CABINET RESHUFFLE IN BURKINA FASO: SIX MINISTERS MOVED;

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 OUAGADOUGOU 000817

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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM UV
SUBJECT: CABINET RESHUFFLE IN BURKINA FASO: SIX MINISTERS MOVED;
FOUR NEW

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1. (U) On September 3, Prime Minister Tertius Zongo announced a new
cabinet. The shake-up follows the recent appointment of former
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Djibrill Bassole, as AU-UN Joint Chief
Mediator for Darfur. Bassole's departure led to the repositioning
of six ministers and the addition of four new ministers, who were
promoted from various government positions. This new cabinet marks
Prime Minster Zongo's third cabinet since he assumed office on June
10, 2007.


2. (U) The most notable change moves Minister of Health Bedouma
Alain Yoda to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional
Cooperation. Seydou Bouda (ex Minister of Civil Service and State
Reform) will take Yoda's former position as Minister of Health.
Yoda's promotion surprised many, since he has already served in the
cabinet for 12 years and has relatively little foreign policy
experience. Another notable change is the addition of one female
deputy minister. Marie Therese Drabo/Keita was named Deputy
Minister in charge of Budget as a reward for her excellent
performance as the Executive Secretary of Good Governance. This
resulted in a total of seven females in the ministerial cabinet.
Overall, the composition of the new cabinet surprised many
Burkinabe, who predicted that the total number of ministries would
be cut to save money.


3. (SBU) Comment: The new cabinet composition is illustrative of
President Compaore's confidence in Zongo's government, as most of
its members remained intact. In addition, the increase in women
demonstrates Compaore's commitment to the promotion of female
leadership. However, key ministers for USG cooperation - Foreign
Affairs, Security, and Health - are relative unknowns or have little
experience in their new functional areas. End comment.


4. (U) The new cabinet is as follows:

- Prime Minister - Tertius Zongo (no change)
- Foreign Affairs and Regional Cooperation - Bedouma Alain Yoda (ex
Minister of Health)
- Agriculture, Water and Fisheries - Laurent Sedogo (no change)
- Economy and Finance - Lucien Marie Noel Bembamba (ex Deputy
Minister in charge of Budget)
- Justice and Keeper of the Seal - Zakalia Kote (no change)
- Defense - Yero Boly (no change)
- Health - Seydou Bouda (ex Minister of Civil Service and State
Reform)
- Transportation - Gilbert N. Ouedraogo (no change- President of
ADF/RDA)
- Territorial Administration/Decentralization - Clement Pegdwende
Sawadogo (no change)
- Infrastructure - Seydou Kabore (ex director of FASO BAARA, a local
construction company)
- Mines and Energy - Abdoulaye Abdoulkader Cisse (no change)
- Culture, Tourism and Communication, and Government Spokesman -
Filippe Sawadogo (no change)
- Security - Emile Ouedraogo (ex director of Military Intelligence;
Army Colonel)
- Environment and Living Standards - Salifou Sawadogo (no change)
- Secondary and Higher Education and Scientific Research - Joseph
Pare (no change)
- Basic Education and Mass Literacy - Marie Odile Bonkoungou/Balima
(no change)
- Commerce, Enterprise Promotion and Handicraft - Mamadou Sanou (no
change)
- Civil Service and State Reform - Soungalo Ouattara (ex Deputy
Minister in Charge of Local Collectivities)
- Labor and Social Security - Jerome Bougouma (no change)
- Presidential Missions, Analysis, and Prospective - Gueda Jacques
Ouedraogo (no change)
- Youth and Employment - Justin Koutaba (no change)
- Social Action and National Solidarity - Pascaline Tamini/Bihoun
(no change)
- Animal Resources - Sekou Ba (no change)
- Human Rights - Salamata Sawadogo (no change)
- Post, Information and Communications Technologies -
Noel Kabore (new - Former SG of the Ministry of Finance)
- Promotion of Women - Celine M. Yoda/Konkobo (no change)
- Housing and Urbanization - Vincent T. Dabilougou (no change)
- Sports and Leisure - Jean-Pierre A. M. Palm (no
change)
- Parliamentary Relations - Cecile Beloum/Ouedraogo (no change)
- Deputy Minister in charge of Budget - Marie Therese Drabo/Keita
(ex Executive Secretary of good Governance)
- Deputy Minister in Charge of Regional Cooperation - Minata
Samate/Cessouma (no change)
- Deputy Minister in Charge of Local Collectivities -
Toussaint Abel Coulibaly (ex 4th National Assembly Vice-President

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and President of the presidential alliance - UPR Party)
- Deputy Minister in Charge of Agriculture - Abdoulaye Combary
(new)
- Deputy Minister in Charge of Mass Literacy and Non
Formal Education - Ousseini Tamboura (no change)
- Deputy Minister in Charge of Technical Education and Vocational
Training - Maxime Some (no change).


5. (U) Biographies of new ministers will follow via septel.

JACKSON