VZCZCXRO4756
PP RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR
DE RUEHTO #0082 0181437
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 181437Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY MAPUTO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4843
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS MAPUTO 000082 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/S FOR HTREGER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM MZ
SUBJECT: EX-PRESIDENT CHISSANO AND FORMER AFRICAN LEADERS 
LAUNCH FORUM 
 
REF: A. 05 MAPUTO 463 
     ¶B. 05 MAPUTO 255 
 
¶1. On January 11 former Mozambican president Joaquim Chissano 
welcomed 15 other former African leaders to  Maputo for the 
inaugural meeting of the "Forum of Former African Heads of 
State and Government."  The Forum is Chissano's brainchild 
and was organized by the Joaquim Chissano Foundation, which 
he created shortly after leaving office in February 2005 (ref 
B).  Among the notable former presidents in attendance were 
Nelson Mandela of South Africa, Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia, 
Jerry Rawlings of Ghana, Pierre Buyoya of Burundi, Nicephore 
Soglo of Benin, and Bakili Muluzi of Malawi.  Members also 
include certain Africans who have headed African 
international organizations, such as the Organization of 
African Unity and African Development Bank.  Membership, 
currently at 24, reportedly will be open to retired African 
leaders who support the values of democracy, peace, stability 
and development.  Chissano is the Forum's president, Soglo 
its vice president, and Mandela its patron.  The Forum will 
be headquartered in South Africa, with a secretariat 
temporarily at the Africa Institute of South Africa. 
 
¶2. Mozambican President Armando Guebuza spoke at the opening 
ceremony, along with Chissano and Mandela.  In his remarks 
Chissano said the forum would operate as a consultative body 
and platform for the exchange of ideas aimed at advancing the 
development of the continent, in keeping with the objectives 
of the African Union and the New Partnership for Africa's 
Development (NEPAD).  Mandela characterized former leaders as 
key resources for conflict resolution, and for lobbying 
wealthy nations and international investors to funnel more 
resources in to Africa.  He stressed that the forum must not 
be seen as an attempt by past leaders to "rule from the 
grave," but rather a means to share with policymakers their 
wealth of knowledge and experience. 
 
¶3. One key objective of the Forum will be to contribute to 
developing and maintaining a positive image of Africa in the 
international arena, Chissano told the audience. (Note: In 
April 2005 Chissano publicly criticized U.S. media coverage 
of Africa for, in his opinion, its focus on negative news, 
saying that this harmed the flow of investment and, in some 
cases, assistance to the continent. Chissano cited a study 
conducted by former U.S. Ambassador Charles Stith that 
examined the coverage of Africa in five prominent U.S. 
publications between 1994 and 2004.  See Ref A.  Chissano 
participated in a meeting of former African heads of state 
organized by Ambassador Stith last year, and his remarks 
suggested that this or similar meetings gave him the idea for 
the Forum.  End Note.) 
 
¶4. Comment: Chissano recently played a significant role in 
helping ease tensions surrounding the 2005 elections in 
Guinea-Bissau as an envoy of UNSYG Anan.  He chaired the AU 
in 2003-04 and led Mozambique into the 1992 peace agreement 
that ended the country's 16-year civil war.  Mandela, Kaunda 
and Rawlings bring the Forum considerable prestige and 
experience.  However, despite the speeches, it is not clear 
exactly what the group will do.  Although Mandela wished 
other members good luck in his address, the elderly 
statesman's remarks suggested that he probably will not 
participate actively himself.  End Comment. 
La Lime