VZCZCXRO7019
RR RUEHJO
DE RUEHTO #0536/01 1240806
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 040806Z MAY 09ZDF
FM AMEMBASSY MAPUTO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0264
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0385
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MAPUTO 000536 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KHDP PGOV PREL ECON MASS EAGR KPKO MZ
SUBJECT: HUMANITARIAN DEMINING IN MOZAMBIQUE MAKING 
EXCELLENT PROGRESS 
 
REF: 07 MAPUTO 1048 
 
MAPUTO 00000536  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Mozambique, once one of the most heavily 
mined-countries in the world, is making excellent progress 
towards its stated goal of being mine-impact free by 2014. 
USG and other nations provide substantial financial support 
for demining efforts.  Humanitarian demining has received top 
priority and, as a result, the four Northern provinces now 
are mine-impact free.  Commercial demining is financed by the 
private sector and the Government of Mozambique (GRM); 
although large tracts of land have been cleared, commercial 
demining is proceeding more slowly than humanitarian 
demining.  Humanitarian mine impact free areas quickly become 
productive again, turning into farms, commercial centers, and 
homes while commercially de-mined railways and roads assist 
economic growth.  The last remaining large humanitarian 
demining project, the border between Mozambique and Zimbabwe, 
will be surveyed this year. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
HUMANITARIAN DEMINING ON TRACK TO BE COMPLETE IN 2014 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶2.    (SBU) Mozambique is a signatory of the Ottawa 
Convention, initially promising to be humanitarian 
mine-impact free by 2009.  Although significant USG and donor 
support has been provided, the problem was larger than 
anticipated.  During the June 2008 Mine Ban States Parties 
Intersessional Standing Committee meeting Mozambique 
requested and received a 5-year extension to complete the 
humanitarian de-mining, to 2014.  It appears that, with 
sufficient donor support, the goal will be reached. 
 
¶3.    (SBU) In 2007 The HALO Trust, an international 
humanitarian de-mining NGO, completed 14 years of clearance 
operations in the north and with a final survey of every 
community in Niassa, Cabo Delgado, Zambezia and Nampula, 
provinces, the northern half of Mozambique has no known 
minefields remaining.  In the central and southern sections 
of Mozambique, a mines problem still exists and in 2007, at 
the request of the GRM and several donors, HALO conducted an 
assessment of the remaining mine threat with recommended 
solutions and cost estimates.  The assessment was completed 
in October 2007 with a recommended operational strategy at an 
annual budget of about $5 million to make Mozambique mine 
impact-free by 2014.  The USG's planned contribution of $2M 
annually to support this strategy has engendered significant 
support from other donor nations.  The HALO Trust reports a 
high level of confidence that several donors (including 
Japan, UK, and Ireland) will contribute to the remaining 60% 
of the annual project budget.  The GRM, in response, has 
increased its financial commitment to humanitarian demining. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
COMMERCIAL DEMINING REAPS DIRECT FINANCIAL BENEFITS 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶4.    (SBU) Commercial demining is carried out primarily by 
commercial enterprises and the GRM.  However, most of the 
Sena Railway clearance from Beira to the Malawi border was 
conducted by RONCO Consulting Corporation between 2002 and 
2006 under a humanitarian demining contract to the Department 
of State (PM/WRA).  The Sena rail line now stands ready to 
carry significant amounts of goods and passengers with 
resulting income for this relatively undeveloped area of 
Mozambique.  The railway between the South African border at 
Lembobo and Maputo recently re-opened after being de-mined, 
opening yet another method of transporting goods cheaply and 
easily between the two countries.  Although there are 
numerous commercial sites yet to be de-mined, the most import 
is the power transport pylons which run from the border with 
South Africa into Maputo and carry most of the electricity 
for the capital city.  After the U.S. DoD completed training 
with the FADM demining unit in 1999, military deminers 
cleared access corridors to most of the pylons but as the 
pylons age and require extensive maintenance, full access 
and, thus, full mine clearance, becomes vital.  Although the 
GRM has stated clearance of the pylons to be a top commercial 
demining priority, no full plan has been put forth to address 
the problem.  (Note: The Maputo to Ressano Garcia pylons 
corridors are being done by HALO, not a commercial 
contractor.  HALO did a technical survey and with other donor 
funding currently has 10 manual demining sections and 2 
mechanical support teams working on it.  End Note) 
 
 
MAPUTO 00000536  002 OF 002 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
ZIMBABWEAN BORDER CLEARING: THE LAST FRONTIER 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶5.    (SBU) The last major humanitarian de-mining challenge 
is the border between Zimbabwe and Mozambique.  Although both 
sides of the border are heavily mined, Mozambican efforts are 
focused solely on the de-mining of the Mozambican side.  The 
extent of the project will be known later this year when HALO 
Trust completes its USG funded survey.  The border will, 
literally, be walked by teams, identifying mined areas and 
establishing priority areas that will most benefit from 
demining.  No funding has yet been committed to this demining 
project. 
 
--------------------------------- 
USG ALSO BUILDS INTERNAL CAPACITY 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶6.    (SBU) The USG's commitment to demining in Mozambique 
goes beyond financial support of NGOs.  A recently-completed 
USG funded multi-year project resulted in a fully-trained, 
fully equipped cadre of Mozambican Army (FADM) de-miners. 
Partnering with the FADM, the USG provided trainers and 
resources for specially selected members of the army who were 
trained in the techniques of demining.  An additional group 
received further training and now serves as trainers, capable 
of teaching new members as they join the corps.  While it is 
unlikely the FADM demining unit will make any significant 
contribution to priority humanitarian projects, equipment and 
materials sufficient for 100 de-miners, all provided by the 
USG, is located with the FADM demining corps at its base near 
Maputo.  The corps is assigned duties by the military and 
potentially could be used to participate in a Mozambican PKO 
operation in Africa. 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
COMMENT: CONTINUED USG LEAD ON DEMINING NEEDED 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶7.    (SBU) Assisting Mozambique in becoming mine-impact free 
by 2014 will result in economic and psychological progress, 
allowing greater access to its borders, roads, rail lines, 
and high-tension pylons, while at the same time helping 
Mozambicans to forget these last reminders of a brutal civil 
war.  The USG's position as a high profile supporter of 
humanitarian demining efforts in Mozambique has not gone 
unnoticed.  Other donors often follow the U.S. lead in 
demining with our leadership role noted both by the GRM and 
UNDP.  If the USG 
is not represented, attendees want to know why and may assume 
an implied disapproval of the matters under discussion, and 
potentially a reallocation of funds away from this vital 
initiative.  The USG is in a unique position to assure the 
financially responsible, timely completion of humanitarian 
demining in Mozambique. 
Chapman