Presidential Decree Restructures Guinea's Government

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CONAKRY 000313 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE TREASURY FOR OFFICE OF AFRICAN NATIONS E.O. 12598: N/A TAGS: PGOV GV SUBJECT: Presidential Decree Restructures Guinea's Government REF: Conakry 282 -------------- GOVERNMENT RESTRUCTURED BUT NO NAMES YET -------------- ¶1. (SBU) On March 14, President Lansana Conte signed a decree revising the structure of the Guinean government. The decree reduces the number of ministries from 32 to 19 and establishes three secretariats of state. Recently installed Prime Minister Lansana SIPDIS Kouyate proposed this more compact "lean and mean" government in a draft decree presented to President Conte over a week ago (reftel). ¶2. (SBU) This decree marks a small victory for Kouyate, who was under significant pressure to maintain more ministerial positions. The decree represents a step -- albeit a very small one -- towards the change so much desired by the Guinean population. ¶3. (U) President Conte has not yet signed a parallel decree dismissing the current government. ¶4. (SBU) More importantly, Conte and Kouyate have not agreed on the composition of the new government. A streamlined governmental structure is welcome to most here, but the identity of the ministers will give us a better indication of how much Kouyate has been forced to compromise (he wants no ministers from the old government) and how likely the new government is to answer the demands voiced by the Guinean people. -------------- TEXT OF DECREE -------------- ¶5. (U) Informal Embassy translation of decree follows (operative paragraphs only): The President of the Republic decrees: Article 1: The Government of the Republic of Guinea, under the authority of the Prime Minister, head of government, is restructured as follows: -- Ministry of Economy, Finance and Planning -- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, African Integration, and Guineans Abroad -- Ministry of Defense -- Ministry of the Interior and Security -- Ministry of Justice and Human Rights -- Ministry of Economic and Financial Oversight, Ethics and Transparency -- Ministry of Mines and Geology -- Ministry of Energy and Water -- Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, the Environment and Forestry Affairs -- Ministry of Fishing and Aquaculture -- Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Tourism and Artisanal Industries -- Ministry of Public Works, Urban Planning and Housing -- Ministry of Transport -- Ministry of Communication and New Information Technologies -- Ministry of Education and Scientific Research -- Ministry of Youth, Culture and Sports -- Ministry of Public Health -- Ministry of Social, Women's and Children's Affairs -- Ministry of Labor, Civil Service, and Administrative Reform -- Secretariat General of the Presidency of the Republic -- Secretariat General of the Government CONAKRY 00000313 002 OF 002 -- Secretariat General of Religious Affairs End text. ¶6. (SBU) Notable changes to the existing structure include the combining of the Ministries of the Interior and Security and the consolidation of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. In addition, Planning is now subsumed under the Ministry of Finance; the three former Ministries of Education are collapsed into one; and Information and Communications, including supporting technologies, are under one minister. Finally, the former Secretariat General of the National Islamic League has been broadened into the Secretariat General for Religious Affairs. McDONALD