Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07YAOUNDE1160
2007-09-21 10:11:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Yaounde
Cable title:
CAMEROON JUSTICE MINISTER WELCOMES AMBASSADOR,
how-toVZCZCXRO4098 PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO DE RUEHYD #1160 2641011 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 211011Z SEP 07 FM AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8169 INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY 0012 RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
UNCLAS YAOUNDE 001160
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF/C, INL/C/CP
ACCRA FOR USAID
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA ACTION OFFICERS
EUCOM FOR J5-A AND POLAD
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV KCOR PHUM PINR CM
SUBJECT: CAMEROON JUSTICE MINISTER WELCOMES AMBASSADOR,
CONTINUED COOPERATION
UNCLAS YAOUNDE 001160
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF/C, INL/C/CP
ACCRA FOR USAID
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA ACTION OFFICERS
EUCOM FOR J5-A AND POLAD
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV KCOR PHUM PINR CM
SUBJECT: CAMEROON JUSTICE MINISTER WELCOMES AMBASSADOR,
CONTINUED COOPERATION
1. (U) Summary. Cameroonian Vice Prime Minister and
Minister for Justice Amadou Ali welcomed Ambassador Garvey in
a September 20 courtesy call and said that continued
cooperation on anti-corruption was the most important way for
the USG to help Cameroon's development efforts. Ali also
invited USG assistance for his efforts to reform the judicial
system. End summary.
--------------
Long-time Collaborator with the USG
--------------
2. (U) Ambassador paid a September 20 courtesy call on
Amadou Ali, Cameroon's Minister for Justice and the senior of
two Vice Prime Ministers. Ali is the longest-serving member
of the current cabinet, having served previously as Minister
of Defense and Secretary General at the Presidency. Ali
recounted his long history of collaboration with the USG.
Recalling that American Ambassadors have a history of
aggressively lobbying for reform, Ali acknowledged that such
pressure is driven by friendship and the shared belief that
Cameroon has yet to realize its full potential.
--------------
Priorities
--------------
3. (U) Ali outlined his ongoing efforts to unify the
national legal framework, which continues to be bifurcated
along Cameroon's Anglophone/Francophone cultural divide.
Having passed implementing legislation on unifying the legal
system and a new, unified penal code, Ali expressed hope that
Cameroon's judicial system would be fully integrated within
two to three years. Lamenting that the Ministry of Justice
receives less than one percent of the national budget, Ali
said he is lobbying for a budget increase in order to expand
the number of judicial staff, enhance their training, raise
their salaries, and improve the physical infrastructure of
the court and penal systems. He hoped for USG support on
judicial reform but said USG cooperation on anti-corruption
efforts would be as important, if not more so, than
traditional development projects.
4. (SBU) Comment. Ali was friendly, talkative and
apparently eager to convey his willingness to continue a long
record of close collaboration with the US Ambassador in
Cameroon. Ali is perhaps our single most important ally on
the anti-corruption front, and we look forward to working
with him on the best way forward. Post will report septel on
Ali's comments on the GRC's anti-corruption campaign. End
comment.
GARVEY
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF/C, INL/C/CP
ACCRA FOR USAID
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA ACTION OFFICERS
EUCOM FOR J5-A AND POLAD
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV KCOR PHUM PINR CM
SUBJECT: CAMEROON JUSTICE MINISTER WELCOMES AMBASSADOR,
CONTINUED COOPERATION
1. (U) Summary. Cameroonian Vice Prime Minister and
Minister for Justice Amadou Ali welcomed Ambassador Garvey in
a September 20 courtesy call and said that continued
cooperation on anti-corruption was the most important way for
the USG to help Cameroon's development efforts. Ali also
invited USG assistance for his efforts to reform the judicial
system. End summary.
--------------
Long-time Collaborator with the USG
--------------
2. (U) Ambassador paid a September 20 courtesy call on
Amadou Ali, Cameroon's Minister for Justice and the senior of
two Vice Prime Ministers. Ali is the longest-serving member
of the current cabinet, having served previously as Minister
of Defense and Secretary General at the Presidency. Ali
recounted his long history of collaboration with the USG.
Recalling that American Ambassadors have a history of
aggressively lobbying for reform, Ali acknowledged that such
pressure is driven by friendship and the shared belief that
Cameroon has yet to realize its full potential.
--------------
Priorities
--------------
3. (U) Ali outlined his ongoing efforts to unify the
national legal framework, which continues to be bifurcated
along Cameroon's Anglophone/Francophone cultural divide.
Having passed implementing legislation on unifying the legal
system and a new, unified penal code, Ali expressed hope that
Cameroon's judicial system would be fully integrated within
two to three years. Lamenting that the Ministry of Justice
receives less than one percent of the national budget, Ali
said he is lobbying for a budget increase in order to expand
the number of judicial staff, enhance their training, raise
their salaries, and improve the physical infrastructure of
the court and penal systems. He hoped for USG support on
judicial reform but said USG cooperation on anti-corruption
efforts would be as important, if not more so, than
traditional development projects.
4. (SBU) Comment. Ali was friendly, talkative and
apparently eager to convey his willingness to continue a long
record of close collaboration with the US Ambassador in
Cameroon. Ali is perhaps our single most important ally on
the anti-corruption front, and we look forward to working
with him on the best way forward. Post will report septel on
Ali's comments on the GRC's anti-corruption campaign. End
comment.
GARVEY