FY 2007 CARRY-OVER ESF PROJECT PROPOSALS:

UNCLAS ABUJA 002430 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS AF/W FOR LISBETH THOMPSON ACCRA FOR USAID/WA OFFICE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID ECON PGOV AFIN AMGT PHUM PREL ETRD NI SUBJECT: FY 2007 CARRY-OVER ESF PROJECT PROPOSALS: POLITICAL COMPETITION AND CONSENSUS BUILDING; REGIONAL TRADE AND INVESTMENT REF: SECSTATE 151653 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED -- NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: Embassy Abuja supports USAID Bilateral Mission proposal to use USD 500,000 from AF ESF to help media, civil society and the National Assembly monitor and move forward Nigeria's electoral reform process. Embassy also supports USAID West African Mission proposal to utilize USD 200,000 of regional ESF to promote regional trade and investment enabling environment. Both USAID Mission are coordinating with AID counterparts. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) Africa Regional Fund: Political Competition and Consensus-Building. Amount Requested: USD 500,000. This request supports MSP and Operational Plan transformational goal of more Democratic and Transparent Governance in Nigeria. Accomplishments will be measured based on acceleration of electoral reform process and through better general elections in Nigeria in 2011 and improved process in other special elections before then. The 2007 Nigerian Presidential, Gubernatorial and Parliamentary elections were a travesty. Free and fair elections were effectively undermined by the Nigerian political elite. Since then, President Yar'Adua has formed a Committee on Electoral Reforms, composed of eminent Nigerian citizens, and given it a one-year mandate to make recommendations to improve the electoral system. The Committee has been welcomed by the Nigerian population and the international community. Embassy Abuja believes that the President must demonstrate his sincere desire for electoral reforms by sufficiently funding the Committee. Therefore, we are not/not suggesting that the USG directly support the Committee. Instead, we propose to have the USAID Bilateral Mission use ESF to help the media, civil society and the National Assembly monitor the electoral reform process and engage with the Electoral Reform Committee in an effort to effect fundamental changes to Nigeria's weak electoral system. Using these ESF carryover funds, the USG will support media events, including talk shows and community radio programs that address critical issues. USG assistance will also be provided to civil society groups to assist them in serving as watchdogs able to engage effectively with the Committee. Assistance to the National Assembly will ensure that recommendations of the Committee are vetted and translated into actions. The intervention will support U.S. Foreign Assistance objectives by promoting credible, free and fair elections in Nigeria. ¶3. (U) Regional Organizations: Economic Growth/Trade and Investment: Trade and Investment Enabling Environment. Amount Requested: USD 200,000. This request supports MSP and Operational Plan transformational goal of Economic Growth through more rational and productive trade arrangements and support for private sector activity in the West Africa Region. Embassy Abuja has coordinated this proposal with USAID/WA Office in Accra. The latter will be the implementor, with support from and liaison with Embassy Abuja and Bilateral AID Mission. Accomplishments will be measured by accelerated progress on regional integration, lowering of tariff and non-tariff barriers, and improvement of the investment and operating environment for the private sector. Embassy Abuja supports proposal by USAID/WA to use USD 200,000 in ESF funding two support two Regional Hires as Economic Advisors within ECOWAS. We are also coordinating our efforts with the EU, the major donor to ECOWAS, which is supportive of this initiative. The two Advisors would be hired and supervised by USAID/WA, but would also have close liaison with Embassy Abuja, as the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria is also accredited to ECOWAS, and with the USAID Bilateral Mission to Nigeria. One Advisor will focus on the Common External Tariff and related trade issues as spelled out in reftel. The other would support the ECOWAS Private Enterprise Initiative. Both Advisors will support the development of longer-term analytical capacity of ECOWAS through coaching and development of ECOWAS permanent staff. We recognize that ECOWAS has not yet fulfilled its mandate for regional economic integration. Nonetheless, close liaison with these two Advisors within ECOWAS will enable us to more effectively coordinate our bilateral diplomatic efforts towards Nigeria, the largest player in the ECOWAS region, and such efforts with ECOWAS itself. We will also be in a strong position to direct other donors in the most effective use of their funding to move forward the ECOWAS agenda. We believe that USD 200,000 for these two Advisors will be a cost-effective investment towards more open and rational trade, investment and customs regimes in West Africa while directly supporting expansion of the private sector. PIASCIK