VZCZCXYZ0008
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHWD #0025/01 0491551
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 181551Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0205
INFO AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CDR USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0006 C O N F I D E N T I A L WINDHOEK 000025 
 
SIPDIS 
FOR MCC, STATE FOR AF/S AND AF/RSA 
AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE PASS TO AMEMBASSY MALABO 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2020/02/18 
TAGS:              
SUBJECT: Namibian Foreign Minister Discusses MINURCAT, SADC 
 
REF: A: 09 WINDHOEK 397; B: 09 WINDHOEK 453 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Emily Plumb, Political Officer, U.S. Department of 
State, U.S. Embassy Windhoek; REASON: 1.4(B), (D) 
 
 1.       (SBU) Summary.  On February 17, Ambassador paid a New Year 
courtesy call on Minister of Foreign Affairs Marco Hausiku. 
Hausiku offered his views on Namibia's contribution to the UN 
Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT) in 
light of Chad's President Deby's call to end the peacekeeping 
operation's mandate.  He also summarized Namibia's agenda as the 
new Southern African Development Community (SADC) chair.  The 
Foreign Minister was pleased to hear that the USG hopes to restart 
the African Contingent Operations Training and Assistance program 
(ACOTA) for the National Defense Forces (NDF) as well as to learn 
about the progress being made to implement Namibia's Millennium 
Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact.  End Summary. 
 
 
 
--------------------------------- 
 
Committed to MINURCAT 
 
--------------------------------- 
 
 
 
 2.       (C ) Ambassador called upon Foreign Minister Hausiku on 
February 17 to solicit his views on a variety of topics, including 
his read-out of the recent AU Summit in Addis Ababa.  Hausiku 
reported that he was impressed by the turnout of heads of state and 
government and pleased that SADC's objective had been achieved with 
the election of President Mutharika as AU chair.  In April, Namibia 
will join the organization's Peace and Security Council, he said. 
Ambassador inquired about Namibia's intentions to send peacekeepers 
to MINURCAT given Deby's recent decision to end the operation's 
mandate and request the withdrawal of UN peacekeeping troops. 
Hausiku replied that based on Deby's repeated requests for 
international assistance during past AU summits, Namibia had 
decided in 2009 to contribute troops to MINURCAT (ref A).  That 
decision was made public in the Namibian press this week after the 
cabinet formally approved the measure, he noted.  Hausiku himself 
was not convinced by the sincerity of Deby's calls for MINURCAT to 
depart.  "These are times when the international community should 
be steadfast when intervention is necessary.  I'm sure deep in 
(Deby's) heart he knows he cannot stand alone," he opined.  He also 
suggested that Namibia was trying to clarify Deby's position. 
 
 
 
 3.       (C) Ambassador applauded Namibia's decision to press 
forward and asserted it would be premature for MINURCAT to begin a 
March withdrawal.  She added that only after the situation in Chad 
and Sudan stabilizes could a gradual and orderly drawdown be 
considered.  Hausiku agreed, "Maybe some people get used to 
problems, but I would not do this if I were (Deby)."  Ambassador 
inquired as to the location(s) where Namibian peacekeepers would be 
deployed, but Hausiku declined to venture a response. 
 
 
 
------------------- 
 
SADC   Agenda 
 
-------------------- 
 
 
 
 4.       (C) According to Hausiku, Namibia has already identified 
some priorities for its tenure as SADC chair.  The SADC agenda will 
be coordinated by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, but the 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and security bodies will take the lead 
on peace and security issues, he stated.  The Foreign Minister 
referred to several "sticking points," namely Zimbabwe and 
Madagascar, that needed to be addressed, but he offered no details 
as to how Namibia would take action.  He claimed Namibia would not 
leave issues to fester, however. 
 
 
 
 5.       (C) Hausiku said that Namibia also plans to focus on 
harmonizing procedures for conducting elections in SADC countries, 
including during the pre-electoral period and the acceptance of 
results.  Hausiku believes Namibia can be a leader in this area, 
 
noting his country has the "courage" to take up election challenges 
quickly.  Referring to the ongoing legal battle over the results of 
the November 2009 general elections by nine Namibian opposition 
parties (ref B), Hausiku explained that the government is closely 
"watching itself" so as to either accept the election results or 
ensure that proper legal procedures are followed.  Ambassador took 
the opportunity to commend Namibia for allowing the judicial 
process to move forward and remarked that this was part of the 
process of a maturing democracy and not a blemish on Namibia's 
record.  Hausiku said that President Pohamba has declared that 
whatever the court decides will be respected, although, he added, 
the ruling party believes the elections were indeed free and fair. 
 
 
 
----------------------- 
 
ACOTA and MCC 
 
----------------------- 
 
 
 
 6.       (SBU) Ambassador informed Hausiku that a Department of 
Defense official would visit Namibia in the coming weeks to discuss 
resumption of the ACOTA program to train peacekeepers (ref A). 
Hausiku said he would notify the Minister of Defense, whom he 
assured has an "open mind" when it comes to training.  Ambassador 
also told Hausiku that the USG would be conducting additional 
demining training in March at the request of the police and NDF. 
 
 
 
 7.       (SBU) The Foreign Minister asked for an update on the MCC 
Compact.  Ambassador replied that the implementation was proceeding 
smoothly.  The equipment needed for the road infrastructure upgrade 
project in Etosha National Park would soon arrive.  On the 
education side, much-needed math, science and English text books 
would be delivered in the coming weeks.  Hausiku was pleased with 
the updates and noted that he hoped his colleagues in the Ministry 
of Education would do their part to explain to students the 
importance of taking care of their new text books.  (Note. Due to a 
severe shortage of text books and educational materials, it is not 
uncommon for as many as five Namibian students to share the same 
book.  End note.) 
 
 
 
--------------- 
 
Comment 
 
-------------- 
 
 
 
 8.       (C) Based on the Foreign Minister's remarks, it appears 
certain that Namibia will follow through on its plans to contribute 
peacekeepers to MINURCAT soon despite Deby's statements.  As SADC 
chair, Namibia will most likely make no waves in addressing the 
state of play in Zimbabwe.  Despite President Pohamba's insistence 
that the ruling party supports the court's role in determining the 
election's outcome, more hard-line, senior members of the SWAPO 
party have not been as supportive.  Thus, Post will continue to 
underscore our message that the judicial process must be allowed to 
fully play out. 
MATHIEU