US embassy cable - 05GABORONE767

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 GABORONE 000767 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
 
STATE FOR AF/S - PLS PASS TO USAID 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, KHIV, BC, AGRIC, HIV and AIDS, Economy, SADC, Human Rights, Zimbabwe 
SUBJECT: REVIEWING BOTSWANA'S ELIGIBILITY FOR DEVELOPMENT 
ASSISTANCE: WPF CONFERS ON REGIONAL FOOD SECURITY AND THE 
HIV/AIDS CRISIS 
 
REF: GABORONE 00745 
 
1.  (U) Summary: In a May 30 meeting at the UNDP Resident 
Representative's office in Gaborone, Ambassador Huggins and 
visiting World Food Program's chief James Morris reviewed 
Botswana's need for development assistance in light of the 
inroads made by the HIV/AIDS crisis, and agreed that despite 
the country's middle-income status, development assistance 
was needed. Also discussed were the strains on the region's 
food security situation, with Zimbabwe's critical shortages 
having ripple effects throughout the region.  Strategies to 
combat HIV/AIDS were compared. End Summary. 
 
2. (U) On May 30, Ambassador Huggins met with James Morris 
of the World Food Program (WFP), who is also the UN's 
Special Envoy for Humanitarian Needs in Southern Africa, and 
currently touring the region.  Also present were Bjoern 
Forde, UNDP's ResRep in Gaborone, Robert Opp, WFP and Mike 
Sackett, Regional Director for Southern Africa, as well as 
Samuel Nyambi, of UNDP's Pretoria-based regional service 
center. Pol/EconOff took notes. 
 
3.  (U) The discussion commenced with Morris saluting 
Ambassador Huggins' leadership in combating the HIV/AIDS 
crisis in Botswana, and congratulating the US mission on its 
successful USD 40 million PEPFAR funding rollout, recognized 
regionally as a model program.  Ambassador Huggins responded 
by pointing out that in Botswana, functional national 
coordinating mechanisms and cooperative international 
partners exist.  The link between nutrition and stemming 
HIV/AIDS was discussed.  Morris noted that Botswana had 
implemented a highly successful school feeding program, 
UNICEF - sponsored from 1966-96, and now institutionalized 
through a GOB-funded school lunch program. 
 
----------------------------- 
Regional Food Security Issues 
----------------------------- 
 
4.  (U) The plight of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) 
in the region posed a challenge for the President's 
Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), for WFP, and for 
regional cooperation. PEPFAR, while supporting ARV therapy, 
does not address nutrition directly in combating the 
pandemic. While Namibia and Botswana graduated from food aid 
in the mid-9180s, the staggering numbers of OVCs have 
implications for the resumption of food assistance in those 
countries. In Botswana alone, although there are 
approximately 47,000 registered OVCs, the estimates are 
anywhere from 80,000 to 110,000 total at risk.  Morris asked 
whether mechanisms might exist in Botswana to carry out 
assistance programs, and UNDP's Forde suggested the Botswana 
Red Cross as a potential organization.  Ambassador Huggins 
recommended regional cooperation as essential in both this 
aspect of mitigating the impact of HIV/AIDS, as well as 
stronger regional integration generally in fighting 
HIV/AIDS.  Apart from the `Corridors of Hope' project, which 
is moribund at the moment, there is little else to point to 
on the regional level.  Morris suggested that USAID Director 
Natsios would be interested in pursuing regional initiatives 
for food relief. 
 
---------------------------- 
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished 
---------------------------- 
 
