VZCZCXRO4748
RR RUEHLMC
DE RUEHTO #0478/01 1140926
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 240926Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY MAPUTO
TO RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP 0192
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7192
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MAPUTO 000478
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMCA EAID ECON OVIP AFIN OTRA MZ
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE
CORP (MCC) LORI BEAMAN TO TRAVEL TO MOZAMBIQUE.
REF: MCC 303
1. Embassy Maputo welcomes and grants country clearance for
MCC Lori Beaman to travel to Mozambique, from April 30,
2007 until May 8, 2007. The purpose of this trip is to work
with MozambiqueQs Monitoring and Evaluation Team to help
design an evaluation strategy for projects proposed to MCC
by the Government of Mozambique.
Please advise as soon as possible regarding any schedule or
itinerary changes; refer to paragraph 13 regarding visa
requirements.
2. Control Officer: John Wysham, Chief Econ/Commercial
Officer, will be control officer. He can be contacted at:
-- Office telephone: (258) 2149-27-97, ext.3425
-- Office fax: (258) 2149-35-74
-- Cellular: (258) 82-315-7170
3. Hotel Reservations and Expeditor: Post has made
reservations at the Hotel Polana. The rate for a single
room is $120 single per room, per night including breakfast
and all government taxes. Maputo per diem is currently 224
USD (146 USD for lodging and 78 USD for meals/incidentals).
The hotel accepts dollars, meticais, rand; American
Express, Visa, MasterCard, DinerQs Club(credit cards),and
travellers checks for payment of hotel bills. The hotel
can be contacted at:
Telephone: (258) 21-49-1001/7
-- Fax: (258) 21-49-14-80
-- E-mail: res@polana-hotel.com.mz
Expeditor will pick up and drop off at airport.
4. Medical Services: Maputo has limited medical
facilities. Visitors will have to be medevaced in the
event of a major injury or illness. In the past, we have
had visitors nearly die because details of their medevac
insurance were not readily available. Direct Hire
employees (not contractors) of the Department of State,
USAID, Department of Defense, CDC, and Peace Corps need not
take any further action. Direct Hire employees of other
U.S Government agencies are requested to provide to their
control officer before arrival a name and 24-hour point of
contact for their agency that can authorize medical
evacuation. Contractors are requested to provide to their
control officer before arrival the name, phone number, and
policy number of their medevac insurance provider(s) for
use in case of emergency.
5. Health: Travelers are advised that chloroquine
resistant malaria is present in Mozambique. The most
recent guidance from the Department of State Medical Office
recommends weekly use of mefloquine as the drug of choice
for malaria prophylaxis in chloroquine-resistant areas.
Mefloquine must be started one to two weeks before arriving
at post. Daily doxycycline is an alternative regimen.
Doxycycline must be started three days before arriving at
post. Both malaria prophylaxis medications must be
continued for four weeks after departing post.
6. Security and Required Briefing: TDY visitors spending
more than 48 hours in Mozambique must obtain a security
briefing from the EmbassyQs Regional Security Office. The
biggest threat facing U.S. citizens visiting Mozambique is
crime. The State Department has designated Mozambique a
critical-threat post for crime. Street crime and vehicle
hijackings are common and can be violent. Visitors must be
vigilant when out in public areas and should not display
jewellery or other items of high value. Visitors should
avoid carrying backpacks or purses, as these can draw
unwanted attention of would-be muggers. Isolated areas,
such as along the Marginal (the Maputo road along the sea),
should be avoided as joggers and pedestrians have been
mugged frequently, even during daylight hours.
7. There are no known terrorist groups active in Mozambique
and no current indications that U.S. citizens are being
targeted by terrorist organizations.
8. The police are poorly paid, poorly equipped, and lack
the professionalism that U.S. citizens are accustomed to in
the United States. Visitors requiring emergency assistance
should not rely on local emergency services, but should
contact the Marine Security Guard at Post One at (21) 49-
27-97. Mozambican law requires that all persons carry an
identity document, such as a passport, when out in public
and produce it if requested by police. A copy of passport
identity and visa pages is acceptable. There are certain
areas in the city of Maputo where pedestrian traffic is
prohibited, e.g., in front of the presidential offices
located north of the Hotel Polana on the seaside of Avenida
MAPUTO 00000478 002 OF 003
Julius Nyerere and on the Monument to Mozambican Heroes
near the Maputo airport. Such areas are sometimes marked
with international "no trespassing" signs/symbols.
