TOWARD 2011: FOCUS ON "CHANGE" IN COUNTRY-WIDE ELECTION

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TAGS: KIRC KPAO PREL OIIP SCUL PGOV CM
SUBJECT: TOWARD 2011: FOCUS ON "CHANGE" IN COUNTRY-WIDE ELECTION
ACTIVITIES


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Embassy Yaounde's highest priority Mission
Strategic Plan goal is strengthening democracy and good governance,
an objective of great importance as President Biya celebrates 26
years in power and 2011 Cameroonian presidential elections approach.
To that end, Post used the U.S. elections to emphasize the tenets
of representational democracy and the importance of free, fair, and
transparent elections. Our efforts were specifically focused on the
benefits of term limits, political change, and power alternation.
Beginning with a Super Tuesday event in February and culminating
with all-night election parties in both Yaounde and Douala, Post
organized election-related activities that included numerous radio,
television, and print interviews as well as public diplomacy events
that reached seven of the country's ten regions, all three American
Corners, four state universities, and a dozen primary and secondary
schools. END SUMMARY.

Get Out (To Explain) The Vote Efforts
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2. (U) Post focused much of its elections programming on outlining
the stakes of the presidential election, expressing the importance
of participating in civic duties, and explaining the complexities of
the Electoral College system. This included accommodating as many
requests for press interviews as possible -- the Ambassador, DCM,
and EmbOffs granted several dozen interviews on election night alone
-- as well as many Embassy staff members engaging directly with
Cameroonians through public speaking events. The Ambassador
participated in a round-table discussion at the University of
Yaounde II organized by a returned International Visitor
participant, while the DCM led a round table discussion with
high-profile contacts in Douala and spoke on a panel at the
University of Buea. Pol/Econ Chief led discussions on the election
at the University of Douala and the National Administrative School
in Yaounde. Public Affairs worked with educational institutions to
arrange visits for eight FSOs and two LES to a dozen primary and
secondary schools to share their electoral experiences and insights.
Additionally, we organized election-themed events at all three
American Corners in Cameroon.

Media and Civil Society Outreach
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3. (U) Post organized several events for prominent media contacts
and members of civil society in order to strengthen the capacity of
these crucial sectors in anticipation of an increased role on their
part in the 2011 Cameroonian presidential elections. We organized
public diplomacy events where we played video excerpts of the two
national conventions and the three presidential and
vice-presidential debates, and we organized DVCs with ARS Paris.
All of these events involved discussions that frequently went beyond
the immediate context of the U.S. elections and focused on the
Cameroonian political climate. Many of the participants in these
events were among the more than 450 guests who attended our two
all-night election events in Yaounde and Douala.

Useful Tools
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4. (U) Post sent three journalists to the United States on
election-related Foreign Press Center exchange programs and a fourth
as an Edward R. Murrow fellow during the elections. The journalists
gained greatly from their experiences, and the articles generated
from their programs added Cameroonian context and insight to the
political debate. Biographies of the two candidates provided by the
Office of Broadcast Services, and IIP products such as "Elections in
Brief," eJournals, and America.gov and America.gov/fr, were
particularly helpful in providing information and briefing materials
to students and journalists. ARS Paris DVCs and speakers helped
provide non-USG perspectives on the elections and were greatly
appreciated by our audiences. GPS-produced election kits provided
bi-partisan decorations and mock voting material that added an air
of authenticity to our election night celebrations.

"Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes"
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5. (SBU) Comment: The message we conveyed throughout our
election-related activities was the importance of change. Media
interviews and public speaking events emphasized how term limits and
changes in political power have benefited the United States by
ensuring new leadership, fresh ideas, and accountability to the
public. The concept was not lost on Cameroonians, many of whom
noted they have had only two presidents since independence while
during this time period the United States has elected ten. Press
coverage of the election-related events was overwhelmingly positive,
with many articles applauding principles that would lead to further

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democratization in Cameroon. We know from the media coverage and
the many comments of the participants in our public diplomacy
programs that we succeeded in using the U.S. elections as a
mechanism for stimulating popular discussion of democratization and
good governance in Cameroon. The local media blitz on
President-elect Obama, the influx of dozens of emotional
congratulatory letters to the Ambassador, and the praise in official
circles (including at the opening of the National Assembly, where
the Speaker congratulated president-elect Obama to resounding
applause) point to enormous excitement in Cameroon about our
President-elect and great respect for the American electoral
system.

GARVEY