VZCZCXRO0288
PP RUEHAO
DE RUEHCV #0080 0122008
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 122008Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY CARACAS
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UNCLAS CARACAS 000080 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD 
USOFFICE FRC FT LAUDERDALE FOR CLAMBERT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL VE
SUBJECT: GOV GRANTED OBSERVER STATUS IN AU 
 
REF: CARACAS 03227 
 
¶1. (U) Vice-Minister for Africa Reinaldo Bolivar announced 
December 23 that the African Union (AU) had approved 
Venezuela's May 2005 request for observer status.  Venezuela 
is now one of 23 non-African states, including Cuba, granted 
observer status since the AU established guidelines for their 
participation last March.  In order to maintain observer 
status, AU guidelines stipulate that all non-African states 
must cooperate with and support the work of the African 
Union.  While representatives of non-African states are 
permitted to attend open sessions and with the permission of 
the chairperson, participate in meetings, they do not retain 
voting power.  Juan Carlos Barrios, Director of the Ministry 
of Foreign Affairs' Office of African Affairs, told poloff 
January 10 that Venezuela's Ambassador to Ethiopia, Luis 
Mata, would serve as the GoV's representative to the AU and 
that the government had invited the President of the AU's 
Commission, Alpha Oumar Konare, to visit Caracas near the end 
of January.  Plans for Konare's visit, according to Barrios, 
have not been confirmed. 
 
¶2. (U) Barrios explained that the Africa Agenda, a 12-page 
document outlining the GoV's foreign policy strategy toward 
sub-Saharan Africa, seeks to strengthen diplomatic ties with 
the 54 nations of the region (see ref A).  Last year the GoV 
opened diplomatic missions in Benin, Senegal and Ethiopia, 
and the government reportedly plans to open an additional 
three missions in the region before the year's end (a total 
of 14 missions).  Barrios said the government had not 
determined where these missions would be located.  The GoV's 
ultimate goal is open a total of 18 missions in the region by 
2007 and to establish a diplomatic presence in remaining 
African states. 
 
¶3. (U) The Africa Agenda also identifies opportunities for 
cooperation in health and preventative diseases; one of the 
AU's principle objectives.  Through "Triangular Cooperation" 
with Cuba, the Agenda outlines a strategy to assist African 
leaders in the areas of medical research, medical production 
and application of preventative vaccines such as rabies and 
malaria (see ref A).  Bolivar commented January 5 that the 
GoV is currently working with the Cuban government to create 
several health programs designed to promote greater salubrity 
in the sub-Saharan Africa. 
 
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COMMENT 
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¶4.  (SBU)  The catalyst behind the GoV's desire to obtain 
observer status in the AU is rooted in Chavez' desire to 
increase Venezuela's participation in cooperative, regional 
organizations as well as to strengthen its ties throughout 
the developing world.  (Note: The GoV is also currently 
investigating observer status in the Arab League.) 
Venezuela's observer status in the AU is only a minor step 
toward Chavez' goal to exert greater influence, in general, 
and gain support for the international elements of his 
bolivarian agenda among leaders in developing nations. 
Whether or not the GoV can maintain its observer status is, 
however, contingent upon the administration's ability to 
transform its 12-page Africa Agenda into substantive actions. 
WHITAKER