Cablegate: Namibia: Africa Group has Decided On Consensus

VZCZCXRO4965
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHWD #0304 2741340
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 301340Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0088
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0064

UNCLAS WINDHOEK 000304

SIPDIS

FOR IO/T GUINNEVERE ROBERTS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KHIV UNGA EAID WA
SUBJECT: NAMIBIA: AFRICA GROUP HAS DECIDED ON CONSENSUS
UNAIDS CANDIDATE

REF: A) WINDHOEK 290 B) STATE 97114

1. (U) In a call on Ministry of Health deputy Permanent
Secretary Norbert Forster on September 30, Charge followed up
on earlier discussions with the MFA (ref A) regarding the
appointment of a successor to UNAIDS Executive Director Peter
Piot. Conveying ref B talking points, Charge explained the
USG's strong support for the candidacy of Michel Sidibe from
Mali and pressed the Namibian government to support his
candidacy as well.

2. (U) Forster replied that the Africa Group appears to have
settled on Sidibe as its consensus candidate. It had not
been an easy decision, he said, since both Sidibe and
Debrework Zewdie are African.
HARRINGTON

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