Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DAKAR81
2006-01-12 15:47:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Dakar
Cable title:  

CODEL KOLBE'S MEETING WITH PRESIDENT WADE FOCUSES

Tags:  OREP EAID PHUM PREL KMCA KPKO SG 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO9951
PP RUEHPA
DE RUEHDK #0081/01 0121547
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 121547Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAKAR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3901
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHLMC/MCC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 0209
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 0006
RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA 0164
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 DAKAR 000081 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/12/2016
TAGS: OREP EAID PHUM PREL KMCA KPKO SG
SUBJECT: CODEL KOLBE'S MEETING WITH PRESIDENT WADE FOCUSES
ON MCA, HUMAN RIGHTS, PEACEKEEPING AND CASAMANCE PEACE
PROCESS

REF: A. DAKAR 0072 (NOTAL)

B. DAKAR 0043 (NOTAL)

C. 05 STATE 228797 (NOTAL)

DAKAR 00000081 001.2 OF 003


Classified By: CDA ROBERT P. JACKSON FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 DAKAR 000081

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/12/2016
TAGS: OREP EAID PHUM PREL KMCA KPKO SG
SUBJECT: CODEL KOLBE'S MEETING WITH PRESIDENT WADE FOCUSES
ON MCA, HUMAN RIGHTS, PEACEKEEPING AND CASAMANCE PEACE
PROCESS

REF: A. DAKAR 0072 (NOTAL)

B. DAKAR 0043 (NOTAL)

C. 05 STATE 228797 (NOTAL)

DAKAR 00000081 001.2 OF 003


Classified By: CDA ROBERT P. JACKSON FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Codel Kolbe met with Senegalese President
Abdoulaye Wade for over 75 minutes on January 4. They
discussed Senegal,s Millennium Challenge Account (MCA)
proposal; peacekeeping; human rights, especially the charges
against former Prime Minister Idrissa Seck; and the Casamance
peace process. The Codel underscored U.S. friendship, and
both sides emphasized shared values. For his part, Wade
insisted that the Seck prosecution is about corruption rather
than politics and hinted that security charges against Seck
may soon be dropped. He declared that the Casamance peace
process is irreversible. Senior officials have since told us
that Wade was pleased with the visit. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) PARTICIPANTS:

United States Senegal
-------------- --------------
Rep. Jim Kolbe President Abdoulaye Wade
Rep. Dennis Rehberg Prime Minister Macky Sall
Rep. Betty McCollum Senior Minister for Foreign
Affairs Cheikh Tidiane Gadio
Charge Robert P. Jackson Senior Minister for Economy and
Finance Abdoulaye Diop
USAID/Senegal Director Minister of Urbanism Assane
Olivier Carduner Diagne
MCC Senior Country Dir. Director of Cabinet Souleymane
for Francophone Africa Ndene Ndiaye
Michael Grossman Minister-delegate for the
HAC PSM Robert Blair Budget Cheikh Hadjibou Soumare
USAID Congressional Ambassador to the U.S. Lamine Ba
Liaison Officer Counselor to the President
Susan Williams Pierre Goudiaby Atepa
Military Escort Cmdr. AMPMD Director General Habib

Ben Pearson MBaye
Vice Consul Thomas APIX Director Aminata Niane
Chojnacki (notetaker) Transportation Technical Advisor
Abdou Aziz Gueye
Counselor to the President Pape
Camara (translator)

MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE ACCOUNT PROPOSAL
--------------

3. (U) President Wade, with Prime Minister Sall, Director of
Cabinet Ndiaye, and AMPMD Director General Mbaye, began the
75-minute meeting by thanking Codel Kolbe for coming to
Senegal. He also expressed his gratitude for the MCA
initiative, noting that three years of eligibility has yet to
translate into implementation. Wade said he understood the
MCA precepts of growth and poverty reduction. Noting that
Senegal,s MCA proposal has evolved over time, he said the
Diamniadio Platform has many advantages: its strategic
location near a major crossroads, the planned new airport and
new duty-free zone, as well as its proximity to the
University of the Future. Wade insisted that the potential
impact on GDP growth is clear, and the MCA project will fight
poverty by creating jobs.


4. (U) Chairman Kolbe said MCA is forward looking. He
praised Senegal,s very ambitious and very visionary
proposal. Kolbe assured Wade that the USG is committed to
seeing the project through. He noted, however, that the
complexity of Senegal,s proposal requires feasibility
studies to ensure that the MCA funds are well spent. Kolbe
also acknowledged some impatience with the MCC,s speed.
Before moving from Wade,s office to the larger conference
room, Wade provided a tour of a number of models of existing
and proposed building projects.


