GOBF APPOINTS NEW MINISTER OF PARLIAMENTARY RELATIONS;

UNCLAS OUAGADOUGOU 000261 SIPDIS DAKAR FOR FAS and FCS DEPT ALSO FOR INR SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PINR EAGR EFIN KDEM UV SUBJECT: GOBF APPOINTS NEW MINISTER OF PARLIAMENTARY RELATIONS; REPOSITIONS OTHERS FOLLOWING REMOVAL OF POWERFUL MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE REF: OUAGADOUGOU 237 ¶1. (U) On March 23, Prime Minister Tertius Zongo adjusted his cabinet, starting with the removal from the Government of powerful Minister of Agriculture and Minister of State Salif Diallo, and ending with an addition to government of one newcomer (reftel). The former Minister of Environment, Laurent Sedogo, has become the new Minister of Agriculture, while Salif Sawadogo, who was the Minister of Parliamentary Relations, will take Sedgo's position as the new Minister of Environment. Cecile Beloum, a loyal member of the Congress for Democracy and Progress (CDP) party, former deputy at the National Assembly, and former aide to Salif Diallo, has been named as the new Minister of Parliamentary Relations. There are now six female ministers out of the 34 total. ¶2. (SBU) According to the MBEJUS (Burkinabe Movement for the Emergence of Social Justice),a local NGO, President Compaore selected Beloum as a parting nod to Diallo for his past efforts in support of Compaore's regime. Beloum served as Diallo's political aide in Yatenga Province in the north central part of the country, during elections when Diallo was the regional CDP commissioner for the Province (a position that he held at the same time as he served as Minister of Agriculture). Two other explanations for Beloum's nomination are that President Compaore was concerned about balancing the geographical distribution of ministerial portfolios -- Beloum is from Yatenga Province, the same region as Diallo -- and that he is committed to promoting female leadership. ¶3. (SBU) Biography of Cecile Beloum, Minister of Parliamentary Relations: -- Minister Beloum was born in 1958 in Naapalgin/Seguenega, Yatenga Province. She received formal training as a nurse then served as a CDP Deputy at the National Assembly (elected in 2002 and in 2007 for 5-year terms) as well as the political aide to former Minister of State and Minister of Agriculture, Water and Fisheries, Salif Diallo. As a senior nurse in Ouahigouya, she served as director of Ouahigouya National School of Health from 1992 to 1996. In 1992, she established an organization called Moral, Material, and Intellectual Support for Children Association (AMMIE),an organization that has been working for the economic, social, and political promotion of women. In addition to this work, AMMIE works on the issues of HIV/AIDS and literacy of women and children. Beloum has served as Minister of Parliamentary Relations since March 23, 2008. She is married and has five children. She speaks limited English. JACKSON