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

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GOVERNMENT RESTRUCTURED BUT NO NAMES YET
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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.

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TEXT OF DECREE
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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