(C) SOUTHERN AFRICA: KUDOS AND FOLLOW UP

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 096693 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/17/2034 TAGS: PINR AO BC CG LT MA MI MP MZ SF WA WZ ZA ZI SUBJECT: (C) SOUTHERN AFRICA: KUDOS AND FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS FOR REPORTING ON SADC ENGAGEMENT (C-AL9-01947) REF: GABORONE 000684 Classified By: MICHAEL P. OWENS, ACTING DIR, INR/OPS. REASON: 1.4(C). ¶1. (C) WASHINGTON ANALYSTS WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS APPRECIATION FOR GABORONE 000674, "THOUGHTS ON ENGAGING WITH SADC." THE CABLE WAS INSIGHTFUL AND TIMELY, PARTICULARLY IN LIGHT OF THE ONGOING SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY (SADC) SUMMIT IN GABORONE. ANALYSTS FOUND REFTEL,S DISCUSSION OF MEMBER STATE OPINIONS OF SADC AND THE LIKELIHOOD THAT MEMBER STATES WILL ACTIVELY PRESS FOR A MORE EMPOWERED REGIONAL BODY PARTICULARLY USEFUL. GIVEN EXTENSIVE WASHINGTON INTEREST IN SADC'S PROGRESS AND COMMITMENT TO GREATER INTEGRATION, THESE INSIGHTS WERE EXTREMEMLY VALUABLE. ¶A. (C/NF) WE ARE INTERESTED IN INFORMATION FROM OTHER SADC POSTS ON THEIR STATES' ATTITUDES TOWARDS SADC. UNDERSTANDING MEMBER STATE INTEREST IN SADC WILL BE OF GREAT VALUE IN DETERMINING THE LIKELIHOOD THAT SADC WILL MAKE SIGNIFICANT STRIDES TOWARD GREATER INTEGRATION AND COOPERATION IN THE MEDIUM TERM. AS TIME AND RESOURCES PERMIT, WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY INSIGHTS POSTS MAY PROVIDE ON THE QUESTIONS BELOW. THANK YOU. ¶B. (C/NF) DO MEMBER STATE GOVERNMENTS SHOW SIGNIFICANT INTEREST IN WORKING WITHIN THE SADC FRAMEWORK, AND ARE THEY COMMITTED TO GREATER POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC INTEGRATION AS ENVISIONED BY SADC? ¶C. (C/NF) DO MEMBER STATE GOVERNMENTS SHOW INTEREST IN REGULARLY AND QUICKLY RATIFYING AND IMPLEMENTING SADC PROTOCOLS? ¶D. (C/NF) ARE MEMBER STATE GOVERNMENTS WILLING TO COMMIT FINANCIAL RESOURCES TOWARD THE ORGANIZTION? ¶E. (C/NF) WHAT ARE POSTS' OBSERVATIONS ON MEMBER STATES' ATTITUDES TOWARD OVERLAPPING REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, SUCH AS THE COMMON MARKET FOR EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA (COMESA) AND THE EASTERN AFRICAN COMMUNITY (EAC)? ¶2. (U) PLEASE CITE C-AL9-01947 IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF REPORTING IN RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS. CLINTON