CNDD RELEASES ELECTION FUNDING TO CENI

UNCLAS CONAKRY 000387 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC GV SUBJECT: CNDD RELEASES ELECTION FUNDING TO CENI REF: CONAKRY 00368 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY. Responding to increasing pressure, CNDD President Moussa Dadis Camara announced the release of the equivalent of USD 3.2 million to the CENI for the electoral process. The contribution comes just two days after the release of the International Contact Group on Guinea's communiqu from Sirte, Libya as well as discussions between the Forces Vives and Dadis. END SUMMARY. -------------- -------------- DADIS RELEASES APPROXIMATELY USD 3.2 MILLION FOR CENI -------------- -------------- ¶2. (U) On June 30, the Government of Guinea announced that CNDD President Moussa Dadis Camara had authorized disbursement of approximately USD 3.2 million to Guinea's National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI). The 3.2 million dollar tranche had been promised by Dadis to the CENI months ago. The total projected contribution of the GoG for the electoral process is approximately USD 8.75 million. ¶3. (U) This new infusion of funds will enable the CENI to cover salaries for election registration workers who have not been paid for over five months. It will also re-launch registration in areas requiring additional support to increase voter rolls. Yesterday at a meeting of the Forces Vives, CENI President Ben Sekou Syllah indicated that the money was about to be released; this morning the Secretary General of the Ministry for Territorial Administration and Political Affairs (MATAP) confirmed that the money is available. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Dadis has been under intense pressure during the past week to demonstrate more than lip service to the electoral process. In his first encounter with the Forces Vives since their boycott of his proposed meeting at the People's Palace on June 23 (reftel),Dadis again promised to contribute the funds. The announcement yesterday comes less than two days after the release of the June 27 communiqu of the International Contact Group on Guinea which urged Dadis to honor his pledge. The release of the funds represents an important step towards implementing the transition agenda and may help Dadis regain some standing with the international community. However, elections remain uncertain and months away even under the best circumstances. END COMMENT. BROKENSHIRE