Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08FREETOWN230
2008-05-16 13:07:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Freetown
Cable title:  

ON THE MFA'S RADAR SCREEN: INTERNAL GOSL DISSENT

Tags:  PREL PGOV EAID SL 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO9410
PP RUEHPA
DE RUEHFN #0230/01 1420840
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 161307Z MAY 08 ZUI RUEHSD 0082W 1420331 H/W ZDS ALL STAS
FM AMEMBASSY FREETOWN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1914
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 FREETOWN 000230 

SIPDIS

C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (MULTIPLE FORMAT CHANGES)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/16/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID SL
SUBJECT: ON THE MFA'S RADAR SCREEN: INTERNAL GOSL DISSENT
AND REGIONAL FOOD PROBLEMS

REF: FREETOWN 225

FREETOWN 00000230 001.3 OF 002


Classified by Ambassador June Carter Perry (1.4 b,d)

SUMMARY
-------

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 FREETOWN 000230

SIPDIS

C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (MULTIPLE FORMAT CHANGES)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/16/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID SL
SUBJECT: ON THE MFA'S RADAR SCREEN: INTERNAL GOSL DISSENT
AND REGIONAL FOOD PROBLEMS

REF: FREETOWN 225

FREETOWN 00000230 001.3 OF 002


Classified by Ambassador June Carter Perry (1.4 b,d)

SUMMARY
--------------


1. (C) Sierra Leone's Brazil-bound Minister of Foreign
Affairs Bangura met with Ambassador May 2 to pronounce on the
upcoming Mano River Basin Union (MRU) agenda in Monrovia.
Although Cote d'Ivoire's official acceptance was on the
formal agenda, the region's food crisis was The "real" topic
for discussion in her view. She said the Government (GOSL)
would likely request emergency food assistance from the USG.
Regarding an airplane (owned by a Florida company and crew
held for five days at Freetown's Lungi airport. Bangura
stated President Koroma had signed off on the plane's
release. (Note: She said approval for landing had not been
given; the Minister of Transportation told us earlier it had
been approved. End Note.) The Foreign Minister offered her
interpretation of the meeting with Assistant Secretary (A/S)
Jendayi Frazer in Washington. She remarked that the A/S had
suggested she speak with the U.S. Ambassador in Freetown
again concerning the Millennium Challenge Corporation
criteria. The Minister also plans to travel to New York for
the Peacebuilding Commission high level meeting on May 19 and
then on to Japan.


2. (C) The disparate positions of the Ministers of Transport
and Foreign Affairs regarding the approval/non-approval of
the U.S. company's aircraft to land reflects what we see as a
continuing lack of communication between the new government
officials. Regarding the MRU, we will see if the food
situation results in a concrete request from the GOSL in the
coming week or so. End Summary.

TRAVELING FEVER
--------------


3. (C) Foreign Minister Bangura and Ambassador met
one-on-one between the FoMin's trips to the U.S., Brazil and
Liberia (then to New York and Japan). According to her,
President Koroma remained upset with Energy Minister Kabbah
and therefore had requested the Foreign Minister to go to
Brazil with Trade Minister Koroma for a conference on energy.
Reportedly, the Minister of Energy violated contracting

procedures in order to keep the President's word that lights
would be on by Christmas 2007. The Foreign Minister stated
her boss had "kicked the Energy Minister out of his office"
and was disgruntled by her lack of transparency.


4. (C) Regarding the U.S. Miami, Florida owned plane held
at Sierra Leone's Lungi airport for five days, the FoMin
expressed the GOSL's deepest "concern" about drug smugglers
and therefore were searching the plane. She claimed the
President had given permission for the aircraft to depart
(following repeated requests from post after calls from the
U.S. firm). She asserted the landing had not been approved,
thus contradicting the transport news statement earlier to me
that approval had been granted. (Note: The plane was released
mid-afternoon on May 2. End Note.)

Mano River Basin's Deep Crisis
--------------


5. (C) Mrs. Bangura related, when asked, the MRU's main goals
in Monrovia. She responded that the stated major agenda item
was Cote d'Ivoire's status in the regional organization.
However, the "real" reason for the session was the high price
of food which has caused instability in several countries.
Sierra Leone faces a food crisis with a 50 Kilo bag selling
now at 130,000 leones (about $45.00 dollars). In December,
the cost was 90,000 leones (about $30.00 dollars). She hoped
the MRU would work out a way to share the burden but thus
far, neighboring countries have banned exports. Although she
indicated GOSL would do an official emergency request, that
has not yet happened. (Note: Post has sent in a request for
the President's new food initiative to assist Sierra Leone,
the world's poorest country, using USG mechanisms now on the
ground and additional TDY personnel. End Note.) We responded
we would try to increase our support without making a firm
amount or dollar commitment.

Washington Visit
--------------


6. (C) Bangura was eager to share how delighted she was to
have met with the AF Assistant Secretary in Washington on
April 18. She felt the meeting had been very useful and
noted the A/S had referred her to me to discuss the
Millennium Challenge Account (MCA). (Note: We have had
numerous conversations with the FoMin, Finance Minister and
others concerning what it takes to meet the criteria for MCA.
Often, GOSL officials will observe that other countries have
compacts in place. Our response has been to walk the senior
ministers through the steps necessary to even reach

FREETOWN 00000230 002.3 OF 002


eligibility and threshold status, adding in a post-conflict
country, achieving the basic criteria would take longer. End
Note.) Concerning the ousted GOSL envoy from their
Washington Embassy, the FoMin said she had seen him recently.
She said she was not aware, until we discussed that issue
again, that his family was seeking asylum in the U.S. and
appeared puzzled that they would do so. We agreed to talk
again once her travels are completed, likely by the end of
May. The FoMin is to leave May 16/17 for New York to attend
the Peacebuilding Commission High Level meeting and then
travel to Japan, as President Koroma is expected to as well
for bilateral talks.

Comment
--------------


7. (C) It seems Foreign Minister Bangura, the senior-most
minister of the new government, is out of the country more
than she is in it. That may be part of the reason disparate
views are heard from ministers. Cabinet meetings are
supposed to be held twice monthly but the schedule varies
time from time. We are struck by the fact that some
decisions are made only at the Presidential level thus
hampering quick action on pending items. Bangura appears to
be the most influential adviser to Koroma and we believe
regular talks are important to obtain the factual, inside
views of what is happening within the GOSL. Her involvement
on issues from aircraft landings to food policy gives an idea
of the scope of her portfolio. She is also the past master
of both bilateral and multilateral affairs policy within the
GOSL.
PERRY