Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DAKAR1204
2006-05-18 17:04:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Dakar
Cable title:  

PRIME MINISTER SALL COMMENTS ON MCA, ELECTIONS AND

Tags:  EAID PINR PINS PREL KMCA KHDP SG 
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VZCZCXRO9845
PP RUEHPA
DE RUEHDK #1204/01 1381704
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 181704Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAKAR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5171
INFO RUEHLMC/MCC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DAKAR 001204 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/EPS, AF/W, DRL/PHD, PM/WRA AND INR/AA
PARIS FOR POL - D'ELIA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/18/2016
TAGS: EAID PINR PINS PREL KMCA KHDP SG
SUBJECT: PRIME MINISTER SALL COMMENTS ON MCA, ELECTIONS AND
CASAMANCE

REF: DAKAR 01149 (NOTAL)

DAKAR 00001204 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Ambassador Janice L. Jacobs for reasons 1.4 (b and d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DAKAR 001204

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/EPS, AF/W, DRL/PHD, PM/WRA AND INR/AA
PARIS FOR POL - D'ELIA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/18/2016
TAGS: EAID PINR PINS PREL KMCA KHDP SG
SUBJECT: PRIME MINISTER SALL COMMENTS ON MCA, ELECTIONS AND
CASAMANCE

REF: DAKAR 01149 (NOTAL)

DAKAR 00001204 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Ambassador Janice L. Jacobs for reasons 1.4 (b and d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: On May 18, the Ambassador called on Prime
Minister Macky Sall to discuss the status of the Millennium
Challenge Account (MCA) proposal, the Poverty Reduction
Strategy Plan (PRSP) and election preparations. The Prime
Minister stressed that the MCA Compact is the GOS, highest
priority and that the Compact needs to be signed this year.
He described plans to name the board of directors. He
reassured us that the elections will take place on February
25, 2007, and discussed the situation in Senegal,s Casamance
region. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) On May 18, the Ambassador and DCM spent 45 minutes
with Prime Minister Sall and his new diplomatic advisor,
Ambassador Abdou Salam Diallo. The Prime Minister welcomed
the Ambassador, underscoring the cordial relationship between
Senegal and the United States. He noted that bilateral
cooperation is excellent and tat we have worked especially
closely on the MCA.

MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE ACCOUNT
--------------
3 (SBU) The Ambassador gave the Prime Minister the ten-page
&Tasks and Timeline for Senegal,s Diamniadio Platform.8
She stressed the need to name the Board of Directors and
suggested that civil society be included. The Prime Minister
responded that the MCA is the most important bilateral issue
and that signing this year is essential. He said the
Government is ready to name the Board and that Sogue
Diarisso, the head of Senegal,s original MCA Task Force,
will chair it. In leafing through the list of tasks, the
Prime Minister noted that some were easy to accomplish;
however, furrowing his brow, he declared, &American
management is complicated.8 He said that Habib Mbaye, the
Director General of the Agency for the Realization of the
Diamniadio Platform (AMPMD),now provides the Prime Minister

with a weekly briefing.

POVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGY PLAN
--------------

4. (U) The Ambassador then turned to the PRSP, noting that
the donors have a number of concerns about it and have
provided 24 pages of comments. Sall confessed that he has
not followed the new PRSP,s devlopment closely, but he
called Junior Minister for the Budget Habibou Soumare and
asked that he meet with the Ambassador to dicsuss the state
of the PSRP. Sall also offered to host the long-requested
meeting with the Private Sector Working Group to discuss the
investment climate and the Accelerated Growth Strategy.

ELECTION PREPARATIONS
--------------

5. (C) In view of discussions about postponing presidential
and parliamentary elections until 2009 (reftel),the
Ambassador asked about election preparations. She stressed
the U.S. interest in a fair and transparent process. The
Prime Minister said that the Autonomous National Election
Commission,s (CENA,s) insistence on having representatives
present for all voter registration had slowed things down,
but the new USD 30 million voter registration and identity
card system could ultimately see up to 6 million voters
registered (counting Seneglese overseas). Sall insisted that
the elections will occur on February 25, 2007. The Prime
minister also noted that the animated political debate and
the totally free press ensure that there is no lack of
democracy in Senegal. Sall said that the last six polls )-
in 1998, 2000, 2001, and 2002 ) had all been transparent.
He added that as the deputy chairperson of the ruling party,
he is optimistic and has no fears about the elections. He
did confide that the Government may amend the constitution to
eliminate the requirement that the new president must secure
the votes of at least one quarter of all registered voters
because the Government is not confident that three million
people will actually go to the polls since voting is not
obligatory.

CASAMANCE
--------------

6. (C) When the Ambassador mentioned that during her meeting
with Minister of Interior Ousmane Ngom, he had said that
voter registration was even going well in Senegal,s troubled
Casamance region, Sall interjected that there is a new
outlook in the Casamance. He insisted that the conflict and
the peace process are well managed, pointing to the decision
to allow Movement of Democratic Forces of the Casamance

DAKAR 00001204 002.2 OF 002


(MFDC) Atika faction leader Salif Sadio and his supporters to
flee from Guinea-Bissau to the area near the Gambian border
without being engaged by the Senegalese Army. Sall said the
real issue for the Casamance is investment and that donors
have been too timid about rebuilding. Asked about demining,
Sall that the Senegalese Army is already demining.

COMMENT
--------------

7. (C) The Prime Minister was relaxed. His comments about
the elections taking place on the current schedule were
reassuring, and his clarification of proposed constitutional
changes to eliminate the requirement to obtain the votes of
at least one-fourth of all registered voters helped to put
the debate about eliminating the requirement for a run-off
and majorities versus pluralities in a new light. However,
we continue to have concerns about the Government,s approach
to the Casamance peace process, which is not progressing with
intra-MFDC fighting continuing to prevent a new round of
talks. END COMMENT.


8. (U) Visit Dakar,s classified website at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/af/dakar/.
JACOBS