VZCZCXRO8050
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHTO #0651/01 1980828
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 160828Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY MAPUTO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9109
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0197

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MAPUTO 000651 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KCRM KFRD ELAB PHUM KWMN SMIG MZ
SUBJECT: TIP GRANT SIGNING CEREMONY WITH LOCAL NGO A SUCCESS 
 
REF: MAPUTO 322 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY: On July 3, the Embassy hosted a well-attended 
signing ceremony to award a two-year, $300,000 G/TIP grant to 
Mozambican NGO Rede CAME (Network Against Child Abuse).  All 
major media outlets, representatives from 15 Mozambican NGOs 
involved in the fight against trafficking in women and 
children, and a high-level official from the Ministry of 
Women and Social Action attended the event.  The project will 
focus on disseminating the recently-passed anti-trafficking 
law (reftel), training of police, border guards, and judicial 
officials, and creating synergy among the GRM, NGOs, and 
multilateral organizations.  The event capitalized on 
timing*the National Assembly passed the law in April, the 
President signed the law in June, and the press continues to 
report broadly on several recent high-profile cases of 
trafficking. END SUMMARY. 
 
----------------------------------- 
WIDESPREAD, POSITIVE MEDIA COVERAGE 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) The media covered the ceremony widely and portrayed 
the story in a very positive light.  All three major 
television stations showed the event on the evening news.  In 
addition, the event was broadcast on Mozambique's only 
national radio station (from which BBC Africa picked up the 
story), and covered by most major daily and weekly 
newspapers.  The coverage was factual and underscored the 
U.S. commitment to fighting trafficking:  awarding of the 
grant, previous USG TIP assistance to Mozambique, and updates 
on the law.  Stories also alluded to several recent 
high-profile TIP cases in Mozambique, including the Diana 
case.  Post made available several information pamphlets on 
TIP, including the recently arrived Portuguese translation of 
"Be Smart, Be Safe." 
 
--------------------- 
USG LEADING THE FIGHT 
--------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) The Charge commended the GRM for its recent passing 
of the first comprehensive anti-trafficking law in SADC, but 
cautioned that having a law is only the first step.  He 
thanked the NGOs present at the event for their work to 
expose the trafficking problem in Mozambique and urged them, 
and separately the media, to help disseminate and publicize 
the law as widely as possible.  The Charge also noted the 
numerous USG programs in recent years to combat TIP, 
including a technical assistance project to draft the 
anti-trafficking law, funds to support several large 
anti-trafficking billboards on the border with South Africa 
and in the main bus station, financial assistance to the help 
open the country's first shelter for trafficking victims, and 
financial assistance to operate a screening center for 
trafficking victims on the border with South Africa. 
 
---------------------------------- 
DISSEMINATION AND SYNERGY BUILDING 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) Rede CAME representatives noted that USG assistance 
has been crucial to the country's anti-TIP initiatives, and 
that the timing of the project was ideal, particularly since 
the subject has become a mainstay in the press in the past 
year due to several high-profile cases.  They also 
highlighted the main objectives of the project as 
country-wide dissemination of the law, training and 
capacity-building of the police, border guards, and judicial 
officials on the front lines of the GRM's anti-trafficking 
efforts, and the building of synergy between civil society 
and the GRM, particularly in the areas of communication and 
resources. 
 
----------------------------------- 
COMMENT: AN EVENT WORTH REPLICATING 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) The signing ceremony was a major success that 
warrants replication in other areas where the Embassy is 
providing critical assistance in underreported areas.  While 
bringing government, civil society, and diplomatic corps 
representatives together in the same room as equals can be 
challenging, the ceremony was an opportune occasion to 
discuss trafficking in an open environment and to find 
strategies to jointly address the problem.  The event also 
capitalized on the increased media reporting of trafficking 
issues over the past year and helped to keep the topic in the 
public realm.  As the media have taken a leading role in 
exposing both the nature and the complexity of the 
trafficking issue in Mozambique, we will be looking for more 
 
MAPUTO 00000651  002 OF 002 
 
 
opportunities to work with them in the future. 
Chapman