VZCZCXRO2527
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHOR #0209/01 0770846
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 180846Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY GABORONE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5646
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 GABORONE 000209 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PLEASE PASS USAID 
STATE PLEASE PASS USTR WJACKSON 
PRETORIA FOR USAID 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL MASS ETRD EAID ZI BC
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S CALL ON SADC EXECUTIVE SECRETARY 
SALOMAO 
 
REF: A. STATE 7798 
     ¶B. STATE 18852 
     ¶C. STATE 18601 
 
¶1. (SBU)  SUMMARY:  Ambassador Nolan had his first office 
call with Dr. Tomaz Salomao, the Executive Secretary of the 
Southern African Development Community (SADC), at SADC 
headquarters in Gaborone March 13.  The Ambassador presented 
the letter designating him as the Secretary's Special 
Representative to SADC and expressed the U.S. government's 
desire to work closely with the regional community on both 
development and peace and security.  Salomao praised the work 
of the USAID-funded Southern African Competitiveness Hub 
(Trade Hub), and was especially pleased with the assistance 
SADC had received from the Hub in preparing for the launch of 
the community's Free Trade Area (FTA).  The Ambassador and ES 
Salomao discussed the January 2009 Presidential Determination 
regarding U.S. defense cooperation with SADC, reviewed recent 
events in Zimbabwe, and discussed a possible multi-sector 
assistance agreement between USAID and SADC that would cover 
USAID's regional activities which could include economic 
growth, agriculture, and HIV/AIDS.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Ambassador Nolan met with Dr. Tomaz Salomao, the 
Executive Secretary of the Southern African Development 
Community, at SADC headquarters in Gaborone March 13.  Though 
the two had met previously at diplomatic corps events, this 
was their first office call.  Embassy Gaborone had been 
seeking this appointment for months, but schedule conflicts 
and Dr. Salomao's extensive travels had forced its long 
postponement.  Ambassador was accompanied by DCM and Pol/Econ 
Chief.  Dr. Salomao was accompanied by one of his publicity 
officers (who photographed the presentation of the 
Secretary's letter), but he did not bring any policy aides or 
action officers from the Secretariat into the meeting. 
 
Praise for the Trade Hub 
------------------------- 
¶3.  (U) As he presented the letter designating him as the 
Secretary of State's Special Representative to SADC, 
Ambassador Nolan expressed the USG's desire to work closely 
with the regional community on both development and peace and 
security matters.  ES Salomao said that he had worked closely 
with former Ambassador Canavan and looked forward to doing 
the same with Ambassador Nolan.  Salomao noted that he thinks 
that the Southern African Competitiveness Hub (funded by 
USAID) is "doing a commendable job" and he was grateful to 
Ambassador Canavan for working to keep the Hub in Gaborone 
and working closely with SADC.  Salomao also said that the 
Trade Hub staff were "instrumental" to SADC as the 
organization launched its Free Trade Area (FTA) in 2008.  He 
explained that he expects SADC will continue to work closely 
with the Hub as they work toward eventual Customs Union and a 
wider FTA to include the East African Community and COMESA. 
 
Defense Cooperation 
-------------------- 
¶4.  (SBU) The Ambassador was pleased to hear that USG trade 
facilitation support has been so valuable to SADC, and he 
noted that he hopes that our cooperation will continue and 
deepen.  He explained that in January 2009, former President 
Bush signed a "Presidential Determination" (PD) which lays 
the groundwork for future USG defense cooperation with SADC. 
The Ambassador provided Salomao with a copy of the PD, some 
background information about the PD (derived from Ref A), and 
a copy of the written questions that the Department (Ref B) 
has requested that post provide to SADC concerning End-Use 
Monitoring Agreements and other legal processes.  Salomao did 
not indicate whether or not he was familiar with the PD, but 
seemed receptive to the general idea of defense cooperation. 
The Ambassador said that Pol/Econ Chief and OSC Chief would 
follow up on the list of questions with appropriate 
Secretariat staff at a later date.  Salomao said that the 
SADC Standby Brigade had been launched in Lusaka in August 
2007 and is preparing for its first exercise in September 
¶2009.  This exercise, Salomao said, is expected to help link 
the brigade into the African Union's overall plans for a 
continent-wide force.  The location of the exercise is still 
being discussed, and Salomao said that it may be hosted in 
South Africa, Angola, or Tanzania. 
 
