VZCZCXRO6238
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHLU #0272/01 1121522
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 221522Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY LUANDA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5453
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LUANDA 000272 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/S AND H 
H PLEASE PASS TO HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS 
MAJORITY STAFF DR. MARSH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV ECON EAID KDEM PHUM OVIP AO
SUBJECT: STAFFDEL MARSH ENGAGES ON POLITICAL, SOCIAL 
DEVELOPMENT 
 
REF: LUANDA 204 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary.  During an April 9-12 visit, Staffdel Marsh 
met with top government officials, including Foreign Minister 
Assuncao Afonso dos Anjos, Secretary General of the MPLA Dino 
Matross, and Acting President of the National Assembly Joana 
Lina Ramos.  Marsh participated in discussions with 
representatives of civil society, the economic and financial 
community, and President of UNITA Isaias Samakuva.  In Kwanza 
Sul and Benguela provinces, Marsh saw first hand USG 
assistance in the areas of health and agricultural 
development.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Senior Professional Staff Member of the House 
Committee on Foreign Affairs visited Angola April 9-12. 
Marsh met with government and party officials, visited 
USAID-supported projects, and met with civil society and 
international NGO officials.  Marsh's conversations on 
elections and revision of the constitution are reported 
reftel. 
 
¶3. (SBU) In an April 9 meeting with Dr. Marsh, Foreign 
Minister Assuncao dos Anjos noted the robust U.S.-Angolan 
relationship and emphasized the Angolan interest in deepened 
economic cooperation.  He hoped the recently negotiated trade 
and investment framework agreement (TIFA) would be signed 
shortly.  Dos Anjos said the GRA sought to diversify its 
economy, particularly in agriculture, and for that reason was 
"very interested in AGOA."  Dos Anjos was particularly eager 
to meet with Secretary Clinton in May and expressed his hope 
that President dos Santos and President Obama would meet in 
the near future.  Marsh highlighted the importance of a 
Treasury Department resident advisor for transparency and 
development.  Charge raised the possibility of a Peace Corps 
presence in Angola and informed the minister that a Peace 
Corps team was planning a visit.  Dos Anjos welcomed such a 
visit.  Marsh told Dos Anjos that she would be happy to 
arrange a meeting with the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs 
Committee when the minister came to Washington. 
 
¶4. (SBU) On April 9, Acting President of the National 
Assembly Joana Lina Ramos briefed Marsh on the operations of 
the Angolan parliament and discussed the constitutional 
revision process.  Ramos emphasized that, despite its 82 
percent majority, the MPLA was reaching out to opposition 
members.  Ramos said that opposition party representatives 
are entitled to speak out on any piece of legislation brought 
to the floor and may participate in the writing of 
legislation in any of the nine parliamentary working 
committees.  Ramos said that committee hearings are open to 
the public on a case-by-case basis.  A subsequent meetings 
with MPLA Secretary General Dino Matross and UNITA President 
Samakuva focused on the constitution and prospects for 
presidential elections and are reported reftel. 
 
¶5. (SBU) In a heated dinner conversation at Charge's 
residence, representatives of civil society and international 
NGOs bemoaned MPLA dominance of the political playing field 
in Angola.  The representative of the Association for 
Justice, Peace and Democracy, one of Angola's premier human 
rights organizations, was particularly forceful in voicing 
his concerns over the limited space offered for public 
discussion of human rights, political freedoms, and good 
governance.  He argued that the MPLA exercised strict control 
over the media and civil society by using economic and 
financial levers to limit the livelihoods of journalists and 
intellectuals who might oppose the ruling party. 
 
¶6. (U) During a two-day trip to Kwanza Sul and Benguela 
provinces, Marsh visited three assistance programs and 
discussed the work environment for non-governmental 
organizations with international organizations.  She saw two 
malaria-control activities funded by USAID under the 
President's Malaria Initiative and implemented by Africare 
and Catholic Relief Services.  Marsh discussed economic 
development, market linkages and access to credit with 
Cooperative League of the USA (CLUSA) reps and local banana 
farmers in Benguela. 
 
¶7. (SBU) In a April 11 dinner, the senior World Bank 
economist in Angola described a likely nominal GDP decline of 
17 to 23 percent for 2009, but was optimistic about Angola's 
mid to long-term growth and development prospects.  He 
believed Angola was right to focus on rebuilding its 
infrastructure first among its myriad development needs in 
the wake of the 27 year civil war.  He believed that the GRA 
understood that it now had to focus on the social development 
 
LUANDA 00000272  002 OF 002 
 
 
needs such as health, and education.  He noted that the GRA 
was taking concreate steps to address these issues, but that 
it had some significant head winds do to the lack of human 
capital in these areas.  On transparency, he believed Angola 
was moving in the right direction by publishing more of the 
budget and other financial data online, but it was still 
inconsistent in this and at times it had removed data from 
online sources. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Comment:  Staffdel Marsh received a remarkably 
high-level and enthusiastic reception from the Angolan 
government, especially considering her arrival in Angola over 
a holiday weekend.  The Angolans quite clearly demonstrated 
the importance they attach to such attention.  End comment. 
HAWKINS