DJIBOUTI AND FRANCE FORMALLY RENEW TIES

C O N F I D E N T I A L DJIBOUTI 000338 SIPDIS LONDON, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER STATE FOR AF AND AF/E NAIROBI FOR REDSO STATE ALSO PASS TO USAID E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/15/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID MARR MASS FR DJ SUBJECT: DJIBOUTI AND FRANCE FORMALLY RENEW TIES REF: DJIBOUTI 259 Classified By: AMBASSADOR MARGUERITA RAGSDALE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. Djibouti and France have signed a bilateral agreement through 2010, which includes a 76 million Euro aid package for Djibouti. This agreement was signed during the recent visit of Djiboutian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf to Paris. Both sides have agreed to conduct more high-level meetings on a regular basis, and to give a "new start" to Franco-Djiboutian relations. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) The Ambassador accompanied by Pol/Econ, met with the Djiboutian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf on March 12, and discussed the FM's February 28-March 1 visit to Paris. The FM discussed at some length the bilateral agreement signed by France and Djibouti as an outcome of the visit, officially called "Le Document Cadre de Partenariat" (DCP), in which France has pledged 76 million Euros in aid to Djibouti over the next 4 years. The FM indicated that more than half of the 76 million Euros will be spent on French technical assistance, and that overall the aid will primarily focus on salaries, health, education, security, and justice sectors. ¶4. (C) The FM told the Ambassador he also met with members of the French Senate, in what he called a "think tank" session with ministers from several countries, to discuss new and innovative sources of development funding and ways to strengthen France's position in the Horn of Africa. For example, France wants to strengthen its relationship with Ethiopia. The FM also gave a speech to several business leaders in the French private sector, presenting Djibouti as a gateway to COMESA countries. ¶5. (C) The FM expressed his opinion that France is going through a period of political instability, with the upcoming elections and internal issues with Arab immigrants, and that France wanted to strengthen its relationship with Djibouti before the situation deteriorated further. The FM felt that France also wanted to clear up any lingering misunderstandings over the Borrel Affair, a decade-old case regarding the death in Djibouti of a French judge that has driven a wedge in Franco-Djiboutian relations. The FM said he believes Djibouti's relationship with France is changing for the better. ¶6. (C) This renewal follows a short, but highly-publicized, stop in Djibouti by French PM Villepin after his visit to the island of Reunion on a health-related issue. The French PM made a courtesy call on President Guelleh, discussing the development of relations between the two countries. Both sides indicated publicly that the overall outcome was positive. ¶7. (C) COMMENT. There seems to be an attempt from the French Government to separate itself from the Borrel Affair. With the increasing attention on Djibouti by other players in the international community, France may be anxious to maintain its position here. By pledging a significant amount of aid over the next 4 years, France is demonstrating to the Government of Djibouti that it intends an extended relationship, and will not be hedged out by anyone else. It is also interesting to note that these high-level visits of Villepin to Djibouti and Youssouf to Paris came shortly after the USS Vicksburg docked for the inauguration of the Doraleh Port, which was regarded by some as a slap in the face to France (see reftel). End Comment. RAGSDALE