US embassy cable - 03HARARE1185

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 001185 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF, AF/S, DRL, EB/IFD 
NSC FOR SENIOR DIRECTOR FRAZER 
STATE PASS USAID 
STATE PASS EXIM/OPIC 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/01/2005 
TAGS: EAID, PGOV, ECON, EFIN, KDEM, PHUM, PREL, SENV, SOCI, ZI 
SUBJECT: ASSISTING ZIMBABWE AFTER DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS 
 
REF: HARARE 1130 
 
Classified By: Econchief William Weissman.  Reason: 1.5 (b/d). 
 
1. (c) Summary: This message provides recommendations for 
U.S. assistance to a reformist, democratically-elected 
government.  These recommendations go well beyond the 
assistance we recommended for a transition government in 
reftel. End summary. 
 
2. (c) Reftel outlined programs and activities we think 
should be put in place quickly if a genuinely reformist 
transition government takes office.  We also highlighted 
obstacles to be cleared before offering assistance during the 
transition.  Today's message takes the process a step 
further, providing a more complete list of assistance 
programs and activities to help consolidate a democratic 
government committed to reform.  We envision that most 
programs would be implemented only after a 
democratically-elected government takes office, but believe 
this supplemental list might also become important for 
planning purposes during the transition phase.  Moreover, it 
is useful for the USG to begin to consider what will be 
required during the entire democratic and economic 
reconstruction process. 
 
3. (c) Key elements of the supplementary programs and 
activities include: 
 
-- Democracy 
o Seek presidential finding on Zimbabwe return to 
rule-of-law/democracy 
o Increase funding for parliamentary spending ($1 million) 
o Seek appropriation of Zimbabwe Democracy Act (ZDERA) 
authorized funds to rebuild democratic institutions ($5 
million) 
o Fund church and civil society dialogue and reconciliation 
programs ($3 million) 
o Provide judicial training, including arbitration and 
mediation ($2.5 million/yr) 
o Expand current pilot programs for local governance 
nationwide ($2.5 million/yr) 
o Continue civil society strengthening ($2 million/yr) 
 
-- Humanitarian/Agriculture/Land Reform 
o Expand food assistance, shifting to food-for-work and/or 
food-for-peace as market conditions permit. ($80 million) 
o Support private sector food importation with foreign 
exchange facility or in-kind contributions ($20 million) 
o Expand funding for additional larger-sized drip irrigation 
kits ($3 million) 
o Provide technical assistance support for land reform 
rationalization activities such as audit, policy reform and 
reallocation from ZDERA authorized, but not appropriated, 
funds. ($15 million) 
 
-- Health Sector 
o Provide additional HIV/AIDS funding for prevention of 
mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT), voluntary counseling 
and testing (VCT) and anti-retroviral therapy (ARV) 
interventions ($25 million/yr) 
o Add Zimbabwe to 14 core countries targeted for presidential 
initiative in HIV/AIDS 
o Provide support to National AIDS Council ($3 million) 
o Support Ministry of Health national AIDS and TB Unit ($5 
million) 
o Explore access to enhanced USG and Global Fund HIV/AIDS 
resources 
o Provide assistance for Zimbabwe to bring immunizations up 
to World Health Organization standards 
 
-- Trade/Energy 
o Fund independent macroeconomic reform program to create 
environment conducive to growth, privatization and 
investment, including transformation of parastatals NOCZIM 
and ZESA into regulatory bodies ($50 million over 5 years) 
o Grant full AGOA access to Zimbabwe 
o Provide full ExIm Bank and OPIC cover for Zimbabwe while 
encouraging loans for new hydroelectric projects 
o Organize an OPIC investment mission 
o Advocate for Zimbabwean participation in the Southern 
African Customs Union 
o Expand microenterprise assistance ($2.5 million) 
o Resume USCS-sponsored trade delegations and participation 
in Zimbabwean trade fairs 
-- Multilateral Outreach 
o Coordinate international financing for a bridge loan, 
through the Treasury Department's Economic Stabilization Fund 
or other means on the U.S. side, to enable the International 
Monetary Fund and World Bank to reengage Zimbabwe. 
o Enact full Paris Club rescheduling 
o Explore debt relief for Zimbabwe as stipulated in ZDERA, 
possibly through heavily-indebted poor countries (HIPC) 
funding 
o Encourage prompt EU and international financial 
institutions (IFI) reengagement 
 
-- Bilateral Outreach 
o Lift targeted travel and financial sanctions 
o Engage in high-level visits in both directions 
o Resume Peace Corps program 
o Include Zimbabwe in Regional Center for Southern Africa 
(RCSA) and other pertinent USG-funded regional initiatives 
 
-- Military/Security 
(Note:  Assitance only directed toward those without 
histories of human rights violations.) 
o Restore full International Military Exchange Training 
(IMET) complement ($200,000) 
o Resume Zimbabwe's Joint Combined Exercise Training (JCET) 
participation 
o Grant Foreign Military Financing (FMF) funds for spares, 
equipment and training ($500,000) and deliver biodiversity 
small boats 
o Provide support to restart Southern African Development 
Community Peacekeeping Operation (PKO) training center in 
Harare ($1 million) 
o Invite Zimbabwe to participate in International Law 
Enforcement Academy (ILEA) and other USG law enforcement 
training 
o Allocate Nonproliferation, Anti-Terrorism, Demining and 
Related Programs (NADR) Funds ($100,000) 
o Facilitate visit of EUCOM general/flag officer 
 
4. (c) Comment: Until the mid-1990s, Zimbabwe was Sub-Sahara 
Africa's second most industrial country (after the Republic 
of South Africa).  Since then, it has become one of the 
poorest nation by many measures, a textbook case of 
misgovernance and its consequences.  We broker no illusions 
that Zimbabwe can rapidly regain past prowess.  However, we 
believe the country -- with abundant mineral resources, 
arable land, high-end tourist destinations and manufacturing 
know-how -- still holds great potential.  Through the 
programs and activities outlined above, the U.S. could help 
Zimbabwe reemerge one day as an important regional player. 
 
SULLIVAN