US embassy cable - 01HARARE2677

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 002677 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF, AF/S, AND AF/EPS 
 
USAID FOR AA/AFR, BHR/FFP, AFR/SA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, PREL, ZI 
SUBJECT: UNDP GATHERS KEY MEMBERS OF DIP CORPS; SOFT POSTURE 
TOWARD GOZ 
 
 
1.  SUMMARY. ON SEPTEMBER 6, UNDP BRIEFED DIPLOMATS ON LAND, 
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE AND ELECTIONS.  WHILE LITTLE NEW 
INFORMATION CONCERNING THE LAND AND FOOD SITUATION WAS 
PRESENTED, THE PICTURE PAINTED BY UNDP RESREP VICTOR ANGELO 
WAS BLEAK. HE WAS ENCOURAGED REGARDING VICE PRESIDENT 
MSIKA'S STATEMENTS ON THE ZJRI; HOWEVER, OTHER PARTICIPANTS 
WERE MORE SKEPTICAL.  UNDP ANNOUNCED GOZ AGREEMENT TO ENTER 
INTO DISCUSSIONS ON DEVELOPING A METHODOLOGY FOR AN 
ASSESSMENT OF THE LAND SITUATION.  THE RESREP ALSO SAID NO 
GOZ REQUEST FOR INVOLVEMENT IN THE UPCOMING PRESIDENTIAL 
ELECTIONS HAD BEEN RECEIVED AND, FURTHERMORE, THAT NO 
REQUEST WAS EXPECTED.  HE POINTED TO GOZ AGREEMENT TO ALLOW 
THE UNDP TO ESTABLISH A RELIEF AND REHABILITATION 
SECRETARIAT TO COORDINATE HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES 
 
SIPDIS 
AS THE MOST POSITIVE RECENT DEVELOPMENT.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  AT A MEETING HELD AT UNDP ON THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 6, 
SELECTED DIPLOMATS DISCUSSED THREE AGENDA ITEMS:  LAND 
RESETTLEMENT, THE HUMANITARIAN SITUATION, AND UPCOMING 
ELECTIONS.  UNDP HOSTED TWO OTHER MEETINGS THE SAME DAY, ONE 
WITH NGOS TO DISCUSS THE HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE EFFORTS AND 
ONE WITH THE SADC AMBASSADORS, PRESUMABLY WITH THE SAME 
AGENDA AS THE MEETING TO WHICH THE U.S. WAS INVITED.  THE 
U.S. WAS REPRESENTED BY THE CHARGE D'AFFAIRES AND THE USAID 
DIRECTOR. 
 
3.  ANGELO SHARED WITH PARTICIPANTS A MEMORANDUM OF 
UNDERSTANDING SIGNED BY HIMSELF AND THE PERMANENT SECRETARY 
OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.  THE MOU COVERED: (1) GOZ AGREEMENT TO 
DESIGN THE METHODOLOGY AND MECHANISMS FOR "A POSSIBLE DATA 
GATHERING MECHANISM FOR THE LAND REFORM PROGRAM"; (2) 
RECOGNITION THAT THERE ARE REQUIRED SOCIAL AND RELIEF 
ACTIVITIES "GIVEN THE CURRENT CONDITIONS OF TRANSFORMATION" 
AND THE RECENT DROUGHTS AND FLOODS; AND (3) UNDP'S AGREEMENT 
THAT, GIVEN GOZ ACCEPTANCE OF THE ZIMBABWE JOINT 
RESETTLEMENT INITIATIVE (ZJRI), UNDP "AGREED TO CONTINUE 
PROVIDING SUPPORT" FOR THE INITIATIVE "AND OTHERS THAT ARE 
AIMED AT SEEKING SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS TO SOME OF THE 
CHALLENGES FACING THE COUNTRY."  THE DISCUSSION THEN 
MOVED TO THE THREE AGENDA TOPICS. 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  02677  01 OF 02  120906Z 
 
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LAND 
---- 
 
4.  ANGELO DESCRIBED THE SITUATION IN THE COUNTRY IN BLEAK 
TERMS.  HE SAID THAT MEMBERS OF THE CFU WERE "AGAINST THE 
WALL" AND THAT NORMAL OPERATIONS, WHICH INCLUDE LAND 
PREPARATION FOR NEXT SEASON, ARE BASICALLY AT A STANDSTILL. 
FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF COMMUNAL FARMERS, WHO HAD BEEN 
"RESETTLED," LITTLE SUPPORT WAS AVAILABLE IN TERMS OF INPUTS 
AND TILLAGE.  MEANWHILE, EXTENSIVE BURNING OF PASTURES AND 
TREE CUTTING WERE UNDERWAY.  OFFICIAL FIGURES FOR THOSE 
RESETTLED TOTAL 197,617 FAMILIES, BUT ANGELO SAID ESTIMATES 
OF ACTUAL NUMBERS ARE MORE LIKELY 7,900 INDIVIDUALS. 
FURTHERMORE, WHILE PRECISE NUMBERS ARE NOT 
KNOWN, THERE ARE NOW AN ESTIMATED 25-30,000 DISPLACED FARM 
WORKERS.  WHILE THE GOZ IS CURRENTLY DE-LISTING, THE CFU 
REPORTS THAT 85% OF COMMERCIAL FARMS CURRENTLY REMAIN 
LISTED. 
 
