Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 07LUANDA474, ANGOLAN GOVERNMENT FOOD DISTRIBUTION SYTEM GETS

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #07LUANDA474.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07LUANDA474 2007-05-15 12:34 2011-08-25 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Luanda
VZCZCXRO5544
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHLU #0474/01 1351234
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 151234Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY LUANDA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3971
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHTN/AMCONSUL CAPE TOWN 0329
RUEHJO/AMCONSUL JOHANNESBURG 0454
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LUANDA 000474 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
JOHANNESBURG PASS TO FCS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EFIN ETRD AO
SUBJECT: ANGOLAN GOVERNMENT FOOD DISTRIBUTION SYTEM GETS 
OFF THE GROUND 
 
 
LUANDA 00000474  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
1. (SBU) Summary: At a program cost of nearly USD 1 billion, 
the GRA,s food distribution and retail system, PRESILD, is 
up and running with great publicity and fanfare.  Under 
PRESILD the GRA will create regional bonded warehouses, 
supermarkets in every province, open air markets in every 
municipality and even purchase bulk food commodities from 
abroad in an attempt to make more food available throughout 
the country at lower prices and under healthier conditions. 
Using foreign partners to construct and manage the markets 
initially, the GRA plans to privatize all the retail 
components by 2010.  While the first markets have brought 
lower priced and higher quality goods to the market, the cost 
of the goods is still prohibitive for even Angolans who make 
the minimum wage (USD 93 per month).  Many gaps remain on how 
the GRA will overcome the lack of roads to transport products 
efficiently and cheaply to the interior; how the spending 
will be monitored, and the level of transparency with which 
the privatization will occur.  End Summary. 
 
What is PRESILD? 
---------------- 
2. (U) PRESILD - The Program of Restructuring of the Logistic 
and Distribution System of basic products to the people is a 
near USD 1 billion system designed to provide distribution of 
food throughout Angola which includes three regional bonded 
warehouses, thirty-one retail supermarkets and 162 open 
market facilities ) one for each municipality in Angola. 
The aim is twofold: to ultimately enable the lower class to 
secure basic goods at a reasonable price and to develop 
outlets and the distribution system for locally-grown goods. 
In addition, the government will take on purchasing of food 
commodities from overseas in order to bring products to 
market more cheaply.  In early announcements of the project 
it was also touted as a way to &break the foreign-held 
monopoly on food distribution which has caused such high food 
costs in Angola.8  Note:  This was directly aimed at a group 
of Lebanese immigrants, who in partnership with 
well-connected Angolans, dominate the import of food stuffs 
into Angola.  The government has backed off this argument 
after the markets began opening, however.  End note. 
 
3. (U) The GRA has opened six retail supermarkets since March 
8, and in this first phase ending June 15, plan to inaugurate 
a total of eight Nosso Super,s (&our supermarkets8).  The 
government has developed a lavish advertising campaign for 
the PRESILD project, and inundates the two national 
television stations with commercials.  Each new Nosso Super 
is inaugurated by a high-ranking government official, with 
President dos Santos taking the honors for the first super 
market, and each opening has enjoyed wide print coverage in 
the government-owned daily newspaper. 
 
4. (U) Three supermarkets have been opened in Luanda, others 
are located in Lubango, Huambo and Malanje cities.  The three 
in Luanda are located in the lower class areas of the city, 
near the intended consumer.  Constructed by the Brazilian 
construction firm Odebrecht, according to a basic design and 
incorporating many pre-fab parts, the structures can be 
completed fairly quickly.  P/E Chief visited the Sambizanga 
store: about 30,000 square feet large, well-lit, clean, with 
shelves stocked with goods.  The staff of seventy, many of 
whom had been recruited from the Shoprite supermarket (a 
large South African run supermarket), was friendly and 
helpful in answering questions.  The items in the basket of 
basic goods were prominently displayed along with a price 
list.   Some locally grown fruits and vegetables were 
available as well. 
 
5. (U) The basket of thirteen basic items (flour, sugar, 
salt, ground manioc, ground maize, powdered milk, dried fish, 
rice, beans, palm and vegetable oils, and soap) sells for 
6,955 kwanzas, (USD 93) and is meant to provide basic foods 
for a family of six for one month.  However, these items are 
only slightly cheaper at Nosso Super than at other grocery 
stores in town, and the total cost is still very high in a 
country where the minimum wage (recently increased) is only 
USD 93 per month. 
 
Who Runs PRESILD? 
----------------- 
6. (SBU) Officially PRESILD is under the leadership of 
Minister of Finance Pedro de Morais, but Vice Minister of 
Commerce, Manuel da Cruz Neto, has been the hands-on leader 
of the process.  He told emboffs that the PRESILD team was 
largely pulled from various ministries including Finance, 
Commerce, Transportation, and Industry, but has no dedicated 
 
LUANDA 00000474  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
office space any only a few of its own employees.   Cruz Neto 
said that in addition to developing a food distribution and 
retail system, the government also wanted to develop local 
capacity to manage retail outlets and create employment.  He 
noted that the GRA plans to privatize the entire system by 
2010.  The system will include three enormous warehouses, one 
each in Luanda (Vianna); Benguela and Malanje to serve as 
central distribution points for the north, center and 
southern parts of the country.  These will begin operation in 
early 2008.  The thirty one supermarkets are currently being 
constructed and operated in partnership with foreign 
companies but will pass to Angolan ownership within three 
years, in theory allowing the Angolan owners time to train 
along side more experienced management.  Finally, the third 
phase of the project will encompass 162 open air markets ) 
one for each municipality in Angola.  These are designed to 
take the place of the informal outdoor markets which have 
grown spontaneously.  They will be equipped with electricity, 
running water, refrigeration and washable surfaces in order 
to ensure healthier standards by providing vendors with 
sanitary means of safeguarding foodstuffs.  These municipal 
markets will also include areas/shops for non-food items. 
Cruz Neto told us that the PRESILD team had conducted focus 
group sessions with current market entrepreneurs to learn 
their needs and discuss market realities such as how much 
additional rent they would be willing to pay for such basic 
amenities.  These too will be privatized once operational and 
self-sufficient by 2010. 
 
Comment: Why PRESILD? 
--------------------- 
7. (SBU) The GRA has devoted enormous time, energy, and 
funding into creating PRESILD.  Some critics dismiss it as a 
return to a socialized economy, while others chalk it up as a 
pre-election deliverable.  On paper it is an impressive 
project with many good intentions.  First, in a disease 
prevalent country such as Angola, providing healthy 
conditions for food storage and sales should have a great 
positive effect on the population.  Second, before the civil 
war the Planalto (interior highland) provinces were the 
breadbasket of Angola and currently produce fruit and 
vegetables which rot on shelves due to the lack of an 
internal distribution system.  By creating such a 
distribution system and retail outlets, the government can 
provide outlets for small farmers.  Five years after the end 
of civil war, the Nosso Supers are the first supermarkets to 
appear in many provincial capitals (the South African 
Shoprite group is also expanding, but only to the larger 
regional capitals.) The ultimate success of this project 
depends on two factors -- improvement of the road 
infrastructure and increased domestic agricultural 
production.  While efforts are underway to do both, it is 
unclear that they will be completed by 2010.  Without more 
inexpensive and higher quality local production, and the 
means to get it to market, it is unclear that the Nosso 
Supers and future open air markets will be able to operate 
profitably and remain stocked.  The future privatization of 
the system should also provide and excellent chance to gauge 
the extent of the Government's improvements in transparency. 
End Comment 
FERNANDEZ