5.  (U) Ambassador Huggins brought forward the topic of 
reviewing Botswana's eligibility for development assistance. 
Botswana, often cited as a model of sound fiscal management, 
financial probity, and having achieved middle-income country 
status, is effectively punished for these attainments, 
having qualified itself out of development assistance. 
Where, asked Ambassador Huggins, is the reward? In a recent 
conversation with GOB's Minister of Finance the latter 
stated that while Botswana attained middle-income status in 
the mid-1990s, the country still needs developmental 
assistance.  The Minister commented, "You left us in the 
middle of the stream, and the currents of HIV/AIDS are now 
carrying us backwards."  Other high-ranking government 
officials, including the President, have publicly worried 
out loud about Botswana's budget shortfalls.  The recent 
devaluation of the Pula (reftel) is one response to the drop 
in dollar-denominated mineral revenues, but the trailblazing 
policy of free ARV therapy rollout to all citizens that need 
it, is eating up government surpluses, and stalling planned 
development projects.  The country at present has 22 months 
of import cover - less than the amount it had two years ago 
-- but still the reserves are a source of great national 
pride.  Botswana would be deeply reluctant, Ambassador 
Huggins stated, and Morris concurred, to deplete its foreign 
exchange reserves in order to qualify for international 
financial institutions' assistance. To reduce Botswana to 
the hand-out status of so many nations on the continent, 
would assault the national image, wipe out the 
exceptionality of Botswana, and, ultimately, punish the GOB 
for its good management.  Morris agreed that these were 
compelling arguments to bring to higher levels for policy 
dialogue. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
Leadership in Combating HIV/AIDS: `A Mile Wide; An Inch 
Deep' 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
6.  (SBU) UNDP's Bjorn Forde observed that there is 
leadership from the top in Botswana in combating HIV/AIDS, 
but Ambassador Huggins added, "Botswana's commitment below 
the Presidential level is a mile wide,  and an inch deep." 
Illustrative of this remark is the slow decision-making 
process within Botswana's bureaucracy. While funding for an 
increase in the numbers of doctors was provided by the USG, 
the GOB took two years to advertise the positions. UNDP's 
Bjorn Forde observed that he and Ambassador Huggins during 
their tenure in Botswana have worked as a team to promote 
routine testing for HIV/AIDS.  While routine testing was 
instituted January 2004, it took 21 months for the GOB to 
reach that decision. With debate within the GOB whether it 
can afford in the long-term to continue to provide free 
ARVS, a sliding scale for payment or a means test might be 
introduced, moving away from total subsidies. Post feels 
that this could  be an area where assistance from the IBRD 
might have a role to play. 
 
----------------------------------- 
Reconstructing Gender Personalities 
----------------------------------- 
 
7.  (U) Morris asked about other dimensions of the AIDS 
epidemic: what was the status of women in Botswana? 
Although a recent Marital Powers Act was passed by 
parliament that guaranteed women rights as inheritors, in 
practice women, especially the poor and those living in 
rural areas, were exploited.  Intergenerational sex with 
older men and younger women is a major cause of HIV/AIDS 
infection.  The GOB, however, is reluctant to make this a 
focus, let alone tackle it head-on.  Gender personalities 
would have to be deconstructed and reassembled: a challenge 
beyond government. 
 
---------------------------- 
. . . And, Finally, Zimbabwe 
---------------------------- 
 
8. (SBU) Morris stated he would visit Zimbabwe in the coming 
week, to discuss food assistance with the GOZ.  Because food 
would have to be mobilized so late into the impending food 
insecurity crisis, Morris said, I have a sense we're going 
to be in a heck of a mess.  Three weeks ago, he stated, the 
GOZ still assured the world no food assistance was required. 
That has changed but mobilizing needed food shipments would 
be difficult.  Morris said he would have to obtain GOZ 
permission for a quick assessment of the needs - one was 
started some months ago but halted on GOZ order.  WFP 
assessment is that at least several hundred thousand tons of 
food will be needed.  The bright spot was that RSA's grain 
surpluses were affordable, and nearby.  Mechanisms of 
distribution would be crucial, such as Zimbabwe' Grain 
Marketing Board.  Morris said early GOZ indications were 
that NGO distribution would be acceptable. Even if the MDC 
would be allowed to distribute food, it would not have the 
capacity, according to Morris. 
 
9.  (U) Discussion then turned on the strains the Zimbabwe 
crisis has on Botswana's society and economy. To repatriate 
border jumpers (there were 36,000 returned Zimbabweans in 
2004) is costing Botswana huge amounts of money.  The number 
of illegal Zimbabweans employed in the country is by its 
nature not statistically known, but has a major impact. 
 
10.  (U) Comment:  WFP's James Morris agreed that the status 
of Botswana as ineligible for development assistance should 
be reviewed.  The combination of factors- dwindling 
revenues, expanding costs due to combating HIV/AIDS -- has 
stalled many development projects outlined in Botswana's 
Ninth National Development Plan.  Regional policy dialogues 
and regionally evolved strategies are essential to fight the 
disease and to provide food security. End comment 
 
HUGGINS