US embassy cable - 05HARARE1147

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 001147 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/S FOR B. NEULING 
SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR C. COURVILLE 
ROME PLEASE PASS TO USUN ROME 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/17/2015 
TAGS: EAID, ECON, PGOV, PHUM, PREL, ZI, Food Assistance 
SUBJECT: GOCHE TELLS AMBASSADOR HALL FOOD SITUATION IN 
HAND, AGAIN REJECTS APPEAL 
 
REF: HARARE 000773 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires, a.i. Eric T Schultz under Section 1.4 
 b/d 
 
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Summary 
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1.  (C) Minister of Public Service, Labor and Social Welfare 
Nicolas Goche told visiting USUN Rome Ambassador Hall on 
August 12 that Zimbabwe needed 1.2 million MT of food this 
year but that the GOZ had contracts for sufficient deliveries 
from South Africa.  Ambassador Hall questioned whether the 
GOZ had sufficient resources to pay for the food imports and 
noted that the GOZ,s current message would be unlikely to 
elicit further contributions from the U.S. or other donors. 
He suggested the GOZ issue a clearer statement of need. 
Goche categorically refused to issue such an appeal, 
repeating the GOZ line that donors were welcome to send aid, 
so long as it complemented government efforts.  Goche also 
defended Operation Restore Order, but said it was now over. 
End Summary. 
 
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Goche: &Food Is Coming8 
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2.  (C) Ambassador Tony Hall and his delegation, accompanied 
by CDA and USAID Director, met with Minister Goche on August 
12 during the Ambassador,s three-day visit to assess 
Zimbabwe,s food and humanitarian situation (Septel). 
Ambassador Hall noted that the number of food insecure people 
in the country could be as many as 5 million and asked Goche 
for an overview of the situation.  Goche responded that an 
April GOZ assessment had forecast a 1.2 million MT deficit. 
However, the GOZ had successfully secured favorable 
contracts, mostly with South African suppliers, to cover the 
shortfall and to create a 600,000 MT strategic reserve.  The 
minister said some logistical hurdles remained, chiefly due 
to the continuing fuel shortage, while shipments from Maputo 
were delayed due to a railway problem.  He said shipments had 
peaked in June and then fallen off in July but that he 
expected total food imports would average between 80,000 and 
100,000 MT per month once the transportation problems were 
ironed out.  Goche noted that GOZ had wanted to import 35,000 
MT a week of which 5,000 would go into reserves, but that had 
not proved feasible. 
 
3. (C) When asked by the Ambassador whether he thought that 
Zimbabweans were in good shape, the minister replied 
affirmatively.  Ambassador Hall responded that he had spent 
that morning at Hatcliffe Farm where he had met with victims 
of Operation Restore Order.  These people were hungry now and 
had asked for food and blankets.  Zimbabwe had visibly 
declined economically since his last visit in 2002 and 
Ambassador Hall questioned whether the GOZ had adequate 
resources to pay for the imports.  Goche responded that the 
GOZ would get the necessary funds as it was the government,s 
&first responsibility8 to feed its people. 
 
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Flatly Rejects Aid Appeal 
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4. (C) Ambassador Hall said he would report back to 
Washington and Rome that the GOZ felt it had the food 
situation under control.  He said he hoped that this was 
really the case as the GOZ message was not one that would 
likely elicit further food donations.  A clear statement of 
need would better serve the interests of the Zimbabwean 
people.  Goche told the Ambassador that he did not have the 
authority to write a formal request and would not do so, 
&just as simple as that.8  He said he resented the 
implication that outsiders cared more for the Zimbabwean 
people than their own government and added that the GOZ was 
well aware it was not the &darling8 of the international 
community. 
 
5. (C) Goche said foreign assistance efforts must complement 
GOZ initiatives, &not the other way around.8  To this end, 
the minister said the GOZ would welcome assistance from 
&those with goodwill.8  Ambassador Hall said it seemed that 
donors had to beg the GOZ to let them help the Zimbabwean 
people.  The Charge added that the U.S. was committed to 
helping feed the Zimbabwean people but warned that if food 
imports began to lag it would take several months at least or 
U.S. food assistance to reach Zimbabwe. 
 
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NGO Efforts Not Being Impeded 
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6. (C) Ambassador Hall raised reports that the government was 
preventing NGOs from importing and distributing food aid. 
Goche responded that the reports were inaccurate.  He said 
there was only one South African NGO that had been delayed 
because it had only recently applied for an import permit, 
which his ministry was in the process of providing.  Goche 
asked for formal notification of such problems and said that 
his ministry would look into them.  He added that the GOZ and 
WFP were in the process of concluding an MOU that would 
govern UN activities. 
 
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Says Restore Order Over, New Homes Being Built 
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7. (C) Goche raised Operation Restore Order at the end of the 
meeting, saying that it had restored law and order to 
Zimbabwean cities.  He now felt safe enough to drive his car 
to work in downtown Harare.  Responding to Ambassador Hall,s 
question regarding the status of the Operation, Goche said it 
was over, save for those areas where people had returned to 
&illegal activities.8  The minister highlighted Operation 
Garikai, the government plan to build homes for those 
displaced, claiming that 29 new homes were being built every 
two days.  Nine teams, each headed by a minister, had been 
created to oversee rebuilding in various parts of the 
country.  Goche reported that he was very satisfied with 
process in Bulawayo, the area for which he is responsible. 
 
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Comment 
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8.  (C) After the meeting with Goche, Ambassador Hall said it 
was as difficult a meeting as many he had in North Korea. 
Despite Hall,s humanitarian mission, Goche was defensive and 
hostile, in marked contrast to his cordial meeting with 
Ambassador Dell last May on the same subject (Reftel).  The 
change in tone would seem to be further proof that the 
international outcry over Operation Restore Order and 
especially the UN report, have hit the GOZ hard.  Based on 
Goche,s response to Ambassador Hall, there appears to be 
virtually no chance that the GOZ will come clean about its 
food needs and issue a clear statement.  In the absence of 
such a statement, we and other donors will have to continue 
to support the Zimbabwean people indirectly, through the WFP 
regional appeal or through support to local and regional 
NGOs. 
 
9. (U) USUN Rome cleared this message. 
SCHULTZ