HUMANITARIAN DEMINING IN MOZAMBIQUE MAKING

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MAPUTO 000536

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KHDP PGOV PREL ECON MASS EAGR KPKO MZ
SUBJECT: HUMANITARIAN DEMINING IN MOZAMBIQUE MAKING
EXCELLENT PROGRESS

REF: 07 MAPUTO 1048

MAPUTO 00000536 001.2 OF 002



1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Mozambique, once one of the most heavily
mined-countries in the world, is making excellent progress
towards its stated goal of being mine-impact free by 2014.
USG and other nations provide substantial financial support
for demining efforts. Humanitarian demining has received top
priority and, as a result, the four Northern provinces now
are mine-impact free. Commercial demining is financed by the
private sector and the Government of Mozambique (GRM);
although large tracts of land have been cleared, commercial
demining is proceeding more slowly than humanitarian
demining. Humanitarian mine impact free areas quickly become
productive again, turning into farms, commercial centers, and
homes while commercially de-mined railways and roads assist
economic growth. The last remaining large humanitarian
demining project, the border between Mozambique and Zimbabwe,
will be surveyed this year.

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HUMANITARIAN DEMINING ON TRACK TO BE COMPLETE IN 2014
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2. (SBU) Mozambique is a signatory of the Ottawa
Convention, initially promising to be humanitarian
mine-impact free by 2009. Although significant USG and donor
support has been provided, the problem was larger than
anticipated. During the June 2008 Mine Ban States Parties
Intersessional Standing Committee meeting Mozambique
requested and received a 5-year extension to complete the
humanitarian de-mining, to 2014. It appears that, with
sufficient donor support, the goal will be reached.


3. (SBU) In 2007 The HALO Trust, an international
humanitarian de-mining NGO, completed 14 years of clearance
operations in the north and with a final survey of every
community in Niassa, Cabo Delgado, Zambezia and Nampula,
provinces, the northern half of Mozambique has no known
minefields remaining. In the central and southern sections
of Mozambique, a mines problem still exists and in 2007, at
the request of the GRM and several donors, HALO conducted an
assessment of the remaining mine threat with recommended
solutions and cost estimates. The assessment was completed
in October 2007 with a recommended operational strategy at an
annual budget of about $5 million to make Mozambique mine
impact-free by 2014. The USG's planned contribution of $2M
annually to support this strategy has engendered significant
support from other donor nations. The HALO Trust reports a
high level of confidence that several donors (including
Japan, UK, and Ireland) will contribute to the remaining 60%
of the annual project budget. The GRM, in response, has
increased its financial commitment to humanitarian demining.

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COMMERCIAL DEMINING REAPS DIRECT FINANCIAL BENEFITS
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4. (SBU) Commercial demining is carried out primarily by
commercial enterprises and the GRM. However, most of the
Sena Railway clearance from Beira to the Malawi border was
conducted by RONCO Consulting Corporation between 2002 and
2006 under a humanitarian demining contract to the Department
of State (PM/WRA). The Sena rail line now stands ready to
carry significant amounts of goods and passengers with
resulting income for this relatively undeveloped area of
Mozambique. The railway between the South African border at
Lembobo and Maputo recently re-opened after being de-mined,
opening yet another method of transporting goods cheaply and
easily between the two countries. Although there are
numerous commercial sites yet to be de-mined, the most import
is the power transport pylons which run from the border with
South Africa into Maputo and carry most of the electricity
for the capital city. After the U.S. DoD completed training
with the FADM demining unit in 1999, military deminers
cleared access corridors to most of the pylons but as the
pylons age and require extensive maintenance, full access
and, thus, full mine clearance, becomes vital. Although the
GRM has stated clearance of the pylons to be a top commercial
demining priority, no full plan has been put forth to address
the problem. (Note: The Maputo to Ressano Garcia pylons
corridors are being done by HALO, not a commercial
contractor. HALO did a technical survey and with other donor
funding currently has 10 manual demining sections and 2
mechanical support teams working on it. End Note)


MAPUTO 00000536 002 OF 002


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ZIMBABWEAN BORDER CLEARING: THE LAST FRONTIER
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5. (SBU) The last major humanitarian de-mining challenge
is the border between Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Although both
sides of the border are heavily mined, Mozambican efforts are
focused solely on the de-mining of the Mozambican side. The
extent of the project will be known later this year when HALO
Trust completes its USG funded survey. The border will,
literally, be walked by teams, identifying mined areas and
establishing priority areas that will most benefit from
demining. No funding has yet been committed to this demining
project.

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USG ALSO BUILDS INTERNAL CAPACITY
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6. (SBU) The USG's commitment to demining in Mozambique
goes beyond financial support of NGOs. A recently-completed
USG funded multi-year project resulted in a fully-trained,
fully equipped cadre of Mozambican Army (FADM) de-miners.
Partnering with the FADM, the USG provided trainers and
resources for specially selected members of the army who were
trained in the techniques of demining. An additional group
received further training and now serves as trainers, capable
of teaching new members as they join the corps. While it is
unlikely the FADM demining unit will make any significant
contribution to priority humanitarian projects, equipment and
materials sufficient for 100 de-miners, all provided by the
USG, is located with the FADM demining corps at its base near
Maputo. The corps is assigned duties by the military and
potentially could be used to participate in a Mozambican PKO
operation in Africa.

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COMMENT: CONTINUED USG LEAD ON DEMINING NEEDED
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7. (SBU) Assisting Mozambique in becoming mine-impact free
by 2014 will result in economic and psychological progress,
allowing greater access to its borders, roads, rail lines,
and high-tension pylons, while at the same time helping
Mozambicans to forget these last reminders of a brutal civil
war. The USG's position as a high profile supporter of
humanitarian demining efforts in Mozambique has not gone
unnoticed. Other donors often follow the U.S. lead in
demining with our leadership role noted both by the GRM and
UNDP. If the USG
is not represented, attendees want to know why and may assume
an implied disapproval of the matters under discussion, and
potentially a reallocation of funds away from this vital
initiative. The USG is in a unique position to assure the
financially responsible, timely completion of humanitarian
demining in Mozambique.
Chapman