R 130251Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY MBABANE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 3462
INFO SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

UNCLAS MBABANE 000067 
 
 
AF/S (MHARRIS); OGAC (CHOLMES;JTIMBERLAKE) 
PRETORIA PLEASE PASS TO USAID 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM EAID WZ
SUBJECT:  FRUITFUL DIALOGUE BETWEEN AMBASSADOR AND PM 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY:  On March 6, Ambassador Parker met with Swazi Prime 
Minister (PM) Barnabus Sibusiso Dlamini.  Discussion included: 
Ambassador Parker's impending departure from Swaziland; the 2008 
Human Rights Report; current international perspective towards the 
government of the Kingdom of Swaziland (GKOS); Swaziland's failure 
to fund universal primary education; corruption; accelerating 
discussions on the PEPFAR Partnership Framework; and the 
renegotiation of the chancery lease with the Central Bank of 
Swaziland.  Most encouraging, PM Dlamini stressed that he wants the 
Partnership Framework policy discussions that include the 
Ambassador, himself, the Ministry of Health, and National Emergency 
Response on HIV/AIDS (NERCHA) to be completed by March 13.  The PM 
also stated he would speak to the Governor of the Central Bank to 
ensure that the chancery space is secure in the near term. 
 
¶2.  On March 6, Ambassador Parker met with PM Dlamini. The PM 
expressed his regret regarding Ambassador Parker's early departure 
from Swaziland.  The Ambassador informed him that he was departing 
for personal reasons, and also regretted having to depart at a 
highly productive moment in U.S-Swazi relations. 
 
¶3.  The PM stated that, although it has been his desire to have 
monthly meetings, he decided it would be prudent to wait for media 
coverage to subside to avoid a meeting being misinterpreted by the 
press as a confrontation.  (NOTE:  In January at a Public Diplomacy 
event, Ambassador Parker publicly encouraged Swaziland to suspend 
its repressive enforcement of the Suppression of Terrorism Act and 
to respect the freedoms of expression, press and public assembly 
guaranteed in the constitution.)  Ambassador Parker expressed that 
his comments were sincere, but the media reaction was unexpected. 
The Ambassador said that the GKOS' continued use of the Suppression 
of Terrorism Act to threaten members of civil society and now the 
Swazi civil service, combined with the failure of the GKOS to 
implement universal primary education this year, is casting a 
negative image of him, and that of the GKOS, internationally.  The 
Ambassador used that opportunity to present PM Dlamini with a copy 
of the Swaziland chapter of the 2008 Human Rights Report, noting 
that multilateral organizations and NGOs have provided input to the 
document and it reflects the current view of the USG towards the 
GKOS' position on human rights.  He explained that the combination 
of constitutional violations by the government adds to a negative 
image.  The PM stated that it is good to know how others view 
Swaziland.  Regarding the Human Rights Report, the PM stated that he 
would read it and decide whether or not the GKOS would respond. 
 
MARIO MASUKU 
 
¶4.  The Ambassador stressed the concern of multilateral 
organizations, bilateral Ambassadors, Amnesty International, and 
other NGOs over the continued imprisonment of opposition leader 
Mario Masuku on sedition and support of terrorism charges, and the 
increasingly negative impression of the GKOS with these 
organizations.  PM Dlamini repeated his previous position that Mr. 
Masuku is in prison because he prefers standing on principal, rather 
than gaining his freedom.  He said that Mr. Masuku's bail is only 
500 Rand (approximately 50 U.S. dollars) and Masuku could pay this 
small fee at any time.  The PM looked annoyed at the suggestion that 
Mr. Masuku be released on his own recognizance and responded by 
stating that Mr. Masuku will stand trial in the current session of 
the high court. 
 
