Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08CONAKRY194
2008-03-10 09:22:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Conakry
Cable title:  

GUINEA - FISCAL TRANSPARENCY REPORT

Tags:  ECON EAID PREL GV 
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VZCZCXRO0109
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHRY #0194 0700922
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 100922Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2246
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
UNCLAS CONAKRY 000194 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EEB/IFD/OMA
DEPT FOR ANDREW SNOW AND RICHARD FIGUEROA
DEPT FOR AF/EPS
COMMERCE FOR SALIHA LOUCIF

SIPDIS

E.O. 12598: N/A
TAGS: ECON EAID PREL GV
SUBJECT: GUINEA - FISCAL TRANSPARENCY REPORT

REFTEL: STATE 16737

UNCLAS CONAKRY 000194

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EEB/IFD/OMA
DEPT FOR ANDREW SNOW AND RICHARD FIGUEROA
DEPT FOR AF/EPS
COMMERCE FOR SALIHA LOUCIF

SIPDIS

E.O. 12598: N/A
TAGS: ECON EAID PREL GV
SUBJECT: GUINEA - FISCAL TRANSPARENCY REPORT

REFTEL: STATE 16737


1. Pursuant to REFTEL, Embassy Conakry provides the following
requested information:


2. The Government of Guinea publishes budget and financial data,
and systems are in place to record and report budget expenditures.
The 2008 budget is published in book form, and is not/not available
on the internet. There is little public access to the document.
Furthermore, given the generally low level of education, even if the
budget was available to the public, there is little likelihood of
the public understanding the document. It does include revenue and
expenditures; however, the budget depends on significant donor
support for balance. It is unclear whether the budget figures for
revenue and expenditures are meaningful, correct or even relevant.
This is especially true given the lack of definition in the budget,
and the extensive use of the 'miscellaneous' category for
expenditures.


3. Guinea's weakness on fiscal transparency is due to a lack of
will on the part of government officials who stand to lose if
economic and fiscal reforms are successfully implemented.
Corruption is endemic in the government and throughout Guinean
society. There is much room for improvement in public financial
management and accountability. The International Monetary Fund
(IMF) and World Bank (WB) reengaged with Guinea shortly after the
installation of the latest reform government. Both institutions are
working on good governance and anti-corruption programs. However,
Guinea has not volunteered for the IMF to report on the country's
compliance with standards and codes covering fiscal transparency.


4. USAID assistance in Guinea primarily targets building capacity
at the local level by promoting participation and transparency
through development activities. USAID continues to assist the
National Directorate of Water and Forests (DNEF) with PL480 Title
III funds. USAID has assisted in the development of plans for
co-management of seven forests by the DNEF and local communities.
These co-management plans require transparent record keeping and
reporting requirements, thereby ensuring accurate disclosure of
forestry revenues and expenditures from local operating DNEF
operating units.


5. USAID has funded training in the areas of Public Budgeting,
Fiscal Management, Good Governance, Financial Transparency, and
Financial Control Systems. USAID also organized a course on fraud
awareness and auditing.


6. USAID's democracy and governance programs address fiscal
transparency and accountability across targeted sectors such as
health and education. USAID conducts transparent budget management
trainings at the sub-prefects and prefect level, in such areas as
management of health budgets. USAID has sponsored attendance at
decentralization courses which contained budget management
components. USAID also provides education assistance such as budget
planning, budget execution, reporting, auditing, training to
decentralized units of the central division, and improving strategic
planning and decision-making with the participation of all
stakeholders.

BROKENSHIRE