LOCAL DIPLOMATIC COMMUNITARY INFURIATED OVER ICG-G

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CONAKRY 000319 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/08/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM ASEC GV SUBJECT: LOCAL DIPLOMATIC COMMUNITARY INFURIATED OVER ICG-G DECISION TO RELOCATE NEXT MEETING TO LIBYA Classified By: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES ELIZABETH RASPOLIC FOR REASON 1.4 B AN D D ¶1. ( C) SUMMARY -Charge attended a two-hour meeting on June 5, which was called by local contact group members to discuss a series of delegations soon to arrive in Conakry, including who invited the groups and the purpose of the visits. Local ECOWAS Ambassador explained that Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, ECOWAS President, had unilaterally decided to enlarge the scope of responsibility for the International Contact Group-Guinea (ICG-G) to include a financial review plus longterm economic planning, and also to change the venue of the next ICG-G meeting from Conakry on June 18-19 to the margins of the AU Summit in Sirte, Libya, on June 27. The local contact group unanimously said no to Libya and asked that Co-Chairman Ibrahima Fall (AU) and a designate from ECOWAS head the meeting in Guinea on the already agreed upon dates. End Summary. ¶2. ( C) Local contact group members received word on June 3 that a new delegation would visit Guinea from June 8 to 10. Its membership is composed of ECOWAS, African Union, World Bank, IMF and African Development Bank personnel. The morning of June 5, we were notified by the local ECOWAS Ambassador that the purpose of the delegation was to provide a road-map of economic investment and development assistance for the Government of Guinea with the goal of qualifying for HIPC relief. We were also notified that this group was in addition to the World Bank,s Assessment Team, which is scheduled to arrive June 6 for a ten-day visit. The Assessment Team,s goal is to review World Bank projects currently funded and to review in depth the country,s macro economic situation. ¶3. ( C) We were informed that Dr. Chambas had unilaterally decided to enlarge the mandate of the ICG-G by writing to Prime Minister Kabine Komara on May 14. He proposed the organization of the development partners to help the GOG overcome the economic obstacles faced by the GOG during the current world economic crisis. The Prime Minister responded on May 22 by saying that Chambas,s proposed delegation would be well-received and that Moussa Dadis Camara, President of the CNDD, is "very sensitive to the efforts that you never cease to make personally, in relation to the AU (sic),to aid Guinea via the donor countries during this period of transition." None of the participants at this morning,s meetings knew of these letters except the ECOWAS and AU Representatives and, presumably, the World Bank Resrep. ¶4. ( C) Siaka Bakayoko, the WB Resrep, repeatedly pointed out that this was an ECOWAS economic delegation with one participant from the World Bank. When the Charge asked if the World Bank personnel on both teams were from the same part of their institution or if we might have dueling economists with different recommendations, Siaka said the member of the ECOWAS economic delegation was the usual Guinea desk economist. The WB members of the Assessment Team are believed to be the same personnel who recently did a similar assessment in Madagascar. ¶5. ( C) Ambassador Aina, ECOWAS, then announced that Dr. Chambas had decided it would be more convenient if the June ICG-G meeting were to be rescheduled. Instead of June 18-19, the dates selected at the May 4-5 meeting, and the dates around which all members had organized their participation, Chambas had unilaterally decided to cancel the June 18-19 meeting in Conakry in favor of the ICG-G gathering in the margins of the AU Summit in Sirte, Libya, on June 27. At this announcement, the table exploded. The French Ambassador pointed out the already close relationship between Qadhafi and Dadis, that even though the AU has suspended Guinea,s membership, it was clear that a high-level delegation from Guinea would be invited to meet in the margins of the Summit, and that ICG-G participation made no sense. The German Ambassador, speaking as the EU Acting President, said the EU was not consulted about any of this nor was it happy with what Chambas had done. The Spanish Ambassador pointed out there would be no Forces Vives representatives in Sirte. Charge asked why we should all travel to Sirte to meet among ourselves and with GOG representatives who are available locally. ¶6. ( C) Ambassador Aina said if the ICG-G didn,t attend the Sirte Summit, it was quite likely we would not have another ICG-G meeting until late July. The table responded unanimously that we expected to have our regularly scheduled meeting in Conakry on June 18-19, with Co-Chairman Ibrahima Fall as Chair along with a Co-Chair to be appointed by Chambas who would represent ECOWAS. CONAKRY 00000319 002 OF 002 ¶7. ( C) SUMMARY. The members of the local contact group are becoming despondent about both the ICG-G itself plus the seeming likelihood there will be a delay in the electoral schedule. The independent actions by Dr. Chambas of (a) unilaterally adding an economic wing to the ICG-G mandate, and (B) unilaterally changing the date and venue of the next ICG-G meeting (to accommodate his travel schedule, we are told) are stunningly insensitive and unhelpful. The ECOWAS Economic Mission scheduled for next week will likely serve no purpose other than to provide public relations fodder for Dadis who is likely to crow about his regime,s seeming progress in encouraging the international community to accept and assist his administration. Once again, the electoral process is receiving short shrift. END SUMMARY. RASPOLIC