SWEDISH SUPPORT TO THE AFRICAN GREAT LAKES REGION

C O N F I D E N T I A L STOCKHOLM 000624

SIPDIS

S/GWI MELANNE VERVEER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/30/2019
TAGS: BE EMIN MARR MCAP PGOV PHUM PREL XW ZF ZU
KPKO, KMWMN, SW
SUBJECT: SWEDISH SUPPORT TO THE AFRICAN GREAT LAKES REGION

REF: STATE 94421

Classified By: Special Envoy Howard Wolpe for
reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).


1. (U) Summary: During his one-day visit to Stockholm on
September 3, Special Envoy to the African Great Lakes Region
Howard Wolpe outlined three themes for U.S. engagement in the
Great Lakes: peace consolidation, regional economic
integration, and interstate cohesion on security issues. The
Swedes expressed enthusiasm for the visit and for Wolpe,s
appointment, and they emphasized a desire to focus on Great
Lakes issues while they hold the rotating EU presidency. End
summary.


2. (U) Great Lakes S/E Howard Wolpe was greeted warmly by the
Swedes at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs on September 3,
where meetings were arranged with Frank Belfrage, State
Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Jan Knutsson, Director-General
for Development Cooperation, Anders Hagelberg, Director of
the Africa Department, and Special Envoy to the Great Lakes
Region Lena Sundh.


3. (SBU) At each meeting, Wolpe emphasized three themes for
U.S. engagement in the region: peace consolidation, regional
economic integration, and interstate cohesion on security
issues. The Swedes expressed strong support for these themes
and for increased U.S. engagement in Africa. Hagelberg noted
that the U.S. had not been as active "as it could have been"
on the Great Lakes, but expressed hope that U.S. attention
would increase with Wolpe,s appointment. He also hailed
President Obama's Accra speech as "transformative" because it
laid out a "credible" and "principle-based" U.S.-Africa
policy.


4. (SBU) Several of Wolpe,s interlocutors argued that
African countries and China should be encouraged to play an
elevated role in the Great Lakes region. Knutsson and Sundh
urged Wolpe to tie in the Chinese, the South Africans, and
the Angolans (reported to be considering naming a special
envoy for the region) in a framework of diplomatic and aid
cooperation. Sundh cautioned that some African governments,
however, would be wary of participating if perceived as
colluding against their peers.


5. (SBU) Belfrage emphasized the Swedish desire to give
significant attention to the Great Lakes region during the
Swedish EU Presidency, though Hagelberg stated diplomatically
that the Great Lakes is one of "the more difficult
portfolios" for the EU to coordinate. Hagelberg stressed
that the U.S. also has an important position in influencing
developments in the region and noted the September 10-11
South Africa-EU summit in Cape Town, which Sweden chaired, as
an opportunity to gauge the new South African
administration's approach to the Great Lakes.


6. (C) Several of Wolpe,s interlocutors raised concerns
about democracy and governance in Rwanda. Knutsson said that
the human rights and democracy situation in Rwanda "does not
look positive," but argued that the GOS,s decision to freeze
Rwandan budget support had been constructive and "deepened
the dialogue" between the two governments. He argued that
the international community should take a more unified
approach in pressing President Joseph Kabila on good
governance in Congo. Belfrage sounded a relatively
optimistic note, saying that he expected the Rwanda-Congo
rapprochement to increase Kigali's internal confidence.
Hagelberg noted generally that corruption issues have become
"a top-line" issue in Swedish foreign policy.


7. This cable has been cleared by Special Envoy Howard Wolpe.
SILVERMAN