5.  THE RESREP PRAISED THE POSITIVE STATEMENT OF VICE- 
PRESIDENT MSIKA, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE LAND TASK FORCE, 
REGARDING THE ZJRI.  THE VICE PRESIDENT SAID THE 
GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE VERIFIES THE AUTHENTICITY OF ALMOST 
1.0 MILLION HECTARES (967,452) OFFERED BY THE COMMERCIAL 
FARMERS, STATES THAT THE "WHITE COMMERCIAL FARMERS APPEAR TO 
HAVE TURNED A NEW LEAF IN THEIR ATTITUDE TOWARD THE 
GOVERNMENT LAND REFORM PROGRAM," AND OBSERVED THAT 
COMMERCIAL FARMERS HAVE COMMITTED THEMSELVES TO IDENTIFYING 
ADDITIONAL LAND AS WELL AS WITHDRAWING LEGAL CONTEXT TO 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  02677  01 OF 02  120906Z 
ACQUISITION OF SOME 410,000 HECTARES.   (NB: ALL OF THE LAND 
"OFFERED" IS ALREADY LISTED.)  THE RESREP REPORTED ON THE 
CONCRETE FINANCIAL OFFERS FOR INPUTS, TILLAGE AND FROM 
COMMERCIAL BANKS, BUT HE DID NOT ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF 
COMPENSATION FOR EITHER LAND OR IMPROVEMENTS. 
 
6.  COMMENT.  WHILE THE RESREP CHARACTERIZED MSIKA'S 
STATEMENT AS VERY HOPEFUL AND EVEN CAUTIONED DIPLOMATS BY 
SAYING, "I DON'T WANT ANY OF YOU TO TAKE THE CYNICAL VIEW 
THAT THIS IS ONLY BECAUSE OF THE ABUJA MEETING," MANY OF HIS 
INVITEES REMAINED SKEPTICAL. 
 
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HUMANITARIAN SITUATION 
---------------------- 
 
7.  ANGELO ANNOUNCED THAT THE GOZ HAS AGREED TO THE 
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE RELIEF AND REHABILITATION SECRETARIAT 
AT THE UNDP.  THIS RECONCILIATION HAD BEEN DESPITE THE FACT 
THAT DONORS HAD ALREADY MADE RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR THE 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ6362 
 
PAGE 01        HARARE  02677  02 OF 02  120906Z 
ACTION AF-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   ACQ-00   CIAE-00  DODE-00  SRPP-00 
      DS-00    UTED-00  VC-00    TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    VCE-00 
      NSAE-00  TEST-00  DSCC-00  PRM-01   NFAT-00  SAS-00     /001W 
                  ------------------1DD570  120906Z /38 
P 120850Z SEP 01 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9686 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 002677 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF, AF/S, AND AF/EPS 
 
USAID FOR AA/AFR, BHR/FFP, AFR/SA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS:  EAID, PREL, ZI 
SUBJECT: UNDP GATHERS KEY MEMBERS OF DIP CORPS; SOFT POSTURE 
TOWARD GOZ 
 
SECRETARIAT, BUT THE MOFA AGREEMENT CLEARS THE WAY FOR THE 
 
SIPDIS 
SECRETARIAT TO BEGIN WORK OFFICIALLY.  THE MANDATE AS SET 
 
SIPDIS 
FORTH IN THE MOU ALLOWS UNDP TO CONSIDER FACILITATING 
FORMATION OF A PROGRAM, TO CONTINUE CONSULTING WITH DONORS, 
AND TO STRENGTHEN ITS SUBSTANTIVE AND OPERATIONAL CAPACITY 
IN THE AREA OF RELIEF ASSISTANCE. 
 
8.  IN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS, ANGELO REMINDED DONORS THAT 
FOOD WAS ONLY ONE PART OF A HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE AND THAT 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  02677  02 OF 02  120906Z 
UNDP HAD DEVELOPED A COMPREHENSIVE FRAMEWORK.  HE CAUTIONED 
AGAINST ANYONE WORKING OUTSIDE OF THIS, NOTING THAT 
INDEPENDENT ACTIONS WOULD CREATE CONFUSION.  HE ALSO NOTED 
THAT WORKING WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK GAVE UNDP LEVERAGE TO 
NEGOTIATE THE POLICY ISSUES.  COMMENT: THIS WAS A NOT TOO 
SUBTLE PITCH FOR BILATERAL RESOURCES TO BE FUNNELED THROUGH 
UN AGENCIES.  WE ARE CONCERNED THAT THESE MECHANISMS COULD 
PROVE TO BE TOO PONDEROUS TO BE PUT IN PLACE QUICKLY AND 
THAT WE SHOULD THUS CONTINUE TO MOVE AHEAD BILATERALLY, 
WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY SEEKING WAYS TO COLLABORATE IN THE 
MULTILATERAL FRAMEWORK. 
 
