US embassy cable - 01HARARE488

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000488 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR 
LONDON FOR GURNEY 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS 
PASS USAID FOR AFR/SA C. PALMA 
PASS USTR FOR AFRICA DESK 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/24/2011 
TAGS: PREL, EAGR, EAID, EAGR, EAID, ZI 
SUBJECT: POSITIVE ANSWER TO MALLOCH BROWN LETTER 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
 
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EXPECTED 
 
REF: 00 HARARE 6981 
 
CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR 
REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
1.  (SBU) SUMMARY: THE UNDP RESREP IN HARARE INFORMED 
HEADS OF MISSION AND AID DIRECTORS JANUARY 23 THAT THE 
GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE (GOZ) HAS NOT YET RESPONDED TO 
THE UNDP ADMINISTRATOR'S LETTER TO PRESIDENT MUGABE ON 
BREAKING THE LAND REFORM IMPASSE, BUT EXPECTS A RESPONSE 
SOON.  THE RESREP BELIEVES THAT GOZ TECHNOCRATS ARE 
DEVISING A POSITIVE RESPONSE TO THE LETTER, AND THAT THE 
GOZ LEADERSHIP IS CONSIDERING ALTERNATIVE LAND PROGRAMS. 
THE COMMERCIAL FARMERS UNION (CFU) IS PULLING TOGETHER A 
NEW TEAM TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE GOZ ON WAYS TO HAND OVER 
FIVE MILLION HECTARES OF LAND FOR RESETTLEMENT IN AN 
ORDERLY WAY.  THE RESREP'S SUNNY APPRAISAL OF THE LAND 
REFORM SITUATION DID NOT SIT WELL WITH MOST OF THE 
DONORS, AND CALLS INTO QUESTION THE UNDP'S UNDERSTANDING 
OF THE LAND SITUATION HERE.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (SBU) THE UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (UNDP) 
RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE IN HARARE, VICTOR ANGELO, 
CONVENED A MEETING OF HEADS OF MISSION AND AID DIRECTORS 
JANUARY 23 TO INFORM THEM THAT THE ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT 
HAD NOT YET RESPONDED TO THE LETTER UNDP ADMINISTRATOR 
MARK MALLOCH-BROWN SENT TO PRESIDENT MUGABE ON DECEMBER 
15 (REFTEL).  ANGELO ADDED THAT HE EXPECTED AN ANSWER 
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SOON, PERHAPS BY THE END OF THE WEEK OF JANUARY 29, AS 
HE HAD TOLD SEVERAL SENIOR GOVERNMENT INTERLOCUTORS THAT 
IT WAS URGENTLY NEEDED IN ORDER FOR DONORS TO UNDERSTAND 
WHAT THE ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT WANTED NEXT AND WHAT KIND 
OF ENGAGEMENT IT WOULD LIKE.  BASED ON HIS SOUNDINGS OF 
THE "TECHNICAL PEOPLE," THE UNDP RESREP EXPECTED A 
"POSITIVE RESPONSE," AS THE TECHNOCRATS WISH THE DONORS 
TO PERCEIVE THE ANSWER AS A SIGNAL THAT THE ZIMBABWEAN 
GOVERNMENT WANTS TO RE-ENGAGE.  HE CONTINUED THAT HE HAD 
PROMPTED THESE INTERLOCUTORS TO INCLUDE IN THE RESPONSE 
A COUPLE OF PARAGRAPHS DEALING WITH GENERAL ISSUES 
(E.G., THE RULE OF LAW).  HE TOLD THEM THAT THEY SHOULD 
PICK A COUPLE OF PROPOSALS FROM THE MALLOCH-BROWN LETTER 
THAT ARE EASILY IMPLEMENTED AS A START AND INCLUDE 
LANGUAGE THAT PROMOTES INTERNAL DIALOGUE, A CREDIBLE 
INFORMATION SYSTEM, A TECHNICAL SUPPORT UNIT WITHIN 
UNDP, AND SIGNALS CLEAR SUPPORT FOR BOTH COMPLEMENTARY 
APPROACHES AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR INITIATIVE. 
 
3.  (SBU) ANGELO CHARACTERIZED "COMPLEMENTARY 
APPROACHES" (TO LAND RESETTLEMENT) AS "LOCAL-LEVEL 
INITIATIVES" DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED IN A HIGHLY 
PARTICIPATORY MANNER BY CONCERNED DISTRICT/VILLAGE 
STAKEHOLDERS.  (NOTE: COMPLEMENTARY APPROACHES HAVE BEEN 
PROPOSED AND SUPPORTED BY DONORS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS 
SINCE THE 1998 DONORS' LAND CONFERENCE AS ALTERNATIVE 
RESETTLEMENT MODELS TO GOVERNMENT'S MORE RIGID, 
CENTRALLY-ADMINISTERED APPROACHES TO THIS ISSUE.  THEY 
HAVE MET WITH ONLY MIXED RESULTS TO DATE.  THEY ARE SEEN 
BY SOME KEY PLAYERS AS A POSSIBLE MECHANISM FOR BREAKING 
THE CURRENT IMPASSE THROUGH A LIMITED RE-ENGAGEMENT BY 
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DONORS IN SPECIFIC, MUTUALLY-ACCEPTED SCHEMES.  HOWEVER, 
TO DATE, GOVERNMENT HAS YET TO APPROVE ANY SUCH 
ALTERNATIVES TO ITS CURRENT "FAST-TRACK" PROGRAM. END 
NOTE.) 
 
