MINAWI NOMINATED SENIOR ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 001649 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR AF/SPG, AF/RSA, AND S/CRS DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV SU SUBJECT: MINAWI NOMINATED SENIOR ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT REF: KHARTOUM 1635 ¶1. (U) A SLM/A-Minawi delegation led by Dr. Al Rayeh Mahmoud presented the nomination of SLM/A leader Minni Minawi for the DPA-established post of Senior Assistant to the President on July ¶11. The post is the fourth in the chain of command from the presidency. Mahmoud and the SLM/A-Minawi delegation had hoped to present the nomination to the Presidency, but had to settle for Presidential Advisor and the head of the GNU delegation to the Abuja talks Dr. Magzoub Al Khalifa. ¶2. (U) As Senior Assistant to the President, Minawi would be a member of the National Council of Ministers, National Security Council, and National Council of Planning. He would also chair the Transitional Darfur Regional Authority, a DPA-stipulated interim governing authority for Darfur prior to national elections in 2008-9. ¶3. (SBU) Per a discussion reported through AU DPA Implementation Lead Ambassador Sam Ibok later that day, Khalifa said that the GNU expected the position for Senior Assistant to be filled by one of the signatories of the DPA. As Minawi is the only movement leader to have signed the DPA, barring any last minute movement from SLM/A-Abdel Wahid to sign, Minawi was the presumed candidate. ¶4. (SBU) The SLM/A-Minawi "advance team" that presented Minawi's nomination included Minawi's deputy, Rayah Mahmud, Secretary General Mustafa Teyrab, and Military Commander-in-Chief Guma Hagar. The advance team has been in Khartoum for approximately two weeks trying to organize politically, develop candidate lists for the numerous positions and commissions established under the DPA, and prepare for Minawi's arrival. However, yesterday's nomination was limited only to the position of Senior Assistant, and it is unclear when the nominations for other positions will follow. Meanwhile, Minawi appears unlikely to arrive in Khartoum before he departs for his visit to Washington. (NOTE: The advance team itself is housed in difficult conditions at a trailer park-style hotel and has little choice but to wait for the DPA Implementation Office to open or for donors to provide furnishings and equipment to a recently acquired headquarters building before it can mobilize more efficiently. END NOTE). HUME