US embassy cable - 04LILONGWE267

C O N F I D E N T I A L LILONGWE 000267 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR G/TIP, PRM 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/28/2014 
TAGS: PHUM, PREF, ELTN, KCRM, MI, Human Rights/Trafficking, Refugee 
SUBJECT: IOM'S VISIT TO MALAWI: CONCERNS ABOUT TIP AND THE 
NACALA CORRIDOR 
 
REF: LILONGWE 199 
 
Classified By: POLOFF KIERA EMMONS FOR REASONS 1.5 b & d 
 
1. (U) SUMMARY.  The International Organization for Migration 
(IOM) is seeking to open a permanent office in Malawi. 
According to visiting IOM representatives, international 
human trafficking from Malawi and Mozambique via the Nacala 
corridor is the IOM's "most pressing (trafficking in persons) 
concern in the SADC region".  While we have some doubts about 
IOM's data, we welcome the opportunity to learn more about 
trafficking in persons issues in Malawi. END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (C) At a March 24 meeting, IOM representatives 
Hans-Petter Boe and Jonathan Martens told Poloff IOM's intent 
to open an office in Lilongwe is a result of Malawi's 
location along the "superhighway" of human trafficking: the 
Nacala Corridor.  (NOTE: Post views the "superhighway" 
characterization with skepticism, since the Nacala Corridor 
is primarily a freight route with sporadic and incomplete 
passenger service. Neither is Nacala a favored road outlet, 
and the low volume of goods going through the port is 
routinely cited as an impediment to its use by Malawi's 
exporters. END NOTE) When pressed, the IOM representatives 
described Nacala as the primary transit zone for smugglers 
heading to South Africa and beyond, and described Nacala's 
deepwater port as a "haven" for traffickers of all sorts, 
referring to the area's history of piracy and slave trading. 
 
3. (C) Citing Malawi and Mozambique as IOM's areas of highest 
concern in the region, Boe and Martens described their three 
day visit to Malawi as a "scouting" trip. In meetings with 
various GOM ministries, they said they'd encountered varying 
responses when presenting the issue of human trafficking as 
significant in Malawi; some officials expressed disbelief and 
denial, others offered anecdotal evidence that trafficking is 
on the increase and expressed frustration at the lack of 
action taken by the GOM.  All, however, had some level of 
awareness of TIP in Malawi, and said any assistance to combat 
the problem would be welcome. None offered any suggestion as 
to where the GOM would find IOM's 10,000 USD annual 
membership fee. 
 
4. (C) COMMENT.  Post finds IOM's Malawi-specific expertise 
to be limited. Boe and Martens' remarks regarding the Nacala 
Corridor in particular portray the need for IOM to deepen its 
knowledge of the issue in Malawi.  While a 2003 IOM report 
which was researched and compiled by contractors with little 
experience in Malawi has garnered much attention, post has 
been unable to corroborate much of the anecdotal evidence 
therein.  A general lack of GOM resources combined with a 
lack of awareness about human trafficking has contributed to 
a "no news is good news" mentality within the GOM, and 
discussions of the issue are infrequent (reftel). In this 
regard, post believes an IOM office in Malawi would likely 
result in increased awareness and serve as a strong advocate 
to combat the problem. 
BROWNING