VZCZCXRO1149
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0038/01 0180902
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 180902Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY PRIORITY
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1044
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 1443
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 1299
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 1447
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0708
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1073
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 1501
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 3897
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1270
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 1926
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0634
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1663
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEFDIA/DIA WASHDC//DHO-7//
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK//DOOC/ECMO/CC/DAO/DOB/DOI//
RUEPGBA/CDR USEUCOM INTEL VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ23-CH/ECJ5M//

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000038 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/S FOR S. HILL 
EB/CBA FOR D.WINSTEAD 
EB/TPP/IPE FOR J.BOGER AND C.LACROSSE 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B. PITTMAN 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR M. COPSON AND E.LOKEN 
PASS TO USTR FOR JENNIFER CHOE GROVES 
TREASURY FOR J. RALYEA AND T.RAND 
COMMERCE FOR BECKY ERKUL 
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU 
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ABUD AMGT BEXP BTIO ECON ETRD KIPR ZI
SUBJECT: HARARE BFIF PROJECT PROPOSAL 
 
REF: 06 HARARE 01317 
 
¶1.  (U)  Embassy Harare proposes to draw on the Business 
Facilitation and Incentive Fund (BFIF) to sponsor two events: 
in order of priority, a sequel to the successful October 2006 
BFIF-funded "Just Business" forum (Ref A); and a one-day 
trade fair with the theme of intellectual property rights 
(IPR) protection. 
 
---------------------------- 
&Just Business8 Forum Sequel 
---------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  Post proposes providing financial support to the 
American Business Association of Zimbabwe (ABAZ) as it builds 
on the momentum of last October's "Just Business" forum by 
holding a sequel.  The 2006 event increased the Association's 
confidence and lobbying capacity and initiated a public 
discussion on economic reform that has continued beyond the 
event.  With Post's assistance, for example, ABAZ has been 
successful in placing excerpts of selected presentations and 
papers from the forum in the independent press, thus stoking 
ongoing discussion and provoking public pressure on the GOZ. 
The next step is to keep the debate alive and to increase the 
effectiveness of ABAZ's outreach. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Laying the groundwork for another forum, over the 
past months ABAZ has taken key messages from the event 
directly to government officials and parliamentarians.  As an 
indication of its increased maturity, ABAZ has also taken 
steps to set up a permanent secretariat and draw up a 
calendar of events and speakers that focus on engaging 
government officials.  (N. B. The original event has also led 
to an increase in ABAZ membership.) 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  As in 2006, the day-long event would bring 
together private sector leaders and thinkers from the region 
with Zimbabwe's own top business leaders to identify and 
deliberate over the key measures needed to right Zimbabwe,s 
course.  We would again invite speakers from African 
countries that have undergone post-crisis recovery to 
stimulate local interest, draw broader lessons and accentuate 
Zimbabwe's need to start planning for the post-Mugabe era. 
To build on the successful "Just Business" theme of the 2006 
forum, post envisions intensified outreach to moderate-minded 
government officials to secure their participation. 
 
¶5.  (U)  The estimated cost for the event is US$11,000, which 
includes: the venue and refreshments for the day ($2500), 
transportation and per diem for outside speakers ($2500), 
pre-event publicity and communications ($3000) and follow-on 
media coverage and publications ($3,000).  While Post once 
again anticipates strong private sector financial support by 
ABAZ-member companies, it would be next to impossible for 
them to tap into the needed foreign-currency denominated 
services that an event of this caliber requires without the 
hard currency support that BFIF provides. 
 
HARARE 00000038  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
Trade Fair with Intellectual Property Rights Theme 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶6.  (U)  Post also proposes to draw on BFIF funds to finance 
a one-day trade fair in Harare, under the auspices of ABAZ. 
As ABAZ member companies represent every major sector of the 
economy, the trade fair would be a highly public way of 
countering the GOZ's oft-repeated but false contention that 
US policy prohibits or discourages US companies from doing 
business in Zimbabwe.  The event would be an excellent public 
platform for re-iterating that U.S. companies are free to 
trade with and invest in Zimbabwe and to do business with 
non-sanctioned individuals and companies.  The fair would 
help illustrate that the cause of the country's steep decline 
is the GOZ's mismanagement of the economy, not sanctions.  In 
addition, the event would highlight the benefits of ABAZ 
membership to non-member distributors of U.S. products and 
thus further strengthen the lobbying capacity of this young 
and important civic association. 
 
¶7.  (U)  The fair would be held in May, within weeks of World 
Intellectual Property Rights Day, and would have an IPR 
theme, which would underline Post's concern about the general 
deterioration of property rights in Zimbabwe.  Post would 
work with EB/IPE to gather and make available appropriate IPR 
informational material.  We would also build on the event by 
inviting a private sector IPR speaker from the region to 
address a pre-event reception for business leaders and 
government officials. 
 
¶8.  (U)  Post would work with ABAZ to identify a local 
marketing company with trade show expertise.  Post would then 
work with ABAZ and the company to target exhibitors and 
visitors, and to develop media strategies for the event.  The 
initial estimated cost for the event is US$3,000, including 
venue rental ($500), publicity ($500), and marketing company 
fee ($2000).  Post would finance the pre-event reception and 
anticipates that the local private sector would finance the 
travel and per diem of an appropriate IPR speaker. 
 
¶9.  (U)  Post point of contact is econoff Frances Chisholm, 
263-4-250-595, ext. 206, chisholmfm@state.gov. 
DELL