CNDD RECALLS 30 AMBASSADORS FROM KEY DIPLOMATIC

C O N F I D E N T I A L CONAKRY 000262

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEC GV
SUBJECT: CNDD RECALLS 30 AMBASSADORS FROM KEY DIPLOMATIC
POSTS

Classified By: POL/ECON CHIEF SHANNON CAZEAU FOR REASON 1.4 B AND D


1. (U) On May 6, the National Council for Democracy and
Development (CNDD) officially recalled 30 Ambassadors from
key diplomatic posts. To date, the CNDD has not named any
replacement nominations.


2. (C) The former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amadou
Lamarana Bah, told DCM in a private meeting that the CNDD had
been "itching to get its hands on some ambassadorial
assignments." He likened the recall to a similar type of
"cleansing" of key government positions that Lansana Conte
undertook at the beginning of his regime in 1984. Bah
commented that the CNDD will likely try to put some CNDD
supporters in ambassadorial spots, but that the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs will strongly recommend assigning experienced
career diplomats to high profile posts such as Washington DC,
the UN Mission in New York, and key European posts.


3. (C) The French and Spanish Ambassadors to Guinea told
Charge that they had already been approached by the current
Foreign Minister with the names of potential ambassadorial
nominees to their respective countries. The Foreign Minister
reportedly said he hoped that they could obtain rapid
agrement. Our French and Spanish colleagues are reportedly
in contact with their home ministries to determine whether or
not they would receive a new Guinean Ambassador.


4. (C) A source close to the CNDD told Pol/Econ Chief that
the recalled Ambassadors had been appointed by former
President Conte, and that many of them had been "doing
nothing...and were interested only in serving their own
interests rather than the interests of the country." Contact
stated that Guinea's diplomatic corps is very expensive to
maintain and is currently overstaffed with a number of
embassies being staffed with 30 to 40 people. Contact
claimed that the CNDD intends to further reduce staffing to
an average of about 10 diplomats per post, and that the CNDD
will soon appoint new Ambassadors.


5. (U) Recalled posts include key partners within the donor
community as well as strategic regional partners:
- Washington D.C.
- United Nations (New York)
- Brussels and the European Union
- Paris
- Berlin
- Tokyo
- Kuala Lumpur
- Moscow
- Geneva (UN Mission)
- London
- Rio de Janeiro
- Guinea Bissau
- Algiers
- Freetown
- Monrovia
- Dakar
- Abidjan
- Bamako
- Libreville
- Abuja
- Rabat
- Tripoli
- Pretoria
- Addis Ababa
- Cairo

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SUMMARY
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6. (SBU) For several weeks, contacts have been hinting that
the CNDD was looking to restructure the country's diplomatic
corps. The fact that the recalled positions were posted in
Guinea's key strategic partners suggests that the CNDD may be
looking to put in diplomats more sympathetic to the military
junta in order to plead their case abroad. Such a
restructuring seems inconsistent with the CNDD's stated
commitment to a short transition period. It is not clear how
many diplomatic posts Guinea has, but thirty ambassadorial
posts likely represent a significant percentage. END
COMMENT.
RASPOLIC