UNIVERSAL PRIMARY EDUCATION 
 
¶5.  Ambassador Parker asked the PM about the government's ability to 
pay the school fees for Ambassador's Girls Scholarship Program 
(AGSP) recipients, because program funding is scheduled to end in 
June 2009.  He noted that the AGSP was a four-year program with an 
ending date that would coincide with the constitution's promise of 
universal education for all primary school children in 2009.  The 
Prime Minister noted that the Swazi budget shortfalls did not permit 
funding of universal education or the AGSP in 2009.  He said the 
provision is misunderstood, stating the constitution calls for (or 
permits) a phase-in of universal primary education, starting at the 
first grade level and adding another grade each successive year. 
The planned roll-out of the program will only benefit those children 
who have not yet entered primary school, and will only cover 
tuition.  Parents will still be responsible for uniforms, books and 
supplies. 
 
¶6.  The Ambassador informed the PMthat a UNDP study of the costs 
associated with universal education in Swaziland indicated that 
implementation would cost the GKOS an additional 11.5 million U.S. 
Dollars per year.  He said that Swaziland's failure to fund 
universal education appears to be a matter of preference, rather 
than funding limitations.  He further noted that the 2009 budget for 
the GKOS has allocated $14 million USD for cost overruns for the 
Mbabane bypass road and other more expensive, yet less critical, 
projects.  The PM stated that the cost overrun for the bypass road 
is the result of corruption among private contractors.  He said that 
the GKOS was going to use the Anti-Corruption Commission to ferret 
out corruption and would start with the Central Transit Authority 
(CT) and its private contractors.  He stated that the Embassy will 
be hearing about the first indictments by Swaziland for GKOS 
employees. 
 
PARTNERSHIP FRAMEWORK ON HIV/AIDS 
 
¶7.  Prime Minister Dlamini said that in addition to vigorously 
pursuing perpetrators of corruption, the GKOS was also committed to 
combating HIV/AIDs in Swaziland.  He complained that the USG and 
other donors were not committing the level of funds to Swaziland 
that were being given to countries with a lesser prevalence rate of 
HIV/AIDS.  The Ambassador reminded him of the increased funding by 
PEPFAR and mentioned our efforts to develop a Partnership Framework 
with Swaziland prior to the end of April.    The PM stated that he 
would speak to Minister of Health Benedict Xaba and said that all 
Swazi and American negotiators should meet in his office on 
Thursday, March 12 to discuss the final details of the Framework. 
That meeting has been scheduled. 
 
LEASE ON EMBASSY CHANCERY 
 
¶8.  Before ending the meeting, the Ambassador told the Prime 
Minister that he was concerned about the status of the lease on the 
Embassy chancery.  He informed him the PM that the U.S. Government 
has been involved in ongoing discussions regarding the terms of our 
lease since 2007.  He assured the PM that the USG is making a good 
faith effort to move the lease agreement along, that we have 
identified property for construction of a new chancery in Ezulwini, 
but did not mention the recently delayed construction date from 2011 
to 2017.  The PM assured the Ambassador that the GKOS would not 
evict the Embassy from its current facilities in the near term and 
that he would inform Governor Martin Dlamini of the Central Bank to 
be more patient with the U.S. Embassy.  On the other hand, he 
recommended that we continue to seek ways to reach agreement on the 
terms of a new lease with the Central Bank.  The Ambassador stated 
that he would make a request to OBO to send real estate negotiators 
to visit Swaziland to conclude contract talks ASAP. 
 
COMMENT 
 
¶9.  Despite the range of contentious issues covered, the tone of the 
conversation was relaxed, congenial and professional.  The Prime 
Minister thanked the Ambassador for coming to see him on short 
notice and stated that he hopes to continue this series of 
one-on-one meetings on a monthly basis.  The Ambassador informed him 
of his desire to have a private meeting with the Swazi National 
Council (the King's secretive advisory board) and invite the King to 
his residence for a private dinner.  The PM encouraged him to do 
both and stated that he would advise the Council and His Majesty to 
accept the invitations from the U.S. Embassy. 
 
PARKER