GUINEA BISSAU: ADDITIONAL LES STAFF NEEDED

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DAKAR 000067 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR AF, AF/EX, HR/OE AND AF/W E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AMGT PREL AODE APER PU SUBJECT: GUINEA BISSAU: ADDITIONAL LES STAFF NEEDED REF: A. 06 STATE 021433 ¶B. 06 DAKAR 2801 ¶C. STAFFING PLAN PROVIDED TO AF/EX IN OCTOBER 2006 SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (U) This is an action message. See paragraph 8. The U.S. strategy for Guinea-Bissau (Ref A) calls for a review of security and staffing in Guinea-Bissau at the end of 2006. The situation is peaceful; USG activities continue to increase; post is opening new office space; and efforts to re-open the Embassy in Bissau are well underway. With these trends, the Guinea-Bissau Watcher at post should be stationed permanently in Bissau starting in summer 2008. In preparation for the move, an additional full time Locally Engaged Staff/Foreign Service National (LES/FSN) position is needed in Bissau no later than summer 2007. END SUMMARY. SECURITY CONTEXT -------------- ¶2. (SBU) President Joao Bernardo &Nino8 Vieira was elected in June 2005 and inaugurated in October of that year. The year and a half since the free and fair election has been largely peaceful with significant progress toward consolidating democratic institutions. It is not entirely a rosy picture, however, and areas of concern remain. For example, political divisions are still bitter, and politicians are often more concerned with personal gain than the best interest of the country. Drug trafficking and corruption have increased; the economy has suffered due primarily to deeply flawed policies on cashew exports; and basic staples such as rice have been scarce. ¶3. (SBU) Despite these problems, there are strong indications the Government can survive and can keep the military under control. Since Vieira came into power, opposition parties, especially the Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC),launched two significant efforts to throw out the government of Prime Minister Aristides Gomes. The first was in early 2006 when PAIGC tried -- but failed -- to reject the government,s policy program in the National Popular Assembly (ANP). The second was last month when PAIGC tried to enlist the second largest party in the ANP, the Social Revolution Party (PRS), to join them in a no confidence vote. In this most recent effort, opposition leaders were hoping to capitalize on the government,s failure to garner enough donor support to cover the 2007 budget gap and also the return of former President Kumba Yala, a polarizing and potentially destabilizing figure nominated to head the PRS. Again, the effort failed and the Gomes government remains in place. ¶4. (U) It is significant that through all the political machinations, the military, headed by Major General Batista Tagme Na Waie, has remained essentially on the sidelines. He has kept his focus more on the tasks that one would expect of a Chief of Staff: finding resources to feed, house, clothe, and arm his troops; and leading a campaign to expel Movement of Democratic Forces of the Casamance (MFDC) rebel faction Atika/Movement for the Liberation of the People of Casamance (MPLC) from its bases near the Senegal border. ON THE HORIZON -------------- ¶5. (SBU) In addition to helping Guinea-Bissau through its democratic transition, two major policy concerns loom that will require permanent, in-country presence: drug trafficking and petroleum. Post has reported on the importance of Guinea-Bissau as a transshipment point for drug traffickers (Ref B),and the level of corruption that is growing as a result. On December 26, Vieira began to talk publicly about the problem and in the same week, the new Interior Minister, Dionisio Cabi, reached out to post for assistance in fighting drug trafficking. ¶6. (SBU) The first wave of money from petroleum may start to arrive in Bissau within the next one to two years. Occidental Petroleum, a U.S. company, is currently working with Premier Oil, a British firm, in the exploration phase. A representative from Premier told Ambassador in September that he expected to be pumping 50,000 barrels per day. This new wealth will surely bring an influx of American business people and increased concern over corruption, democratic practices, and development. CURRENT AND FUTURE STAFFING NEEDS -------------- ¶7. (U) Post currently has one FSN-08 Political Assistant position in Bissau supporting all activities. Additional DAKAR 00000067 002 OF 002 administrative support is being provided through a services contractor. As reflected in Ref C, and in preparation for the stationing of an FS-02 Charge, an additional FSN position is required. Post proposes to establish an FSN Admin/Cons position to provide administrative support including but not limited to: working with Dakar GSO and RSO to locate and prepare appropriate leased housing; coordinate staffing and provide operational oversight for local guards; provide Consular American Citizen services (once a DH American is on site); and other routine administrative support activities. ¶8. (U) Due to a staffing realignment, Embassy Dakar has a vacant ICASS LES/FSN position that we do not expect to fill and that is available for transfer to Bissau. ACTION REQUEST: Post would like AF/EX concurrence to transfer the Dakar position to Bissau. END ACTION REQUEST. JACKSON