NIGER: PRESIDENT TANDJA NAMES NEW CABINET

UNCLAS NIAMEY 000787 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR AF/W PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KDEM KCOR NG SUBJECT: NIGER: PRESIDENT TANDJA NAMES NEW CABINET REF: (A) Niamey 783 (B) Niamey 737 (C) Niamey 736 ¶1. Summary: President Tandja, on June 9, announced a new cabinet made up of 32 members (including the Prime Minister),to replace the one that was dissolved following the National Assembly's May 31 no confidence vote on the former Prime Minister (ref a). Nineteen incumbent ministers, including the ministers of Interior, Foreign Affairs, Finance, and Communication remain in their positions, while two change portfolios. The departments of Defense and Justice get new ministers. The new cabinet includes eight women, as compared to six in the previous one. The reaction to the new cabinet has been generally favorable, even among those who were disappointed with Oumarou's appointment as Prime Minister. End Summary. ¶2. Ministers who were replaced include: -- Minister of Defense Souley Hassane; -- Minister of Justice Maty Elhadji Moussa; -- Minister of Commerce Habi Mahamdou Salissou; -- Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Souleymane Kane; -- Minister of Water Resources Abdou Labo; -- Minister of Tourism Amadou Nouhou; -- Minister of Health Kabaou Mahamadou; -- Minister of Community Development Mounkaila Modi; -- Minister of Women's Promotion Zeinabou Moulaye; -- Minister of Animal Resources Djina Abdoulaye; and -- Minister of Young Business People's Promotion Gazobi Rahamou. ¶3. New Ministers include: -- Dagra Mamadou, Minister of Justice; -- Djida Hamadou, Minister of Defense; -- Halidou Badj, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Standardization; -- Kindo Hamani, Minister of Commerce and Civil Aviation; -- Issa Lamine, Minister of Health; -- Mrs. Barry Bibata, Minister of Women's Promotion and Child Protection; -- Issiat Kato, Minister of Animal Resources; -- Mrs. Amadou Aissa Siddo, Minister of Tourism and Handicrafts; -- Mrs. Saad Souley, Minister of Community Development; -- Tassiou Aminou, Minister of Water Resources; -- Salou Gobi, Minister of Young Business People's Promotion and Public Companies' Restructuring; -- Mrs. Maizama Hadiza, Minister of Professional and Technical Training; and -- Saidou Hachimou, Minister of African Integration and Nigeriens Abroad; ¶4. One new ministry has been created: the Ministry of African Integration and Nigeriens Abroad, which was previously part of the former Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and African Integration. ¶5. The Ministry of Programs Monitoring, Evaluation and Dialogue with Development Partners, which was only created in March, has been eliminated. It will likely be reintegrated within the Ministry of Economy and Finance. ¶6. Comment: The new cabinet was generally well received, even by those who were disappointed by Oumarou's appointment as Prime Minister. It appears to reflect President Tandja's pledge to put the right person in the right place in an effort to improve performance and limit corruption within Niger's public service. Five key ministers including those of Interior, Foreign Affairs, Finance, Justice, and Equipment are known to be the President's protgs. In addition, the no confidence motion may have given him the opportunity to purge the government of officials widely believed to be corrupt, such as the now former ministers of Transport, Commerce, and Justice. Former Transport Minister Souleymane Kane (who is the President's son-in-law) faced media allegations of illegal dealings over the choice of companies in charge of making vehicle license plates, as well as his management of the Niger warehousing area at the port of Cotonou and services at the Niamey airport. Former Commerce Minister Habi Mahamadou Salissou acknowledged misappropriating about 80 million CFA ($160,000) worth of foreign food assistance. Former Justice Minister Maty Elhadji Moussa had been under strong criticism over his alleged interference in high-profile court cases. One major criticism remains about the Nigerien cabinet - its size. Koran