Cablegate: Namibia Undecided On Unaids Director

VZCZCXRO4553
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHWD #0290 2610852
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 170852Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0071
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY PRIORITY

UNCLAS WINDHOEK 000290

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

FOR IO/T GUINNEVERE ROBERTS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KHIV UNGA EAID WA
SUBJECT: NAMIBIA UNDECIDED ON UNAIDS DIRECTOR

REF: SECSTATE 97114

1. (SBU) Emboff met with the Namibian Ministry of Foreign
Affairs' Director of Multilateral Affairs Julius Zaya Shiweva
and delivered reftel demarche on September 15. According to
Shiweva, Namibia had not yet been approached regarding the
selection of a new Executive Director for the Joint United
Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). Shiweva explained
that the Namibian government did not yet have a position on
which candidate it would support. Shiweva was not familiar
with the USG's favored candidate Dr. Michel Sidibe. Shiweva
stated that the Namibian government would take Dr. Sidibe's
candidacy into consideration. (Comment: Emboff sensed that
Shiweva was unfamiliar with the topic. Post will re-engage
the Namibian government on this issue in the coming weeks.
End Comment).

2. (SBU) DCM earlier solicited Namibia's support for
Sidibe's candidacy in a September 12 call on MFA Permanent
Secretary Veiccoh Nghiwete. Nghiwete was clearly unfamiliar
with the issue and encouraged us to speak to the Ministry's
multilateral affairs department.
MATHIEU

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