NEW CAR COALITION GOVERNMENT - NOTHING NEW, AND NOT A

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BANGUI 000009

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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM PINR ECON EAID CT
SUBJECT: NEW CAR COALITION GOVERNMENT - NOTHING NEW, AND NOT A
COALITION


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The announcement on Monday, January 19, of a
new coalition government ended the several weeks of delay in
naming the new coalition recommended by December's Inclusive
Political Dialogue. The new government, listed below, represents
little change from the old and is even less inclusive. Prime
Minister Faustin Archange Touadera remains in his position,
though the number of members in the new Cabinet jumped from 29
to 32 and the most controversial Ministers such as the Minister
of Mines remain in place. The new reshuffle will certainly not
placate the political opposition, and it remains to be seen
whether a couple token government positions will quell the
northwest and northeast rebellions. END SUMMARY

THE FEW CHANGES


2. (SBU) The CARG agreed in December to a new consensus
government, to be created from all of the Dialogue's
participants, including the various rebel groupings and
political opposition. Nonetheless, the President delayed in
naming a new Prime Minister for several weeks, mired in
difficult negotiations with the UFVN opposition coalition. The
new government, listed below, is not inclusive of all
partcipants and represents little change from the old. Prime
Minister Faustin Archange Touadera remains in his position,
though the number of members in the new Cabinet jumped from 29
to 32, with one promotion for then-Minister of Communications
Cyriaque Gonda to the title of Minister of State for
Communications. The other Ministers of State, including
notoriously corrupt Minister of Mines Sylvain Ndoutingai, remain
in their positions, while several other Ministers were shuffled
to different portfolios. Former Minister for Foreign Affairs
Dieudonne Kombo-Yaya was dropped and replaced by CAR General
Antoine Gambi whose previous duties included overseeing the
Security Sector reform process, a position he carried out with
mediocre reviews from international partners. Justice Minister
Thierry Maleyombo lost his position, and was replaced by the
former Secretary-General of the Presidency Laurent Ngon-Baba.
The President's cousin and previous Water and Forests Minister
lost her position, and was replaced by former Finance Minister
Emmanuel Bizot.

THE UNKNOWNS


3. (SBU) Nonetheless, the few departures underline the lack of
change in this government, and the few appointments of outsiders
and rebel-associated Ministers call into question the coherence
of the CARG. The unknown APRD-affiliated Francois Naoyama was
selected as Minister for the Environment and Ecology, a much
less powerful and redundant Ministry in comparison with that of
Water and Forests. Another relative unknown, Mr. Djollo-Djidou
of Abacar Sabone's rebel group MLJC, was named as Minister of
Housing and Habitats, while the only member of the political
opposition on the list, Mr. Andre Nalke-Dorogo of the opposition
Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People
(MLPC),was not notified of his impending selection and resigned
his new position as Minister of Health on January 21 under
pressure from his party. That President Bozize would not notify
his nominee for Minister of Health of the impending announcement
indicates a random selection process, as well as a paltry
qualifications scheme for these positions.

NOTHING NEW, AND POSSIBLY WORSE


4. (SBU) In short, little has changed in the CARG, and the new
government so resembles the old that it hardly counts as
anything new. It will certainly not placate the political
opposition, though their general unwillingness to compromise and
their preparations for the 2010 elections may lead them to
accept the government for the moment in hopes of defeating it

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later at the ballot box. As for the rebel groups, a couple token
government positions is unlikely to quell the northwest and
northeast rebellions. At present, some rebel leaders are touring
the northwest in hopes of convincing their troops to drop their
arms. That said, recent fighting near Ndele may signal a return
to the chaotic groupings and erratic low-scale warfare that has
characterized northern CAR for the last five years.


5. (U) List of Ministers:

Prime Minister - Faustin Archange Touadera

Ministers of State

Minister of State of Plan, the Economy, and International
Cooperation: Sylvain Maliko
Minister of State of Transportation: Parfait Mbaye
Minister of State for Mines, Energy, and Hydraulics: Lt. Col.
Sylvain Ndoutingai
Minister of State for Communications, Civics, National
Reconciliation, and Follow-Up for the Dialogue: Cyriaque Gonda

Ministers

Minister of Rural Development and Agriculture: Fidele Gouandjika
Minister of Justice: Laurent Gon-Baba
Minister of Tourism and Artisanat: Marie-Solange
Pagonendji-Ndakala
Minister of the General Secretariat of the Government and with
Relations with Institutions: Desire Kolingba
Minister of Commerce and Industry: Emilie Beatrice Epaye
Minister of Water, Forests, Hunting, and Fishing: Emmanuel Bizot
Minister of Reconstruction, Public Buildings, and Urbanism:
Faustin N'Telnoumbi
Minister of Equipment and Linkages (Desenclavement): Cyriaque
Samba-Panza
Minister of the Public Sector, Labor, Social Security and Youth
Training: Gaston Mackouzangba
Minister of Social Affaires, National Solidarity, and the
Family: Bernadette Sayo
Minister of National Education: Ambroise Zawa
Minister of the Environment and Ecology: Francois Naoyama
Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization:
Elie Wefio
Minister of National Security and Public Order: General Jules
Bernard Ouande
Minister of Finance and Budget: Albert Besse
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration, and the
Francophone World: General Antoine Gambi
Minister of Public Health, Population, and the Fight Against
HIV/AIDS: Andre Nalke-Dorogo
Minister of Youth, Sports, Arts, and Culture: Aurelien Simplice
Zingas
Minister for the Promotion of Small and Medium Enterprises,
Informal Sector: Moise Kotaye
Minister of Habitats and Lodging: Mr. Djollo-Djidou

Deputy Ministers

Deputy Minister for Defense: Francis Bozize
Deputy Minister for Mines, Energy, and Hydraulics:
Jean-Chrysostome Meckondongo
Deputy Minister for Plan, the Economy, and International
Cooperation: Raymond Adouma
Deputy Minister for Finance and Budget: Hassan Abdalla-Kadre
Deputy Minister for National Education: Sall Djibrine
Deputy Minister for Rural Development and Agriculture: Youssoufa
Yerima Mandjo
Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration, and

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Francophonie: Ambroisine Kpongo
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