Cablegate: Teds Progress: Not yet Ready to Export

VZCZCXRO2355
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHTO #1048 2661107
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 231107Z SEP 09 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY MAPUTO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0752
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC

UNCLAS MAPUTO 001048

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EFIS BEXP ETRD ECON MZ
SUBJECT: TEDS PROGRESS: NOT YET READY TO EXPORT

REF: 08 STATE 116650

1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The GRM has shown some progress towards
gaining Section 609 Certification for use of Turtle Excluder
Devices (TEDs) in the past year. A representative of the
Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MIC) believes that the
Ministry of Fisheries, the GRM lead on this issue, is making
insufficient progress on certification however. Post
continues to support additional training requests made by the
GRM and Post requests an update from OES on the dates of any
additional technical assistance. END SUMMARY

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IMPROVEMENT AND REQUESTS FOR MORE TRAINING
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2. (SBU) A combined State, National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS) and NOAA delegation found in 2008 that
Mozambique's TEDs program was more robust than expected
(reftel), though Mozambique is still some years off of
Section 609 certification. The delegation conducted training
at the ports of Beira and Maputo. During one of the port
visits, the delegation donated equipment for fisheries
inspectors and left two samples of the TEDs.

3. (SBU) The GRM and IPEX (Mozambique Institute on Export
Promotion) have formally requested additional training
assistance. IPEX contacts told EconOff in late August that
Europe has been the market of choice for Mozambican exporters
of shrimp but with the new standards that the European market
is requesting and low prices for shrimp, the local industry
is searching for new markets, particularly the United States.

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TEDS AS PART OF TIFA
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4. (SBU) TED certification is also a key item on the
bilateral agenda of the Trade and Investment Framework
Agreement (TIFA). In the March 24 U.S.-Mozambique TIFA
meetings in Washington, Minister of Industry and Commerce
Antonio Fernando raised the TEDs certification issue with USG
officials, and was also quoted in local news sources as
saying that the GRM is working hard to export shrimp to the
U.S. market. Post is engaged with the fisheries authorities
to support Mozambique certification in order to market shrimp
in the United States under AGOA. In a September 17 meeting
with EconOff however, the National Director of International
Relations for the Ministry of Industry and Commerce
criticized the Ministry of Fisheries for poor implementation
of TED regulations. The official said that progress is being
made but sees no possibility of concrete Ministry of
Fisheries action until after the current election campaign
and its aftermath, likely in early 2010. She confirmed that
TED certification is important to the GRM because Europe is
also now requiring similar certifications.

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COMMENT/ACTION REQUEST
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5. (SBU) The GRM has made improvements, albeit slowly, in
implementing TEDs. Post requests a status update from OES on
when technical assistance can be offered again, given the
recent requests from the GRM. Post recommends an assistance
visit be conducted in early 2010.
CHAPMAN

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