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