SUDAN'S TOP BUSINESSMAN SAYS HE'S FED UP WITH THE

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000098 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/SPG, AF/SE WILLIAMSON, NSC FOR BPITTMAN AND CHUDSON E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/23/2033 TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF PHUM SU SUBJECT: SUDAN'S TOP BUSINESSMAN SAYS HE'S FED UP WITH THE GOVERNMENT Classified By: CDA Alberto Fernandez, Reason: Section 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: In a January 22 meeting with CDA Fernandez, Sudan's leading businessman, Osama Daoud Latif, appeared unusually frustrated with the Sudanese Government, concluding that "a lot of people feel it is time for this government to go." Daoud described the governing regime as internally-competitive ("each of them feels that he is the leader"),intellectually and politically stagnant, and overly homogenous ("from the same generation, schools, and families.") In particular Latif criticized the government's interference in the Sudanese economy. Latif said that in 2003 the regime convened wealthy businessmen to explain their war policy in Darfur and requested money to assist victims. END SUMMARY. POOR BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT -------------- ¶2. (C) Latif said that this year has not been good to his many businesses (which include real-estate development, the operations of Coca-Cola in Sudan, dairy and other agricultural enterprises, a school for children of expats, and Sudan's largest wheat mill.) Latif stated that he hoped to have growth near 15% this year, but that his businesses are down ten percent from 2006. He said that this is particularly disappointing as earlier this decade his businesses had achieved unusually high 30-40% annual growth. Latif blamed this performance on ineffective leadership in the Ministry of Finance and the Sudanese Government, stating, "we have a very poor Minister of Finance. He is a joke and I am openly critical of him in his presence." Continuing, Latif said that the Minister is a "yes-man whose only job is to take care of the army and the security." Latif stated that although the government's budget has grown from 2 billion to 11 billion in 2007, there is little to show for this money because so much is used for politics and the military/security apparatus. ¶3. (C) Latif also blamed the deteriorating business environment on too many rules and regulations, oil dependence, and a lack of government planning, consultation, and review before making economic decisions. As an example, Latif cited the new two-day, Friday-Saturday weekend beginning in January 2008. He stated that the business community was not consulted on the issue, that the government changed the regulations a number of times, and that the final rules are still not clear. As another example, Latif said that Sudan has an opportunity to expand its agricultural exports to Saudi Arabia, and that many Saudi businessmen have indicated a desire to work with Latif's Dal Foods group. However, Latif said that the venture has not yet started due to the complexity of Sudanese land laws and arbitrary taxes from the Ministry of Finance such as the business profit tax. Latif complained "We should first be able to make a profit on a venture before we start getting taxed on it." CRITICISM OF REGIME -------------- ¶4. (S) CDA noted that the regime often is its own worst enemy, unable to articulate a clear policy and sometimes paralyzed by internal bickering. Latif stated the members of Khartoum's regime are internally-competitive, overly homogenous, and manipulative. He said he is very familiar with many of the regime's leading personalities because he grew up with them, went to the same schools, and continues to see them on a regular basis. Latif stated "all of these guys are from the same generation, the same schools, and the same families. They are too close in age and status and cannot agree on anything, even basic policies. Each one feels as though he is the leader and that the president and the army are just tools he can manipulate." Latif stated that the large number of presidential advisors and assistants cannot be effective, saying, "If President Bashir meets with each of his advisors and assistants once a week, he will not have time for anything else." Latif also said that the personalities within the government often impede otherwise routine procedures. CDA Fernandez agreed, saying that visa procedures become more difficult when the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Deng Alor, is abroad and the State Minister, Ali Karti, takes over. Latif quickly responded, "Karti is a bastard," and added, "A lot of people feel it is time for this government to go. Without change there is no hope." He expressed disappointed that the corruption of the SPLM had prevented it from providing a viable alternative to the Al-Bashir's NCP. TEDDY BEAR INCIDENT -------------- ¶5. (C) Daoud said the detention of a British school teacher KHARTOUM 00000098 002 OF 002 over her classroom's decision to name their teddy bear Muhammad was embarrassing to the Sudanese people and has hurt the recruitment of teachers at his international school. Only three out of 15 incoming teacher slots could be filled with expats. (Note: In November 2007, a British teacher was accused of insulting the Prophet Muhammad after her primary school class named a teddy bear Muhammad in a class exercise. She was detained for several days before British Muslim parliamentarians advocated on her behalf and President Bashir pardoned her. End Note.) Latif said that the events were exploited by politicians as part of an internal rivalry between a former Education Minister turned Presidential Advisor and the Minister of Education. Embarrassed by the reputation this incident has earned Sudan, Latif stated that when he travels, he now tells people that "I am from Dubai, because everybody loves Dubai." INSIGHT INTO BASHIR'S ISOLATION -------------- ¶6. (C) Latif stated that Khartoum's lack of recreational space and social opportunities is a real negative for the 500 expatriate employees of his companies. Latif claimed he had complained to President Omar Bashir about the lack of recreational opportunities in Khartoum, and that the President replied, "Think about me - I can't go anywhere and I'm stuck inside with my screaming kids all the time." Latif also reported that after hearing about the Latif family's weekend retreat, Bashir visited the farm and copied its design. Latif said that by the end of 2008, one of his companies will complete construction on Khartoum's first real golf course with a country club, tennis courts, and exercise facilities. SUPPORTING DARFUR'S VICTIMS OR THE GOS? -------------- ¶7. (S) Latif was critical of the recent appointment of former janjaweed leader Musa Hilal as Advisor to the Minister of Federal Rule, sarcastically exclaiming "What a great decision!" (but clearly meaning the opposite). Latif agreed that it would have been better for the government to buy out Hilal than to appoint him to a government position. Latif said he was not optimistic about the situation in Darfur, observing "I don't know what the solution is, but this thing has to stop." Latif recalled that at the escalation of the Darfur conflict, the Sudanese government sought financial support from business leaders and acknowledged that its actions would lead to civilian deaths. Latif stated, "After the rebels attacked El-Fasher and blew up the planes, we were called to the President's home and he said, "We can stop this movement, but it may require some bombing and civilians will be killed. They asked us for money to help the victims and so we wrote checks, but we knew at that point that this was not going to be good." He added that government officials continue to look for support from the business community, but that "I do not answer most of their requests any more." ¶8. (S) COMMENT: Having encountered the politically and business-savvy Latif on many previous occasions, we have never seen him this outspoken and overtly critical of the Sudanese regime and specific politicians. His opinions are likely indicative of rising frustration within the wider Sudanese business community dismayed at internal corruption. Latif's description of the Sudanese business community's direct financing of assistance to war victims in 2003 raises some questions, but is not surprising. In order to survive, Sudanese business leaders are constantly forced to cough up money for the regime, without having any control over what the money will actually be used for. FERNANDEZ