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