VZCZCXRO4959
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0034/01 0171340
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 171340Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2392
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 1816
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 1721
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 1847
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1124
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1481
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 1903
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 4331
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0974
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RHEFDIA/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 000034 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/S FOR S. HILL 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B. PITTMAN 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR L.DOBBINS AND E.LOKEN 
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 ECON ETRD ZI
SUBJECT: HARARE 2008 BFIF PROJECT PROPOSAL 
 
REF: A. 07 STATE 159597 
     ¶B. 07 HARARE 1002 
 
¶1.  (U)  Embassy Harare proposes to draw on the Business 
Facilitation and Incentive Fund (BFIF) to support a sequel to 
successful previous BFIF-funded "Just Business" fora (Refs A 
and B). 
 
---------------------------- 
"Just Business" Forum Sequel 
---------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  Post proposes providing financial support to the 
American Business Association of Zimbabwe (ABAZ) to hold a 
sequel to the BFIF-supported "Just Business" fora that the 
Association held in 2006 and 2007.  Building on the momentum 
of the past two years' successful and provocative events, 
ABAZ has begun planning of the sequel to take place in August 
or September 2008, and has requested Embassy financial 
support.  The event will further establish "Just Business" as 
Harare's pre-eminent private sector-led public address on 
economic reform.  Post regards the role that the business 
community can play as critical in the endeavor to turn around 
the Zimbabwean economy and tip Zimbabwe in the right 
political direction and thus wishes to support the event.  In 
addition, the forum has become a sterling networking and 
trade promotion opportunity for Zimbabwe's beleaguered 
business community. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  As in 2006 and 2007, the forum is intended to 
serve as a vehicle for putting reformist ideas in the public 
sphere, emboldening public discussion, and underlining 
Zimbabwe's need to start planning for the post-Mugabe era. 
Under the theme "Just Business," the day-long event will 
bring together international business leaders and analysts to 
identify and deliberate over the key measures needed to right 
Zimbabwe's course.  Learning from past years' experience, 
ABAZ intends to draw primarily on prominent indigenous 
African economic analysts and business people, as they have 
been the most effective speakers in drawing parallels between 
their own countries' reform experiences and the challenges 
that Zimbabwe faces.  To build on the successful "Just 
Business" theme, ABAZ envisions intensified outreach to 
moderate-minded government officials to secure their 
participation this year. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Laying the groundwork for more public outreach, 
ABAZ took the key steps this year of introducing membership 
dues and hiring a management company to run a permanent 
secretariat in 2007.  As an indication of its increased 
 
SIPDIS 
maturity, the Association recently presented to Ambassador a 
proposed work plan for 2008 that includes greater outreach 
and improved communications with members of government, as 
well as a membership drive, website development, and 
organization of the "Just Business" forum. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  As the economy deteriorates further, the estimated 
cost for the forum is somewhat higher than in 2007 due to the 
need to import more goods and services or pay for them 
locally in foreign exchange.  In addition, British Airways is 
unlikely to provide complimentary airfare to speakers, as it 
did in the past two years, having withdrawn from the Zimbabwe 
market in October 2007.  The foreign exchange component of 
the cost estimate is US$15,000 and includes: the venue and 
refreshments for the day ($3500), transportation and per diem 
for outside speakers ($4000), pre-event publicity and 
 
HARARE 00000034  002 OF 002 
 
 
communications ($4000) and follow-on media coverage and 
publications ($3500).  While Post once again anticipates 
strong private sector financial support by ABAZ-member 
companies, an event of this caliber cannot take place without 
the hard currency support that BFIF provides. 
 
¶6.  (U)  Post point of contact is econoff Frances Chisholm, 
 263-4-250-595, ext. 206, chisholmfm@state.gov. 
MCGEE