9.  SEVERAL PARTICIPANTS POSED QUESTIONS.  THE JAPANESE 
AMBASSADOR STATED THAT THE GOZ HAD NOT RECOGNIZED IN THE MOU 
THAT HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE WAS NEEDED DUE TO 
A MAN-MADE CRISIS, TO WHICH THE RESREP RESPONDED BY POINTING 
TO THE LANGUAGE CONCERNING "CONDITIONS OF TRANSFORMATION," 
SAYING THAT THIS LANGUAGE WAS TACIT RECOGNITION OF THE 
CAUSES.   WHEN ASKED BY THE AMBASSADOR OF BELGIUM HOW THE 
ZJRI RELATED TO THE "FAST TRACK," THE RESPONSE WAS "WE ARE 
LIVING IN PARALLEL UNIVERSES." 
 
10.  ON THE ISSUE OF POLITICIZATION OF FOOD AID, ANGELO 
REPORTED THAT THE UN WILL NOT BE INVOLVED IN THE USE OF FOOD 
AID FOR PARTISAN PURPOSES.  HE SAID THAT THEY HAVE TOLD THE 
GOZ THIS, BUT THAT TO DATE THE RESPONSE HAS BEEN "YOU HAVE 
TO GO THROUGH US."  IN TERMS OF TOTAL REQUIREMENT, THERE WAS 
NO NEW INFORMATION ON FOOD AVAILABILITIES IN COUNTRY. 
WHILE, ANGELO WAS MORE PESSIMISTIC THAN WE ARE ABOUT THE 
WHEAT SITUATION, THE WORLD BANK RESREP INFORMED USAID 
DIRECTOR AFTER THE MEETING THAT AN ORDER FOR 100,000 MT OF 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  02677  02 OF 02  120906Z 
WHEAT HAS ALREADY BEEN PLACED IN SOUTH AFRICA. 
 
11.  ANGELO PROMISED THAT THE FIRST SITUATION REPORT FROM 
THE R&R SECRETARIAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO BOTH THE GOZ AND 
DONORS NEXT WEEK AND EVERY TWO WEEKS THEREAFTER. 
 
--------- 
ELECTIONS 
--------- 
 
12.  THE UNDP RESREP REPORTED THAT THE POLITBURO HAS ADVISED 
THE PRESIDENT THAT THEY PREFER EARLY ELECTIONS. 
ON UN'S PARTICIPATION IN THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS, THE RESREP 
SAID THAT, "THERE IS NO FORMAL REQUEST TO BE INVOLVED IN THE 
ELECTIONS AND WE DON'T EXPECT TO RECEIVE ONE.  WITHOUT SUCH 
A REQUEST THE UN WILL NOT BE INVOLVED." 
 
13.  ON THE QUESTION OF TIMING, THE RESREP SAID THAT THE UN 
REQUIRES A MINIMUM OF THREE MONTHS NOTICE.  THE BOTTOM LINE 
FOR THE UN WAS, "IT'S NOW OR NEVER."  IF A REQUEST IS NOT 
FORTHCOMING IN A MATTER OF DAYS OR A FEW WEEKS AT MOST, THE 
UN WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN ANY ELECTION OBSERVATION OR 
RELATED ELECTORAL ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES. 
 
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END COMMENT 
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14.  WHILE PARTICIPANTS APPRECIATED THE RESREP'S EFFORTS TO 
KEEP DIPLOMATS INFORMED, THERE WAS A DEGREE OF SKEPTICISM 
AMONG THE DONORS.  SEVERAL EXPRESSED POST MEETING 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  02677  02 OF 02  120906Z 
DISSATISFACTION WITH BOTH HOW THE EVENT WAS STRUCTURED (THE 
RESREP DOES 90 PERCENT OF THE TALKING WITH NO REAL GIVE-AND- 
TAKE OR OPPORTUNITY FOR POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE 
DONORS) AND SEVERAL REMARKS MADE BY THE CHAIR OF THE 
MEETING.  IN PARTICULAR, ANGELO'S CHARACTERIZATION OF 
MSIKA'S STATEMENT ON ZJRI, AND HIS CAUTION THAT THE DONORS 
"SHOULD NOT TAKE A CYNICAL VIEW OF THIS BECAUSE OF THE ABUJA 
MEETING," WAS GREETED WITH WIDESPREAD SKEPTICISM. 
 
ROTH 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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