(2017-0714-F) Thabo Mbeki’s 1995 visit to the U.S.

21 folders, approximately 1,412 pages

This collection consists of records related to the February 1995 visit of Thabo Mbeki, Deputy President of South Africa. It contains briefing books, State Department cables, emails, and policy papers about the Gore-Mbeki commission.

The materials in FOIA 2017-0714-F are a selective body of documents responsive to the topic of the FOIA. Researchers should consult the archivist about related material. Thabo Mbeki became Deputy President of South Africa in May 1994 and succeeded Nelson Mandela as President in June of 1999. He was subsequently re-elected for a second term in 2004. As Deputy President, Mr. Mbeki visited the United States in February / March 1995 and met with Vice-President Gore at the Naval Observatory in Washington D.C. The binational “Gore-Mbeki Commission” (named after Vice President Al Gore and South African Deputy President Thabo Mbeki) was formed to help increase development efforts within South Africa. This collection consists of briefing books for Vice President Gore’s use in preparing for the binational commission, National Security Council and State Department cables sent in preparation of the Deputy President’s visit to Washington D.C., and e-mails between staffers as they prepared to brief Vice President Gore and President Clinton on their meetings with Deputy President Mbeki.

Textual

Records that are responsive to this FOIA request were found in these collection areas—Clinton Presidential Records: White House Office of Records Management (WHORM) Subject Files, Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files, and Clinton Presidential Records: NSC Cable, Email, and Records Management Systems. The White House Office of Records Management (WHORM) contains a variety of series created to organize and track documents and correspondence. The WHORM Subject file was compiled by the White House Office of Records Management and is a series of categories designated by a letter/number combination. Staff and Office files were maintained at the folder level by staff members within their individual offices and document all levels of administration activity. WHORM files are processed at the document level; whereas, Staff and Office files are processed at the folder level, that is, individual documents are not selected and removed from a folder for processing. While this method maintains folder integrity, it frequently results in the incidental processing of documents that are not wholly responsive to the subject area. FOIA 2017-0714-F includes WHORM records from these subject codes: PR005-01 Public Relations, Photographs Granted, Presidential.

Collection is open to all researchers. Access to Clinton Presidential Records is governed by the Presidential Records Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. Chapter 22, as amended) and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552, as amended) and therefore records may be restricted in whole or in part in accordance with legal exemptions.

Official records of William Jefferson Clinton’s presidency are housed at the Clinton Presidential Library and administered by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) under the provisions of the Presidential Records Act (PRA).

Staff Archivist, 2018. Previously restricted materials are added as they are released.

The following is a list of documents and folders processed in response to FOIA 2017-0714-F:
Box 1
Clinton Presidential Records: WHORM: Subject File
Category Case Number
PR005-01 078383 [Thabo Mbeki]
Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files
Cabinet Affairs
Balderston, Kris
Gore-Mbeki [OA/ID 13191]
National Security Council
African Affairs
Steinberg, James / Rise, Susan / DeShazer, MacArthur
Briefing Book for Visit of Deputy President Mbeki and U.S.-South Africa
Binational Commission, July 22-24, 1996 [1] [OA/ID 873]
Briefing Book for Visit of Deputy President Mbeki and U.S.-South Africa
Binational Commission, July 22-24, 1996 [2] [OA/ID 873]
Briefing Book for Visit of Deputy President Mbeki and U.S.-South Africa
Binational Commission, July 22-24, 1996 [3] [OA/ID 873]
U.S. – South Africa Binational Commission, Visit of Deputy President
Mbeki, February 28 – March 3, 1995 [OA/ID 873]
Public Liaison
Herman, Alexis / Moy, Ruby
Guest List for President Mbeki Luncheon [OA/ID 5073]
Clinton Presidential Records: NSC Cable, Email, and Records Management System
NSC Cables
Jan 1993-Dec 1994 [OA/ID 505000]
[Mbeki and Visit]
[06/01/1994 – 07/19/1994]
[07/19/1994 – 09/21/1994]
[09/21/1994 – 11/17/1994]
[11/22/1994 – 12/23/1994]
Box 2
Jan 1995-Dec 1996 [OA/ID 510000]
[Mbeki and Visit]
[01/10/1995 – 03/15/1995]
[03/17/1995 – 04/13/1995]
[04/13/1995 – 05/31/1995]
[06/02/1995 – 06/29/1995]
NSC Email
A1-Record (Jan 93-Sept 94) [OA/ID 570000]
[Mbeki]
[06/07/1994 – 09/02/1994]
A1-Non-Record (Apr 94-Sept 94) [OA/ID 580000]
[Mbeki]
[06/03/1994 – 09/22/1994]
MsMail-Record (Sept 94-Sept 97) [OA/ID 590000]
[Mbeki and Visit]
[10/03/1994 – 06/28/1995]
MsMail-Non-Record (Sept 94-Sept 97) [OA/ID 605000]
[10/01/1994 – 06/26/1995]
NSC Records Management System
[Mbeki and Visit]
9501051 [OA/ID 2305]
9501591 [OA/ID 2306]