Zimbabwe 
--------- 
 
GABORONE 00000209  002 OF 003 
 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Ambassador Nolan explained that President Obama had 
renewed the USG's sanctions against certain Zimbabwean 
individuals and companies in early March 2009 for an 
additional year, but noted that these sanctions could be 
rolled back sooner if sufficient progress occurs.  He 
provided Salomao with a non-paper regarding the USG's current 
position on Zimbabwe (derived from Ref C) and a copy of the 
White House announcement regarding sanctions renewal. 
However, the Ambassador also emphasized that USG humanitarian 
assistance to Zimbabwe is significant and continues.  He 
emphasized that the USG will consider additional development 
assistance if/when we see real evidence of political change 
and genuine powersharing.  Ambassador Nolan recognized the 
release from jail of Deputy Agriculture Minister - designate 
Roy Bennet and other political prisoners and said that some 
progress is being made, but noted that more progress is 
needed before any change in USG policy. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Dr. Salomao responded by giving the Ambassador an 
overview of SADC's efforts over the past year to broker talks 
between ZANU-PF and MDC.  Salomao prefaced his remarks by 
reminding the Ambassador that he comes from Mozambique, and 
said that his views are colored by his country's experience 
of over 16 years of brutal civil war.  Salomao indicted that 
SADC spent from June to December 2008 "just trying to get the 
two sides to really talk to one another about the issues." 
He considered the talks in Harare on January 16, 2009 to have 
been "a major breakthrough" which set the stage for the 
January 26 Extraordinary Heads of State Summit in Pretoria, 
at which ZANU-PF and both factions of MDC finally agreed on a 
timeline for the enactment of the unity government.  Dr. 
Salomao said that he now travels to Harare "from time to 
time" to give advice to the new government and encourage the 
parties to work together and put their differences aside.  He 
said that based on his observations from visits to Harare and 
discussions at the recent Cape Town SADC Finance Ministers 
meeting, Salomao believes that "they (the unity government) 
are trying."  He noted that the role of the unity government 
is to prepare for new, credible elections within three years 
and that SADC will continue to monitor the situation and 
offer support as needed.  He believes that the Joint 
Monitoring and Implementation Committee (JOMIC) is 
functioning and helps to resolve differences between the 
parties.  Dr. Salomao said that his advice to the Zimbabwean 
leaders has been to deal with all sensitive issues and "not 
to sweep them under the carpet."  Salomao emphasized that 
"SADC's only option is to support Zimbabwe."  "Let's give 
them (the Zimbabwean parties) a chance," he repeated several 
times. 
 
Increased USAID Engagement? 
--------------------------- 
¶7.  (U) The Ambassador also briefly followed up on the idea 
of a multi-sector USAID umbrella obligating agreement with 
SADC.  This proposal was discussed by visiting USAID Pretoria 
officials with Dr. Salomao in October 2008.  If SADC concurs, 
USAID would be interested in pursuing a multi-sector 
assistance agreement that would cover regional activities, 
including potentially economic growth, agriculture, 
environment, and HIV/AIDS.  However, historically USG 
restrictions on support to Zimbabwe have been an obstacle to 
concluding such an obligating document, and those 
restrictions have not changed.  Dr. Salomao told the 
Ambassador that SADC is still interested in pursuing a broad 
agreement with USAID, but did not comment on the impact of 
the Zimbabwe restrictions or how SADC might deal with this 
obstacle.  The Ambassador explained that USAID Pretoria would 
follow-up directly with the Secretariat with more details. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
¶8.  (SBU) COMMENT: Though we are pleased that the Ambassador 
was able to meet with SADC Executive Secretary Salomao after 
many months of seeking the appointment, it is worrisome that 
he did not include any technical staff or action officers in 
the meeting who could follow-up as needed on the issues 
discussed.  It is unclear whether the messages we passed, 
regarding the PD or the USAID umbrella agreement proposal for 
example, will be shared with the working level staff at the 
Secretariat for action.  Pol/Econ Chief and OSC Chief will 
seek a meeting at the earliest opportunity to talk directly 
to Organ on Defense, Politics, and Security staff regarding 
the PD and the Department's questions about its 
 
GABORONE 00000209  003 OF 003 
 
 
implementation.  However, we cannot guarantee a timely 
response to the Department's written questions will be 
forthcoming, as the institutional capacity at the Secretariat 
is challenged.  It was interesting that Salomao did not press 
the Ambassador for increased USG assistance to Zimbabwe or 
any change to our existing policy.  Why did Salomao fail to 
raise the issue of the $5 billion in new donor assistance 
that Zimbabwe is seeking, a request supported by SADC?  END 
COMMENT. 
NOLAN