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FM AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
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RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI 0002
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 0001
RUEHDR/AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM 0285
RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA 0086
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 0083
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0023
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 5255
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0024
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 WINDHOEK 000082 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR EEB (BBROOKS-RUBIN) AND AF/S (EPELLETREAU) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/04/2019 
TAGS: ECON ETTC EMIN ETRD WA
SUBJECT: NAMIBIA ON KIMBERLEY PROCESS CHAIRMANSHIP 
 
Classified By: DCM Matt Harrington for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). 
 
Summary 
-------- 
 
¶1.  (C) Namibia's newly appointed chair of the Kimberley 
Process (KP) -- Deputy Minister of Mines and Energy Bernhardt 
Esau -- told DCM on February 24 that Zimbabwe would be his 
primary challenge.   He plans a site visit there shortly and 
has invited South Africa and Angola to join the delegation, 
although the exact terms of reference are still being 
developed.  It is unclear how firm a stance Esau will take on 
Zimbabwe, given his own government's historical ties to 
ZANU-PF and reluctance to criticize Robert Mugabe.  During 
his chairmanship, Esau also hopes to standardize the KP 
certificate, conduct a number of site visits, host a 
successful intersessional meeting in June, and focus on 
provision of capacity-building and training for the weaker 
states.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (C) Deputy Minister of Mines and Energy Bernhardt Esau 
was recently named to lead Namibia's chairmanship of the 
Kimberley Process (KP).  DCM called on him on February 24 to 
learn more about his plans for the chairmanship.  Esau was 
accompanied by KP Coordinator Cecilie Mbundu. 
 
¶3.   (C)  DCM congratulated Esau on Namibia's KP chairmanship 
and expressed the USG's desire to collaborate closely with 
him on the key issues. He asked about Esau's plans and 
objectives for the year. 
 
Zimbabwe 
-------- 
 
¶4.  (C) Esau, unprompted, identified Zimbabwe as his 
principal challenge.   He noted his intention to lead a site 
visit to Zimbabwe within the next two weeks.  He was prepared 
to issue a public statement, but thought it would be 
premature to do so before a site visit.  Pressed on who would 
comprise the delegation, Esau said he had invited South 
Africa and Angola to participate, and had asked the chair of 
the working group on monitoring to recommend others.  Esau 
added that he would like to include members of civil society, 
but he did not elaborate.  Asked who the delegation's primary 
interlocutors would be in Zimbabwe, Esau said his intention 
would be to see the minister responsible for mines, as well 
as the chamber of commerce and the chamber of mines.  He also 
expressed interest in calling on representatives of the labor 
movement.  Esau said the details on the terms of reference 
had yet to be worked out. 
 
Administrative challenges 
------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (C) Esau identified his other primary challenges as 
"administrative."  Organizing the intersessional meeting in 
June, would consume quite a bit of his attention.  He also 
plans to conduct site visits, including to DRC, Liberia, 
Bangladesh, and the United States. 
 
¶6.  (C) When DCM expressed concern about the potential for 
backtracking by some on the core KP issues, Esau strongly 
agreed on the need for vigilance.  He said an energetic 
response now was appropriate, perhaps focusing on 
strengthening the capacity of weaker states.  "Capacity 
building should be the buzzword," he said. 
 
U.S.-Namibia collaboration 
-------------------------- 
 
¶7.  (C) The DCM solicited Esau's thoughts on which areas 
might prove fertile ground for collaboration with or support 
from the United States.  The Deputy Minister mentioned the 
following:  capacity-building and training, standardization 
of the KP certificate, and implementation of resolutions from 
the last plenary session. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶8.  (C) Esau struck us as smart, thoughtful, and engaging. 
 
WINDHOEK 00000082  002 OF 002 
 
 
He is new to the Kimberley Process but seems determined to 
get up to speed quickly and to work cooperatively with us. 
The difficult issue for him, however, may be Zimbabwe, an 
issue on which he might be boxed in by his own government's 
policy.  Namibia's ruling party, SWAPO, has longstanding ties 
with Robert Mugabe from the liberation war years, and it has 
declined to criticize the Zimbabwean leader publicly. 
MATHIEU