DRC CONSULTATIVE GROUP MEETING IN PARIS: THE WRONG

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000437 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS TREASURY FOR OWHYCHE-SHAW E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EFIN PGOV ECON CG SUBJECT: DRC CONSULTATIVE GROUP MEETING IN PARIS: THE WRONG SIGNAL ¶1. (SBU) It is our understanding a DRC Consultative Group meeting is being scheduled in Paris in June. Post believes holding the meeting in Paris, rather than in Kinshasa, sends a bad signal to a newly-elected government that needs to exercise budgetary discipline, drastically cut back foreign travel, and start evincing signs that it is taking seriously its economic crisis. The GDRC currently has many officials in Washington for the World Bank's regular spring meeting; sending a substantially larger number to Paris in June would only add to excessive official travel costs. More importantly, we feel having the Consultative Group meeting in Kinshasa would show (a) government officials that donors are serious about fiscal discipline; and (b) the Congolese people that donors are working with their government to address their needs and to rebuild their country. We suggest that State and Treasury suggest to Consultative Group meeting organizers, particularly the Bank, that Kinshasa would be a more suitable venue. MEECE