Guinea's Newly Installed Ministers Hold First Cabinet

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CONAKRY 000403

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E.O. 12598: N/A
TAGS: PGOV ECON EINV GV
SUBJECT: Guinea's Newly Installed Ministers Hold First Cabinet
Meeting


1. (SBU) SUMMARY. On April 11, Guinea's newly appointed government
held its first cabinet meeting. The ambitious agenda mirrored Prime
Minister Kouyate's stated reform goals, and included tighter
controls over government expenditures, better delivery of basic
services, and transparency in government dealings. Both the content
and tenor of the meeting encourage some confidence in the Prime
Minister's intentions on reform, and show an emerging esprit de
corps. The new government spokesperson's subsequent detailed
statement to the press not only met the promise for better
communication, but actually included some concrete commitments that
the population can now hold their government to meet. End summary.

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Kouyate Presides Over First Cabinet Meeting, Defines Priorities
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2. (SBU) On April 11, the members of Guinea's newly appointed
government met for their first plenary cabinet meeting. The
ministers outlined their immediate priorities, their vision for
Guinea's future, and the methods they plan to employ to work
together harmoniously. The following are key discussion points:

--Government transparency: The new government will work, act and
communicate with the population in a transparent manner. All draft
decrees will be discussed during cabinet meetings to ensure
transparency, and regular press conferences will be held. Minister
of Communications and New Communication Technologies, Justin Morel,
Jr., was named the government spokesperson.

-- Review of all mining concessions: The cabinet plans to review and
revise existing and pending mining conventions, "amicably if
possible" but in conjunction with their lawyers, if necessary, to
ensure Guinea has its rights respected.

-- Ministerial conduct: All ministers and their spouses will refrain
from acting as parrains and marrains (i.e., godfathers/godmothers in
the case of baptisms, or sponsors/financers/advisors in the case of
marriages and public gala events).

-- Immediate infrastructure projects: Potable tap water is to be
provided for Conakry's neighborhoods of Ratoma, Kobaya, Simbaya,
Donka and Lambanyi and Cosa within 2 months. Uninterrupted
electricity is to be made available in Conakry's communes of Ratoma,
Matam and Donka within 40 days. (Note: These areas were targeted for
uninterrupted electricity because their existing infrastructure is
relatively sound, and because they are areas where primary hospitals
are located. Currently the capital city employs a rolling blackout
plan which delivers electricity to various parts of town for only a
few hours each day.)

-- A second immediate infrastructure project: Solar powered street
lights will be installed in the major highways of the city. The
solar panels and poles were donated some years ago as part of a
Canadian cooperation project, but the lights were never installed.
The water and electricity projects are prototype projects for the
Ministry of Public Works.

-- Continuing engagement with the political parties: The cabinet
agreed to establish an ongoing dialogue with opposition political
parties to discuss the forthcoming legislative elections and
establishment of a National Electoral Commission (CENI).

-- Continuing audits of all government ministries: The cabinet
ordered a full audit of all ministries in order to reconcile the
actual number of employees to the number of positions with budgetary
justifications (i.e., reveal 'ghost' employees) and eliminate
duplicative positions within and across ministries. In seeking "the
restoration of public finances" the cabinet agreed to establish a
Treasury committee whose scope and function will be fully detailed
later.

-- De-linking of the Ministry of Justice and the Appellate Courts:
The Ministry of Justice is to move to the building formerly occupied
by the US Embassy in central Conakry to physically and operationally
separate the Ministry from the Appellate Courts.

-- Priorities for the interior of the country: The cabinet declared
restoration/rehabilitation of government buildings destroyed during
the recent strikes as the top priority for spending in the interior.
(Note: Several prefets and other regional authorities from the
interior are currently resident in Conakry because their homes and
offices were destroyed during the civil unrest.)

-- Budget: The FY 2007 Guinean budget, which follows the calendar
year, is still in draft. Its completion was delayed primarily by
the strike in January and February, and the subsequent restructuring

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of the government. The cabinet agreed to operate under continuing
resolution through June when the completed budget can be presented
to the National Assembly.

-- 2008: October 2008 marks Guinea's 50th year of independence. The
PM called on his team to think about the anniversary and how it
should be marked.


3. (SBU) We understand, although it was not included in the
government's public statement, that the cabinet also agreed to limit
official travel to allow conferences and seminars outside of Guinea
only if they are deemed relevant to the country's stated development
goals. (Note: Travel has been a significant perk for government
officials. As of December 2006, Guinean per diem for official
travel was 575 USD per person per day. That figure does not include
travel expenses which are also paid by the government. Spouses and
children of officials are also eligible for the same per diem. The
money is paid in advance whether the official and family members
actually travel to the conference in question, whether an official
is scheduled to attend two or more conferences during the same time
period, and whether the official and/or family members are able to
secure visas or are otherwise unable to travel.)


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COMMENT
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3. (SBU) Guineans and the international community alike have
patiently waited for the new government to establish and define
itself. The cabinet has deftly done so by clearly articulating its
reformist agenda, and making cabinet members accountable to Guinea's
citizens by publicizing its code of conduct. The cabinet exhibited
its commitment to transparency as the government's spokesperson,
Minister of Communications and New Communication Technologies,
Justin Morel, Jr., issued an extensive press statement chronicling
the cabinet meeting less than 24 hours afterward.


4. (SBU) Prime Minister Kouyate is quoted as telling his ministers,
"Do not fear action; you can make errors but act, so that the people
will see that we are working". That refreshing approach, twinned
with the fact that the government spokesperson has laid down some
concrete commitments for projects that include deadlines, gives us
some early confidence that the new government wants to make a
difference. The people, however, will judge based on results in the
longer term. If this cabinet is permitted to carry out its reform
agenda, Guinea may have something to celebrate by 2008. End
comment.

WINN