4.  (SBU) THE PRIVATE SECTOR INITIATIVE (PSI) IS ANOTHER 
"ALTERNATIVE" PLAN DEVELOPED BY KEY LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS, 
INCLUDING THE NON-GOVERNMENTAL LEADERSHIP OF THE LAND 
TASK FORCE OF THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC CONSULTATIVE FORUM 
(NECF).  THE NECF IS AN IMPORTANT TRIPARTITE FORUM THAT 
HAS BEEN LARGELY SIDELINED SINCE THE FARM INVASIONS AND 
THE BEGINNING OF THE FAST-TRACK PROGRAM.  IT FOCUSES ON 
FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS UNDERTAKEN BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR FOR 
THE ACQUISITION AND RESETTLEMENT OF AN INITIAL TRANCHE 
OF 200 FARMS.  ALTHOUGH SERIOUS CONCERNS REMAIN 
REGARDING THE ALTERNATIVE PLAN, INCLUDING THE DEGREE OF 
GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT AND CONTROL, AND ITS FAILURE TO 
ADDRESS THE RULE OF LAW, THE PSI IS INCREASINGLY FAVORED 
WITHIN GOZ CIRCLES, WITH A CABINET-LEVEL REVIEW 
SCHEDULED FOR MID-FEBRUARY. 
 
5.  (SBU) THE COMMERCIAL FARMERS UNION (CFU) AND THE 
ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT BELIEVE IT IS NECESSARY TO SIT 
AROUND THE TABLE AND AGREE ON A WAY FORWARD, ANGELO TOLD 
US.  THE CFU HAS A FOUR-MEMBER TEAM LED BY DAVID IRVINE, 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ2145 
 
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ACTION AF-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AGRE-00  AID-00   ACQ-00   CIAE-00  COME-00 
      DODE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    EB-00    EUR-00   VC-00    HHS-01 
      H-01     SSA-01   TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    L-00     VCE-00 
      AC-01    NSAE-00  OES-01   OIC-02   OMB-01   PA-00    PM-00 
      PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     SP-00    STR-00   TRSE-00  USIE-00 
      R-00     PMB-00   DSCC-00  DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00 
        /010W 
                  ------------------BAE5AE  241250Z /38 
P 241247Z JAN 01 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8066 
INFO NSC WASHDC PRIORITY 
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 000488 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR 
LONDON FOR GURNEY 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS 
PASS USAID FOR AFR/SA C. PALMA 
PASS USTR FOR AFRICA DESK 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/24/2011 
TAGS: PREL, EAGR, EAID, UNDP, ZI 
SUBJECT: POSITIVE ANSWER TO MALLOCH BROWN LETTER 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  00488  02 OF 02  241249Z 
EXPECTED 
 
A POULTRY PRODUCER.  THE TEAM MEMBERS ARE NOT MEMBERS OF 
THE CFU EXECUTIVE, BUT HAVE "FULL CARTE BLANCHE" TO 
DISCUSS THE ORDERLY TRANSFER OF 5 MILLION HECTARES OF 
COMMERCIAL FARMLAND TO THE GOVERNMENT.  THE GOVERNMENT 
IS NOT YET READY TO NEGOTIATE WITH THIS GROUP, ANGELO 
CONCEDED.  ANGELO INDICATED THAT THERE HAD BEEN SOME 
DISCUSSION ABOUT CONSOLIDATING THIS NEW COMMITTEE WITHIN 
THE PSI, OR (MORE LOGICALLY) PURSING BOTH OF THESE 
INITIATIVES UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE NECF LAND TASK 
FORCE.  HOW THIS SHAKES OUT WILL BECOME CLEARER OVER THE 
NEXT FEW WEEKS, HE REMARKED. 
 
6.  (C) FINALLY, THE UNDP RESREP ADVISED THAT HIS AGENCY 
HAD BEEN WORKING ON A PREPAREDNESS PLAN, IN THE EVENT 
ALL ITS EFFORTS COME TO NOUGHT AND A HUMANITARIAN CRISIS 
EMERGES.  THE PLAN WILL BE DISCUSSED WITH DONORS AT THE 
TECHNICAL LEVEL ON FEBRUARY 7.  WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE 
UNDP RULE OF LAW MISSION THAT WAS TO HAVE FOLLOWED THE 
OCTOBER TECHNICAL MISSION, A FLUSTERED ANGELO RESPONDED 
THAT ONE WAS IN TOWN, KEEPING A VERY LOW PROFILE.  HE 
WOULD NOT ELABORATE ITS MANDATE EXCEPT TO SAY THAT HE 
CHARACTERIZED IT AS "OPENING DIALOGUE" ON THIS THORNY 
SUBJECT. 
 
7.  (C) COMMENT: ANGELO STRAINED HIS CREDIBILITY WITH 
THIS MEETING.  MOST HEADS OF MISSION EXPRESSED OPEN 
SKEPTICISM ABOUT THE UTILITY OF HIS QUEST, WITH ONE 
AMBASSADOR NOISILY WALKING OUT IN APPARENT DISGUST WITH 
THE RESREP'S SUNNY ACCOUNT OF GOVERNMENT INTENTIONS.  AT 
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THIS POINT, PEOPLE APPEAR FAR MORE INTERESTED IN ACTIONS 
RATHER THAN WORDS OR INTENTIONS, FOLLOWING REPEATED 
PUBLIC ASSURANCES THAT HAVE ENDED IN BROKEN PROMISES AND 
DASHED HOPES AND EXPECTATIONS.  TACTICALLY, IT MAY HAVE 
BEEN MORE USEFUL FOR THE UNDP RESREP TO HAVE 
DISSEMINATED THE GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE AND THEN CALL FOR 
A MEETING TO DISCUSS IT, ESPECIALLY IF IT WAS SIGNED BY 
MUGABE HIMSELF.  END COMMENT. 
 
IRVING 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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