Cablegate: Pepfar Team Briefs President Kikwete On Partnership

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R 031147Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8828
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 3489
RUEHLGB/AMEMBASSY KIGALI 1415
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 1361
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DAR ES SALAAM 000584

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E JTREADWELL, S/GAC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KHIV SOCI TZ
SUBJECT: PEPFAR TEAM BRIEFS PRESIDENT KIKWETE ON PARTNERSHIP
FRAMEWORK

1. SUMMARY: At President Kikwete's request, Mission PEPFAR team met
with him on August 7 to discuss the program and the status of
Partnership Framework negotiations. Further discussion covered
other U.S. bilateral assistance to Tanzania and issues related to
the administrative and technical (A&T) status of key U.S. personnel
and the Department of Defense programs in Tanzania. Kikwete
indicated he was pleased with the progress and cooperation between
the USG and GOT on the Partnership Framework. He called for greater
focus on HIV/AIDS prevention as well as additional capacity building
for health services. Kikwete reiterated his commitment to food
security and agricultural development and expressed appreciation for
USG efforts to improve education in Tanzania. He agreed to look
into the outstanding A&T issue. END SUMMARY.

Update on PEPFAR Partnership Framework negotiations
--------------------------------------------- ------
2. The PEPFAR team provided President Kikwete with a positive
assessment of progress towards establishing a Partnership Framework
agreement. The USG and GOT were engaged in productive,
collaborative meetings to create a Partnership Framework that would
be used as a road map for continued HIV/AIDS prevention, care and
treatment programs in Tanzania. The collaborative spirit of the
negotiations with a diverse array of Ministries, Departments, and
Agencies ensured that the Framework would reflect a multisectoral
approach to combating HIV/AIDS in Tanzania and address USG
priorities of sustainability and expanding the GOT's capacity to
plan, oversee and manage its national response.

3. The PEPFAR team outlined the three most important outcomes from
the Partnership Framework discussion, which include a costed,
prioritized National Multi-sectoral Strategic Framework; the
creation of a policy and implementation forum to ensure coordination
between PEPFAR, GOT, and Global Fund resources received by GOT for
HIV/AIDS; and a commitment by the GOT to increase domestic spending
on HIV/AIDS. President Kikwete acknowledged the importance of the
Partnership Framework negotiations and was pleased to hear they were
progressing well. He also stated that as the Framework negotiations
progress, it would be important that they continue to involve
multiple Ministries and Agencies.

4. President Kikwete highlighted the need for a greater focus on
HIV/AIDS prevention. He said awareness of HIV/AIDS in Tanzania was
rising because of the 2008 national HIV testing campaign and access
to ART treatment. He expressed his interest in launching a second
national HIV testing campaign in early 2010, including publicizing
the testing of himself and the First Lady, as they had done in 2006.

5. The PEPFAR team raised its concern about the strain placed on
Human Resources for Health (HRH) in Tanzania. President Kikwete
agreed that this is a major problem. He would like to see an
increased focus on capacity building for health care personnel.
Ideally this effort would include additional pre-service training
for nurses and health care workers, as well as initiatives to
strengthen the capacity of existing health care workers at the
district level. President Kikwete said he envisioned using a model
similar to the one used to develop secondary schools in Tanzania, to
expand access to health care in rural areas.

Update on other bilateral assistance
------------------------------------
6. USAID Mission Director also raised the Obama Administration's
commitment to food security; U.S. assistance will continue in
Tanzania, with a new and focused commitment on developing food
security for the country. President Kikwete reiterated the GOT's
commitment to increase agricultural research and noted his wish to
see the University of Morogoro become a "center of excellence" for
agricultural research. He expressed his desire to direct one
percent of the national budget to agricultural research. President
Kikwete, the CDA and the Mission Director agreed that increasing
farm production in a way that allows farmers to generate income from
surplus production should be a major goal.

7. After the Mission Director noted the USG's commitment to
education in Tanzania, President Kikwete expressed his appreciation
for the USG's initiatives and was pleased to hear that the majority
of education related promises made last year during President Bush's
visit have been met or are near completion.

Request for President Kikwete's assistance
------------------------------------------
8. The PEPFAR team asked for President Kikwete assistance in
resolving the issue of obtaining Administrative and Technical status
for three members of the HHS/CDC team. Discussions with the MFA
have reached a critical juncture and have not been able to resolve
certain issues. President Kikwete committed to looking into the

DAR ES SAL 00000584 002 OF 002

matter, but he noted the inherent bureaucratic and administrative
challenges within all government systems.

Upcoming Travel
---------------
9. President Kikwete confirmed that he plans to visit West Point on
September 30, 2009.

10. Mission participants: CDA Larry Andre, PEPFAR Coordinator Tracy
Carson, USAID Mission Director Robert Cunnane, Walter Reed Army
Institute of Research Country Director Edward Sekonde, CDC Country
Director John Vertefeuille, Peace Corps Country Director Andrea
Wognar-Diagne, Patrick Swai (USAID) and Eunice Mmari (CDC).

ANDRE

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