SADC SUSPENDS MADAGASCAR, CONTEMPLATES ZIMBABWE

C O N F I D E N T I A L MBABANE 000086


STATE FOR AF/E (MBEYZEROV),AF/S (MJWILLS, MHARRIS,
EPELLETREAU),AF/RSA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/31/2013
TAGS: PREL SADC KDEM AU WZ ZI
SUBJECT: SADC SUSPENDS MADAGASCAR, CONTEMPLATES ZIMBABWE
BAIL-OUT

REF: A. (A) MBABANE 81

B. (B) STATE 029453

Classified By: Ambassador Maurice Parker, Reasons 1.4(b) and (d)


1. (U) SUMMARY: On March 30, ten Southern African Development
Community (SADC) Heads of State met in Swaziland for an
Extraordinary Summit to discuss the coup d'etat of former
Madagascar President Ravalomanana and a 10 Billion USD
Short-Term Emergency Recovery Program (STERP) for Zimbabwe.
SADC suspended Madagascar's membership with immediate effect
and urged the international community not to recognize the
government of Andry Rajoelina. It called upon the de facto
leader to vacate the office of the President to pave way for
the unconditional reinstatement of President Ravalomanana.
Former President Ravalomanana was present at the Summit. The
Heads of State also endorsed the STERP package proposed by
the Government of Zimbabwe, has given member countries two
weeks to pledge their individual level of funding support,
and called on nations to lift all sanctions on the Government
of Zimbabwe (GOZ). SADC member states also plan to campaign
for international donors to fund the STERP. END SUMMARY


2. (U) On March 30, King Mswati III hosted the Extraordinary
Summit of SADC Heads of State at Lozitha Royal Palace to
discuss the coup d'etat of former Madagascar President
Ravalomanana and a financial recovery package for Zimbabwe.
Head of states attendees included: Democratic Republic of the
Congo President Kabila, Lesotho Prime Minister Mosisili,
Malawi President Mutharika, Mauritius Prime Minister
Ramgoolam, Mozambique President Guebuza, South African
President Motlanthe, Tanzanian President Kikwete, Zambian
President Banda, Zimbabwean President Mugabe, and former
Madagascar President Ravalomanana. Foreign Ministers from
South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and Angola also attended.
The Extraordinary Summit decided not to recognize Rajoelina
as president of Madagascar and suspended Madagascar's SADC
membership. The summit called for the unconditional
reinstatement of Ravalomana and constitutional rule of law,
renewing the call of the Organ of Politics, Defense, and
Security Cooperation's March 19 communique for the
international community not to recognize the Rajoelina
government. The communique did not detail the potential
penalties for Madagascar's non-compliance.


3. (U) SADC's March 30 communique urged all member states to
participate in a dedicated campaign to advocate for
international donor agencies and financial institutions to
fund the STERP. SADC member states' diplomatic missions and
the newly formed Coordination Committee, comprised of SADC
Finance Ministers, are to visit major capitals in Europe,
Asia and America, as well as the major financial
institutions, to campaign for international funding for
Zimbabwe's proposed 10 billion USD recovery package. SADC
repeated the February 27 SADC Council of Ministers' meeting
message for the international community to ease or lift all
sanctions on Zimbabwe.


4. (C) COMMENT: While Embassy questions whether SADC will be
successful in raising the ten billion USD STERP to support
Zimbabwe's economic recovery proposal, we are impressed that
the Heads of State communique on issues regarding the crisis
in Madagascar are generally consistent with the actions
proposed in Reftel B. It is noted that the Swazi media, in
reviewing the communique, has focused on what they consider
"hypocritical actions of SADC" regarding Madagascar, in
contrast to SADC's continuing tolerance for the actions taken
by President Mugabe and ZANU-PF.

Embassy contacts have not been available for comment since
the conclusion of the Summit, which reportedly ended at 11:00
PM Monday. Any additional information regarding behind-
the-scenes discussions will be reported soonest.

PARKER