Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08YAOUNDE1235
2008-12-22 11:13:00
SECRET
Embassy Yaounde
Cable title:  

BIYA READY FOR PEACEKEEPING; PROMISES MORE

Tags:  CM EAIR ECON EFIN KCOR KPKO MARR PGOV PINR 
pdf how-to read a cable
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PP RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUEHYD #1235/01 3571113
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
P 221113Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9523
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY 0264
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0424
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 YAOUNDE 001235 

SIPDIS

STATE ALSO FOR AF/C, AF/RSA
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/19/2018
TAGS: CM EAIR ECON EFIN KCOR KPKO MARR PGOV PINR
PREL
SUBJECT: BIYA READY FOR PEACEKEEPING; PROMISES MORE

REFORMS, AGAIN

REF: A. YAOUNDE 1227

B. IIR 6 825 0024 9

C. YAOUNDE 913

D. YAOUNDE 800

Classified By: Political Officer Tad Brown for Reasons 1.4 b and d.

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 YAOUNDE 001235

SIPDIS

STATE ALSO FOR AF/C, AF/RSA
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/19/2018
TAGS: CM EAIR ECON EFIN KCOR KPKO MARR PGOV PINR
PREL
SUBJECT: BIYA READY FOR PEACEKEEPING; PROMISES MORE

REFORMS, AGAIN

REF: A. YAOUNDE 1227

B. IIR 6 825 0024 9

C. YAOUNDE 913

D. YAOUNDE 800

Classified By: Political Officer Tad Brown for Reasons 1.4 b and d.


1. (C) Summary. Talk of security--Cameroon's recent ACOTA
training and threats from armed groups in Bakassi--dominated
the Ambassador's December 19 meeting with Cameroonian
President Paul Biya. Biya said Cameroon is ready to
participate in a peacekeeping mission and expressed
confidence that newly formed security units would secure the
Bakassi region. However, he complained about corrupt and
inept leadership in the military and throughout the
government. Biya again promised forthcoming action on a slew
of long-stalled initiatives--a new and smaller cabinet, a
new, independent electoral commission, and the formation of a
Senate and Constitutional Court--all of which he said would
see positive movement in the first four months of 2009. End
of summary.

Thanks for Security Help
========================


2. (C) Biya focused most of the 80-minute conversation on
security issues. He was enthusiastic about recent ACOTA
training for the nascent Cameroonian peacekeeping battalion
(ref A) and said Cameroon is ready to participate in a
peacekeeping operation. Biya repeatedly thanked the
Ambassador for the USG's support to Cameroon's security
sector, praising the Defense Attache's energetic efforts to
provide Cameroon with everything from radios to small boats.

Corruption in the Military
==========================


3. (C) Nevertheless, Biya expressed frustration with his
senior military officials, making it clear he would dismiss
the Admiral of the Navy and other senior officials in the

coming months. He implicated (but did not explicitly state)
that this frustration included Minister Delegate of Defense
Remy Ze Meka. Biya said advisors had pressed him to change
the country's military leadership at the same time he was
attacking kleptocrats in civilian government, but he had
demurred to avoid the risk that the dismissed officials would
gang up. Comment: We presume Biya is referring to his
dismissal of three particularly corrupt and ambitious
ministers--Polycarpe Abah Abah, Urbain Olanguena and Jean
Marie Atangana Mebara--in September 2007. At the time, there
was speculation that they had colluded with other officials
to challenge Biya's leadership. End comment. Having now
removed the civilian kleptocrats, Biya said he could now move
against senior security officials. The Ambassador reminded
Biya that the USG continues to enforce Proclamation 7750 and
that it might be applicable to corrupt Cameroonian officials;
Biya welcomed the move as a "second track" to his own
anti-corruption efforts.


4. (C) Asked if he had received any feedback after the
conference on corruption in the military that was hosted by
the Defense Institute of International Legal Studies
(DIILS)(ref c),Biya implied the conference had touched a
nerve (saying the subject was "sensitive") and welcomed the
offer of follow on programs focusing on governance of the
armed forces. He opined that most of the military was honest
and wanted to do a good job but that corruption was keeping
the mid- and lower ranks from getting the supplies they
needed. Illustrating the challenges he faces, Biya confided
that Minister of Finance Essimi Menye recently alerted Biya
to the Ministry of Defense's plan to purchase three
helicopters at three times the prevailing prices. Biya said
he told Essimi Menye to cancel the deal.

