 2010 Soccer World Cup in South Africa. -------------- COLLABORATION WITH DEVELOPMENT COUNTERPARTS -------------- ¶3. (U) Mission Maputo has also been pursuing collaborative projects with DFID. The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) has signed a code of conduct with DFID for the Community Land Initiative--a program that provides assistance to communities and local businesses to help them register their land rights. This partnership has been essential in expanding the initiative to the provinces of Nampula, Zambezia and Niassa. Also, post is working with DFID to assist in formulating a clear multinational approach engaging Mozambique on the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). ¶4. (U) Both USAID and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Maputo are currently working with DFID on a variety of projects. USAID signed a partnership with DFID for collaboration on governance issues, including support for the Electoral Observatory--a civil society organization--in advance of recent national elections and a program for funding new programs in the educational sector--a recent focus of post's Country Assistance Strategy. USAID and CDC are both working with HMG on myriad components of Post's USD 250 million PEPFAR portfolio. ¶5. (U) Both the USG and HMG have committed to address the global health workers shortage. Mozambique is one of four countries where there are both high HIV burden and significant health workforce shortages. As such, PEPFAR and DFID's International Health Partnership (IHP ) are collaborating to address the health workforce shortage within the country by leveraging existing initiatives (e.g. PEPFAR) and in alignment with an ambitious accelerated human resource development plan that has been developed by the government. -------------- ONGOING MILITARY COOPERATION -------------- ¶6. (U) DAO is also engaged in ongoing collaboration with the UK to support regional security through the creation of a Mozambican Army capable of participating in international peace keeping operations. In this project, both the USG and HMG are working to upgrade the Moamba military base to increase its ability to support base logistics activities. DAO has provided USD 150,000 for this project. The DAO has also been working with its UK counterparts on establishing English language skills training for the Mozambican army in Maputo, Nampula, and Beira. This project includes the installation of more than 40 computer-based language lab stations along with materials and training for two language instructors. -------------- -------------- COMMENT: COOPERATION ROBUST, COLLABORATION EFFORT ONGOING MAPUTO 00001372 002 OF 002 -------------- -------------- ¶7. (U) Post shares the strong desire to strengthen our partnership and increase collaboration with the UK in Mozambique. Post has proactively reached out to both the UK High Commission and DFID and is currently engaged with them in numerous multi-level projects. We will continue to pursue areas of cooperation with the UK and other donors here in Mozambique in hopes that our collaborative efforts will bring about positive change. CHAPMAN