NEW CHAD CABINET: KEEP YOUR FRIENDS CLOSE, YOUR

UNCLAS NDJAMENA 000262

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON PGOV PHUM PREL CD
SUBJECT: NEW CHAD CABINET: KEEP YOUR FRIENDS CLOSE, YOUR
ENEMIES CLOSER

REF: NDJAMENA 195


1. (SBU) President Deby's new cabinet, announced on March 4,
features eight new ministers. The new cabinet has several
notable characteristics. Some 13 percent have participated
in the international visitors program and one is a former
USAID employee. For the first time in recent memory, the
cabinet contains no Arabs, but does contain a record number
of women. Finally, Deby,s announcement of former rebel
leader Mahamat Nour as Minister of Defense took many people
by surprise. Question marks for us are how Deby,s loyal
supporters will respond to the appointment of Nour and the
appointment's implications for political dialogue between
Deby and his other rebel adversaries.


2. (U) The new Ministers of the cabinet are:

Prime Minister: Dr. Nourradine Coumakoye Delwa Kassire

Minister of Defense: M. Mahamat Nour Abdelkerim

Minister of Agriculture: M. Haroun Kabbadi (former National
Coordinator of the Chad Petroleum Project)

Minister of Public Health: Avockssouma Djona

Minister of National Education: M. Abderamane Koko

Minister of City Planning: M. Mahamat Abdoulaye Mahamat

Minister of Human Rights: Mme Fatime Issa Ramadan

Minister Secretary General of Government: M. Kalzeube Payimi
Deubet


3. (U) Retention of the heavy hitters include:

Minister of Infrastructure: Adoum Younousmi

Minister of Mines and Energy: Mahamat Ali Abdallah Nassour

Foreign Minister: Ahmat Allam-Mi

Minister of Interior: Ahmat Mahamat Bachir

Minister of Finance and Information: Abbas Mahamat Tolli

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Comment
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4. (SBU) Deby surprised observers ) both Chadian and foreign
) by appointing former rebel leader Mahamat Nour as the
Minister of Defense. In the past, Deby,s fellow Zaghawa
(who are highly represented in the Army) have resisted
fiercely giving up benefits and privileges they enjoy. Nour,
a ethnic Tama, has been described as bright and well
organized. Trained in France and Senegal, Nour stutters but
is proficient in French and Arabic. To many Chadians, the
President was using the technique of &keeping your friends
close, but your enemies closer8 with his appointment of
Nour. Chad news sites report that a petition is being
circulated through the high ranks of the military to protest
the appointment, with threats of ousting Nour or fomenting
some sort of internal military action against him.
Regardless of how the Nour appointment plays in N,djamena,
it is likely that the President will continue to act as the
de facto minister of defense and all sides will be watching
closely to see how Nour addresses the ongoing violence in Dar
Tama.


5. (U) Tripoli minimize considered.
WALL