Threats from Bakassi
====================


5. (S) Biya summarily dismissed the option of direct
contact with the Bakassi Freedom Fighters, saying he did not
want to give them credibility or a platform to advance their
message, and expressing confidence that new security units
modeled on the Rapid Response Battalions (BIR in the French
acronym) would bring the Bakassi region under control. He
was also concerned that the separatist Southern Cameroons

YAOUNDE 00001235 002 OF 003


National Council (SCNC) might link up with these groups to
gain visibility. He acknowledged the need to be extra
vigilant on security in the coming few months.


6. (S) In response to renewed threats from the Bakassi
Freedom Fighters (ref b),Biya said the Government of
Cameroon (GRC) had told fishermen in the region to stay home
in the coming weeks for their own protection. Ambassador
told Biya that DAO had been in contact with representatives
of the Bakassi Freedom Fighters in order to obtain more
information about their intentions and promised that the USG
would continue to share any information obtained about the
group. Biya did not object.


7. (S) Recalling the negotiations to free employees of the
Bourbon Corp. (a support contractor for French oil company
Total) taken hostage near Bakassi, Biya said the Government
of France had sent an official to participate in the
negotiations, but that Total had kept the GRC out of the
talks. Biya added that the GRC had offered to return
prisoners in an exchange but the hostage takers had refused.
He also averred that the GRC special forces had been prepared
to intervene but the government had decided not to use them.
The President seemed eager to coordinate with Nigeria on
shared security cooperation but was hesitant to engage with
the Equato-Guineans saying "we do not get along with them"
and that President Obiang "gives me trouble."

Economy
=======


8. (C) Biya said he was very worried about Cameroon's
economic outlook in the face of the global economic downturn,
pointing out that prices have plummeted for commodities like
oil, which is critical for the GRC's budget. Biya expressed
particular disappointment with his Minister of Agriculture,
Jean Nkuete, and also with the performance of his government
in general, but did not convey a vision for how Cameroon
could better respond to the economic challenges it faces.
Showing the Ambassador a model Boeing airplane that he keeps
on his desk, Biya said he had instructed the Prime Minister
to expedite relaunching the national airline, CAMAIR, which
was recently liquidated as part of a troubled privatization
attempt.

It's Tough to Find Good Help
============================


9. (C) Admitting that he had made such promises before (ref
d),Biya assured the Ambassador he would shuffle the cabinet
and reduce its size "after the new year." He predicted the
personnel of ELECAM would be announced before the end of the
year and promised that the first four months of 2009 would be
particularly "busy," with the establishment of the Senate and
Constitutional Court. Again professing frustration at his
government's poor performance, Biya complained that he was
having trouble finding good people to appoint to the cabinet.
He praised Prime Minister Inoni as loyal but ineffective,
and welcomed the Ambassador's suggestions for whom he might
seek to include in his next government. Biya cited the need
to strengthen democratic institutions and further
decentralization, saying (as he has before) that he didn't
know if he would run again for president in 2011 and that if
he did he might not win.

Comment
=======


10. (C) Biya claimed to recognized that the economy is
suffering, that many Cameroonians are unhappy, and that there
is a need for new personalities and new energy in leadership.
However, he didn't project new energy or vision. While he
appeared in good health and was characteristically well
briefed, Biya seemed more tired and distracted and less
forceful than in the Ambassador's other meetings with him.
As in other meetings, Biya was charming, engaged and
appreciative of USG security assistance. Biya conceded that
this was not the first time he had promised bold strokes on
the size and effectiveness of government or even the Senate
and Constitutional Court. Given his record of slow
decisionmaking and incremental change and his questionable
commitment to democratic reform, we are skeptical.


11. (C) Biya expressed a genuine fondness for President

YAOUNDE 00001235 003 OF 003


Bush and appreciated the democratic process underway this
year in American presidential politics. He was particularly
eager to keep up USG security cooperation, commenting that we
should not feel threatened in this area by French military
cooperation with Cameroon. With the ACOTA training
completed, we will now work with the Department, the United
Nations and our Cameroonian contacts to help the GRC step up
its contributions to regional security.
GARVEY