THE GAMBIA: TOUR D'HORIZON WITH SECRETARY GENERAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANJUL 000614

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/03/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KMCA GA
SUBJECT: THE GAMBIA: TOUR D'HORIZON WITH SECRETARY GENERAL

REF: A. STATE 101248


B. BANJUL 386

C. STATE 160005

D. BANJUL 422

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Classified By: AMBASSADOR JOSEPH STAFFORD, REASON 1.4 (B AND D)

SUMMARY
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1. (C) The senior presidential advisor, Secretary General
Njie, indicated a desire to engage with us on steps the GOTG
needed to take in seeking reinstatement of MCA eligibility.
At the same time, he cited President Jammeh's ongoing
resentment over the suspension of eligibility as well as
irritation caused by human rights-related criticism by a
non-USG institution, the Carter Center. Ambassador urged
GOTG's cooperation with a proposed project here by the
National Democratic Institute. We will continue to press
the GOTG for engagement on addressing the policy slippages
that led to loss of MCA eligibility, but it remains to be
seen whether Jammeh will give the green light. END SUMMARY.

NEXT STEPS ON MCA
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2. (C) Ambassador met October 3 with the senior presidential
advisor, Secretary General Mambury Njie and referred to the
Millenium Challenge Corporation's (MCC) June 16 decision to
suspend The Gambia's eligibility for the Millenium Challenge
Account (MCA) program (refs a and b). Ambassador underscored
the Embassy's readiness for discussion with the GOTG on steps
it needed to take in pursuit of reinstatement for
eligibility. He added that, with regard to the MCC's
upcoming FY-2007 eligibility review process, the Embassy
would convey to the GOTG The Gambia's "scorecard" with
rankings on the eligibility criteria as soon as we received
this information (ref c).


3. (C) In response, Njie said the GOTG would welcome the
opportunity to discuss with us the actions it should take to
address the policy slippages that had led to suspension of
eligibility. However, he went on to indicate that President
Jammeh remained resentful over the MCC's "abrupt and
overly-hasty" decision to suspend. Ambassador responded that
he had given the GOTG advance notice of the suspension and
that GOTG officials, during their March 2006 visit to
Washington, had likewise received warnings from both MCC and
the Department of the prospect of suspension due to slippages
in the GOTG's performance. He reiterated the need for the
GOTG to focus now on addressing the shortfalls in performance
so as to begin a process that could lead MCC to consider
reinstatement.

RESENTMENT TOWARD CARTER CENTER
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4. (C) Njie stated that, following the MCA eligibility
suspension, Jammeh was further upset by a Carter Center press
release that criticized the GOTG's performance on human
rights. (NOTE: Njie was referring to an August 24 press
release issued by the Carter Center in response to what it
saw as a local media report that, according to the center,
distorted the content of a July 24 private letter from former
President Carter to Jammeh. According to the press release,
the local media report wrongly cast Carter's letter as
supportive of Jammeh's policies and, as a result, the Carter
Center was compelled to set the record straight by noting
that the letter's focus was on the need for improvement in
the GOTG's human rights performance. Copy of the press
release being e-mailed to AF/W. Njie said he would provide
us with a copy of Carter's letter, as we have not seen it.
END NOTE.) Ambassador replied that Carter did not speak for
the USG, while noting that we shared his evident concern over
the human rights situation here.

NDI VISIT
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5. (C) Ambassador noted the current visit to The Gambia by
representatives of the National Democratic Institute (NDI),
saying that while this organization was autonomous of the
USG, we nonetheless supported its global efforts on behalf of
democracy-building. He urged the GOTG's cooperation with the
proposed NDI project to work with political parties here in
the run-up to the National Assembly elections in January.
Njie responded that he saw "no problem" with the NDI going
ahead with its project.

COMMENT
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6. (C) In his July 2 meeting with visiting AF DAS
Thomas-Greenfield (ref d),Jammeh made clear the depth of his
resentment over the suspension of MCA eligibility. Judging
from Secgen Njie's remarks, that resentment remains strong,
and likely explains why GOTG officials have so far refrained
from engaging with us in any serious way on steps needed to
address policy slippages in pursuit of reinstatement --
despite our repeated indications of readiness for such
engagement. It was evident from Njie's comments that he
wished to begin the consultation process with us, but it
remains to be seen whether he will obtain the green light
from his President to do so. END COMMENT.
STAFFORD