US embassy cable - 05GABORONE1224

C O N F I D E N T I A L  GABORONE 001224 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR AF/S MUNCY 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/25/2015 
TAGS: PINR, PGOV, BC, Bio Reports 
SUBJECT: MFA AND OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT SHUFFLE SENIOR 
STAFF 
 
REF: GABORONE 346 
 
Classified By: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES A.I. LOIS AROIAN FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) A 
ND (D) 
 
1. (C)  SUMMARY:  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and 
International Cooperation is in the midst of rotating 
several of its senior officers into new positions.  This 
movement will bring new incumbents to the offices of the 
Permanent Secretary, Deputy Permanent Secretary, and 
Director for Multilateral Affairs.  Despite his earlier 
intention to retire, the current Permanent Secretary at the 
MFA Ernest Mpofu is taking over as the new 
Permanent Secretary for Political Affairs in the Office of 
the President.  This suggests that the President and 
Vice-President place considerable confidence in Mpofu, his 
personal differences with Foreign Minister Merafhe 
notwithstanding.  Given his somewhat sympathetic 
perspective on our Zimbabwe policy, this is a welcome 
development.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (C)  Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs and International Cooperation Ernest Mpofu, who had 
earlier indicated his intention to retire soon, is slated 
to replace Ms. Tuelonyana Ditlhabi-Oliphant as Permanent 
Secretary for Political Affairs in the Office of the 
 
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President by the end of September.  Mrs. Oliphant will 
return to the MFA and take up an assignment as Ambassador 
to Zambia.  According to the Americas Desk Officer in the 
MFA Mr. Julian Mokgatle, this shift is because Mpofu and 
Foreign Minister Merafhe "are not on speaking terms."  The 
breakdown in relations between Mpofu and Merafhe had become 
so complete, he said, that the Office of the President felt 
compelled to intervene. 
 
3. (U)  Charles Thembani Ntwaagae, former Deputy Permanent 
Secretary for Foreign Affairs (1996-2000) and Permanent 
 
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Representative to the UN in Geneva (2001-2005), is expected 
to replace Mpofu as Permanent Secretary.  Ntwaagae was the 
Coordinator of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group in 
2003, the year of the failed WTO talks in Cancun.  He was 
also Chairman of the Africa Group in the last quarter of 
that same year and Chairman of the Commonwealth Developing 
Country Ambassadors Group earlier in 2005.  Ntwaagae 
participated in an International Visitors Program on "US 
Foreign Policy Decision Making" in 1999 during his stint as 
Deputy Permanent Secretary.  Before joining the Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ntwaagae was 
CEO of the National Environment Secretariat (January 1995 - 
September 1996).  His previous experience included 
assignments as Deputy Permanent Secretary of Local 
Government, Lands, and Housing (January 1993 - January 
1995), Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary in the same 
ministry (August 1992 - January 1993), District 
Commissioner in the South East District (November 1990 - 
August 1992) and in the Kgalagadi District (May 1988 - 
November 1990). 
 
4. (U)  Ntwaagae was born May 6, 1953.  He received his 
Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and Public 
Administration from the University of Botswana and 
Swaziland in 1977.  Between 1983 and 1985, Ntwaagae 
completed a Masters of Public Administration at 
Pennsylvania State University.  He is married to Elizabeth 
Mmasello Ntwaagae and has three children. 
 
5. (U)  Ntwaagae's deputy likely will be Mustaq Ahmed 
Moorad, a Motswana of South Asian origin, who is coming 
from Addis Ababa where he opened Botswana's mission to 
Ethiopia and the African Union in 2000.  He was also 
accredited to Ethiopia, Egypt, Libya, Kuwait, and the 
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.  Moorad's 
previous assignments included one as Counselor (equivalent 
to DCM) in Washington DC in the mid-1990s and Spokesperson 
of the MFA in the late 1990s. 
 
6. (U)  Botswana's Ambassador to the EU and Belgium, Sasara 
Chasala George is expected to return to Gaborone in the 
coming weeks to become the Director of Multilateral 
Affairs.  George has represented Botswana in Brussels and 
was accredited as Ambassador to France, Germany, Luxembourg 
and the Netherlands since 1996.  Previously he served as 
Botswana's High Commissioner to Zambia, Chief of Protocol 
and, in the early 1990s, Spokesperson of the MFA.  His 
other assignments included London and Stockholm. 
 
7. (C)  Ms. Tshenolo Modise, who recently left the position 
of Director for Multilateral Affairs, will exchange desks 
with George.  As Director for Multilateral Affairs, Modise 
 
 
was the MFA's point person on counter-terrorism issues and 
participated in a committee that drew up terms of reference 
for a new counter-terrorism mechanism within the GOB.  Her 
previous assignments include New York and South Africa. 
She is married to Mr. Modise Modise, Permanent Secretary 
for Development Affairs in the Office of the President, and 
her son is pursuing a bachelors degree in the US. 
 
8. (C)  COMMENT:  Mpofu's deferment of retirement is a 
welcome development since he was instrumental in quietly 
turning off some earlier discontent within the Cabinet 
regarding the IBB transmitting sation in Selebi-Phikwe. 
Mpofu is also among the enior personnel who tend to be 
understanding of ur positio regarding the Mugabe regime. 
Given hs earlier indications of imminent retirement, his 
transfer to the Office o the Presient suggests that the 
President and Vce President repose considerable trust in 
him.  I is also worth noting that MFA persnnel have 
complained that the Office of the President tends to treat 
foreign policy formulation largely as its preserve.  Although 
none of these personnel changes has been officially announced 
yet, it has been known for weeks that Mpofu was moving to the 
president's office, and contacts at the MFA have 
independently confirmed this information. 
AROIAN 
 
 
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