9. Overland travel after dark is extremely dangerous due to
poor road conditions, lack of emergency services, and the
increased potential for vehicle hijackings. Official
Americans serving in Mozambique, including those on TDY,
are prohibited from overland travel outside city limits
during the hours of darkness.
10. Consular Registration: All TDY visitors spending more
than two workdays in Maputo are required to register with
the Consular Section in the Chancery to ensure that the
Mission has current emergency contact information for each
visitor.
11. Financial Matters: With the exception of the main
hotels, Mozambique is essentially a cash economy. Credit
cards are of limited utility. Vendors will accept U.S.
dollars (or at times South African rand) in lieu of the
local currency, the metical. For a day trip to Maputo, we
recommend visitors bring with them USD 100 in cash for
spending money. Dollars can be exchanged at any bank or
currency exchange facility. Embassy Maputo recommends
against the use of travelers checks, as transaction charges
are uniformly high. Please note that Embassy Maputo will
need fiscal data in the event that extensive services or
goods are required during the visit. Mozambican Airlines
(LAM) accepts the American Express credit card. Please
note that charge limits are in effect on most credit card
transactions, and hotel bills need to be settled every few
days.
12. New Currency: On July 1, 2006, Mozambique introduced
its new currency: the New Metical (abbreviated MTn.) This
currency replaces the Metical(MT). One New Metical is
equivalent to 1,000 Meticais (1 MTn = 1,000 MT.) At
current exchange rates, 1 USD equals approximately 26 MTn
and 26,000 MT. From July 1st, 2006 through December 31st,
2006, both currencies are in circulation, and all prices
are expressed in both currencies. After December 31st,
2006, only the New Metical will be in circulation. The
most obvious differences between the two currencies are
that the New Metical notes have three fewer zeroes than
Metical notes of the same value and that the New Metical
notes are in much better condition than Metical notes. The
largest New Metical note is 1,000 MTn (versus 500,000 MT.)
The smallest New Metical note is 20 MTn (versus 10,000 MT.)
For further guidance, please refer to the images of the New
Metical on our intranet site at
http://maputo.state.gov/Sections/FMO/fmo.htm
13. Visas and Airport Departure Taxes: Visas are required
for entry into Mozambique, and Embassy Maputo urges
travelers to have them prior to traveling. Travelers
arriving from a country without a Mozambican embassy can
get visas at the airport or land border entry points for 20
USD or 300 MTn. Those arriving from a country with a
Mozambican embassy can obtain visas at the airport or land
border entry points for 25 USD. There is an airport
departure tax payable only in cash, of 20 USD or equivalent
in Metical or Rand for regional flights, 8 USD for domestic
flights and 20 USD for intercontinental flights.
14. Luggage Precautions: Post urges travelers to keep in
mind restrictions on carry-on luggage on international
flights. At present, there are restrictions on carrying
liquids, gels, and cosmetics on board international flights
leaving the United States.
15. Travelers also should bear in mind that security of
checked baggage is a significant problem for travelers who
transit Johannesburg airport. Many items have been stolen
from checked bags, including the checked bags themselves.
The items stolen most often are electronics (including I-
Pods, cameras, and alarm clocks), toiletries (such as
cosmetics, soap, shaving kits and cologne) and shoes
(especially running/athletic shoes). A LOCKED BAG DOES NOT
ENSURE SECURITY. One security measure that seems to meet
with some success is to have your luggage stretch-wrapped
at your point of departure. The stretch-wrapping makes it
more difficult for the thieves to gain access to your
luggage. Be aware that flights between Johannesburg and
Maputo are often serviced by a small plane with little
space for carry-on luggage. This may require passengers to
check their larger carry-on items. Please ensure your
valuables are kept in a bag small enough to carry on your
lap to keep them with you at all times. We take this
problem very seriously and are doing what we can to help
aid a solution. In brief, please:
MAPUTO 00000478 003 OF 003
-- Leave behind irreplaceable valuables;
-- Always lock your bags;
-- Have your luggage stretch-wrapped when possible;
-- Keep your valuables with you in a small carry-on;
-- Make sure that your carry-on luggage complies with
current international restrictions/regulations.
Dudley