5. (SBU) Joined by other Senegalese Ministers and other
officials, President Wade thanked President Bush and the USG
for &the best cooperation in Africa.8 Wade stressed our
shared values. Chairman Kolbe extended President Bush,s
greetings. Kolbe again praised Senegal,s &very visionary8
MCA proposal. Expressing hope that we can move forward,
Kolbe reiterated the need for studies and analysis. Kolbe
noted that MCA eligibility is a reward for good governance
rather than UN votes, and Senegal has met the first test.
Rep. Rehberg noted that President Bush and the American

DAKAR 00000081 002.2 OF 003


people are Senegal,s friends. Given his experience with
development in Montana, particularly at reservations for
Native Americans, Rehberg highlighted his understanding of
rural development and praised Senegal,s MCA concept. Mr.
Grossman indicated that the MCA process was a partnership.

TERRORISM, PEACEKEEPING AND HUMAN RIGHTS
--------------

6. (U) Acknowledging Senegal,s constitutional government,
Rep. Kolbe praised Senegal,s commitment to democracy and the
rule of law. Rep. McCollum noted that Senegal,s MCA
proposal is very ambitious. She praised Ambassador Ba,s
activism. She stressed that having been selected for the
MCA, Senegal should stand for democracy and human rights.


7. (U) Kolbe and Rehberg then thanked President Wade for
Senegal,s support in the Global War on Terrorism and for its
commitment to peacekeeping. Kolbe noted that, as a
percentage of its armed forces, Senegal has more peacekeepers
than any other military. Kolbe and McCollum extended special
thanks for Senegal,s peacekeeping in Darfur.

THE SECK/THIES PUBLIC WORKS CASE
--------------

8. (C) Chairman Kolbe noted that President Wade has been a
strong supporter of human rights. Kolbe said he was
concerned by interference with the opposition and the arrest
of former Prime Minister Idrissa Seck. He urged the GOS to
resolve the case quickly, bringing it to trial if appropriate.


9. (C) President Wade responded at length, changing from
English to French with translation to make certain that there
was no misunderstanding. Wade said he considered Seck &a
son8 and had paid for his education. Wade said he had a
heavy heart when the police arrested Seck. Significantly,
Wade said that he was not convinced that there was evidence
that Seck had in fact attempted to destabilize the Government
through non-democratic means; therefore, those charges should
be dropped. However, the corruption and embezzlement charges
were serious. Wade said that he had authorized up to 20-25
billion CFA francs (CFAF) (USD 40-50 million) to be spent on
public works projects in Thies in 2004, with no loans. Seck,
however, allegedly spent 46 billion CFAF (USD 92 million).
Moreover, many of the projects were allegedly not put out for
tender, which Wade declared is contrary to Senegalese law.
In addition, there is evidence of overbilling and
embezzlement. Wade asserted that 16 billion or more CFAF
(USD 32 million or more) could not have been spent without
Seck,s involvement, and he apparently pressured the Public
Markets Board to approve expenditures. Wade stated, &That
is corruption; I stand for good governance.8 The legal
system found grounds to detain Seck, including significant
unexplained wealth of unknown origins. Wade insisted Seck
&was not arrested for political reasons.8 Wade ended by
noting that Seck has friends in the United States, including
his American attorney.


10. (C) Rep. Kolbe responded that he appreciated the
explanation and raised the case as a friend of Senegal. He
pointed out that some believe the case against Seck is
politically motivated, and that perception can best be
addressed by bringing the case to trial. Wade concluded that
part of the discussion by expressing his confidence in the
judiciary, noting that he had been arrested and acquitted
five times himself.


11. (C) NOTE: On January 10, International Committee of the
Red Cross Delegate Henry Fournier told Charge that although
he has received some requests to visit former Prime Minister
Idrissa Seck in prison, he decided not to do so for the time
being because he fears that such a visit could disrupt
ongoing negotiations between Seck and Wade. END NOTE.

CASAMANCE PEACE PROCESS
--------------

12. (C) Wade did not want the Codel to depart before he
described the state of the Casamance peace process. He said
the GOS has succeeded in establishing peace with some of the
Movement of Democratic Forces of the Casamance (MFDC) rebels
)- all but one gang. He said the Government had analyzed
the January 2 death of the deputy Prefect and had concluded
that the death was essentially an accident (Ref B). Wade
said the Government has decided not to react but has asked
the MFDC to hand over the assassins for trial. Wade

DAKAR 00000081 003.2 OF 003


concluded that the peace process is irreversible.

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

13. (C) Senior government officials have told us that
President Wade was very pleased with Codel Kolbe's visit, the
first by a Codel to Senegal since 2004. While Wade indicated
some impatience with the development of the MCA Compact, he
seemed reassured by Codel Kolbe,s overall comments about
Senegal,s MCA proposal. Wade was anxious to dispel the idea
that the Seck case is politically motivated, and his comment
about the likelihood of the security charges being dropped
was encouraging, as are negotiations between Seck and Wade.
Finally, Wade took pride in highlighting progress in the
Casamance peace process.


14. (U) Codel Kolbe did not have an opportunity to clear
this cable before departing Senegal. END COMMENT.
JACKSON