US embassy cable - 04HARARE1496

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 001496 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/S FOR BNEULING 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR C. COURVELLE, D. TEITELBAUM 
USDOC FOR AMANDA HILLIGAS, TREASURY FOR OREN WYCHE-SHAW, 
PASS USTR FOR FLORIZELLE LISER, STATE PASS USAID FOR 
MARJORIE COPSON, STATE PASS USDOI/FWS FOR RICHARD RUGGIERO 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/31/2009 
TAGS: SENV, EINV, ECON, PGOV, EAID, ZI, Land Reform 
SUBJECT: WHERE "SAVE" GOES, WILDLIFE WILL FOLLOW 
 
Classified By: [Ambassador Christopher W. Dell  for reason 1.5 d] 
 
1. (SBU) Summary: After a decade of rescuing endangered 
species, Save Valley Conservancy, the largest private 
wildlife reserve in Africa, may now be facing its own 
extinction. Land reform has encroached upon the country,s 
vast wildlife lands, including those of the Conservancy. 
GOZ,s decisions on Save will have a significant effect on 
the future of wildlife and tourism in Zimbabwe. End Summary. 
 
BACKGROUND 
----------- 
2. (SBU) Founded in 1992, Save Valley Conservancy (SVC) 
encompasses 3,420 square kilometers in southeastern Zimbabwe. 
Fourteen separate property owners from Zimbabwe, the U.S., 
Germany, Italy, and South Africa have established a 
conservancy constitution and administration. SVC has 
successfully bred many endangered species. 
 
3. (SBU) The GOZ has redistributed land to small-scale 
farmers in the southern portion of SVC, encroaching on the 
Conservancy and encircling Hammond Ranch, owned by an 
American investor, the Schenck family. The GOZ has also 
threatened nationalization of the whole conservancy, which 
would then be leased out for 25-year terms for wildlife 
resource management. This is an untenable business model for 
the present owners. The GOZ has listed and de-listed Hammond 
Ranch for acquisition on several occasions. 
 
ATTEMPTED NEGOTIATIONS 
------------------------ 
4. (SBU) SVC,s manager, Clive Stockil, has engaged with the 
GOZ to seek an agreement on how to achieve both SVC,s 
wildlife protection and GOZ,s indigenization objectives. 
 
5. (SBU) According to Stockil and the Schencks, SVC 
negotiated an indigenization plan with Special Affairs 
Minister John Nkomo. Nkomo introduced Stockil to a 
black-owned firm, Traditions. SVC was to include Traditions 
as minority partner in exchange for additional land from GOZ 
and some asset investment. The fourteen original owners were 
to retain their properties but a diminished stake in the 
incorporated conservancy. The GOZ would remove- and no longer 
resettle- A1 farmers in SVC. 
 
6. (SBU) Weldon Schenck stated the MOU was ready for 
signature when the GOZ changed its mind. The GOZ informed 
Stockil that SVC was now to negotiate with another group from 
Masvingo (where SVC is located). This new group includes 
Chief Chirumbira and a nephew of Josaya Hungwe, Masvingo,s 
hardline Zanu-PF governor. 
 
THE CURRENT SITUATION 
---------------------- 
7. (C) According to Schenck, Chirumbira and his colleagues 
want aggressive nationalization, with SVC to give up 100 
percent ownership of all interests (businesses, land, etc.) 
now and to lease back 50 percent for a 25-year period.  If 
GOZ insists on such a proposal, Schenck and others would 
simply pull out of Zimbabwe. Schenck said the SVC would not 
agree to such a proposal and is instead playing for time, 
hoping the political winds will change. 
 
8. (SBU) Schenck and others have asked diplomatic missions 
with interests in SVC to attend meetings with GOZ officials 
and make commitments regarding possible donor assistance upon 
reaching a viable negotiated settlement. While U.S. policy 
precludes holding out assistance as a carrot for the GOZ, we 
have been working closely with other interested missions. We 
have agreed to meet and compare notes every two months. 
 
COMMENT 
---------- 
9. (SBU) SVC is now a threatened species, bordering on 
endangered. If the GOZ insists on the current proposal, 
Zimbabwe,s participation in a future Transfrontier Park with 
Mozambique and South Africa will become unlikely. SVC is a 
large chunk of Zimbabwe,s contribution to this ambitious 
plan to protect endangered species. 
Dell