DIASPORA ENGAGEMENT - RESPONSE FROM GUINEA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CONAKRY 000570 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: BEXP BTIO EAID OEXC OIIP PGOV PHUM PREL SCUL GPI GV SUBJECT: DIASPORA ENGAGEMENT - RESPONSE FROM GUINEA REF: SECSTATE 86401 ¶1. Per reftel request, below are Embassy Conakry's responses to the Department's inquiry about the Guinean Diaspora: A: The Guinean diaspora are identifiable communities primarily based in Senegal, France, Mali, the United States, Canada and the United Arab Emirates. The existing diaspora networks are most accessible in the form of political websites, including some widely read news and blog sites about current political affairs. B: The connection of the diaspora community to the host country is most evident in the form of financial support. Although it is difficult to track foreign remittances due to their informal nature, recorded worker remittances into Guinea accounted for about 1.3% of GDP in 2006. Many development specialists, however, believe that the amount is actually more significant. Guineans abroad are often seen as having much more expendable capital than their relatives in country and are often solicited for financial support. The diaspora community is very active in internal country politics. A majority of Guinea's most widely read internet news sites are organized/edited by Guineans abroad. A number of political opposition parties seek their funding primarily from the diaspora community in Senegal, France, and the United States. In the aftermath of violent demonstrations in 2007, Guineans reportedly appealed to their families and friends living abroad for relief support and political funding. C: In 1985, the GOG created the State Secretariat for Guineans Abroad, which was incorporated into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1997. On August 19, 2009, the Secretariat was recreated by junta leader Moussa Dadis Camara. Although the role of the State Secretariat for Guineans Abroad is still unclear, its predecessor organizations were used primarily for bilateral immigration advocacy issues, including repatriation and illegal immigration concerns. D: The diaspora community, while responsible for private remittances, seems to have little involvement in community development including in business, job creation, and capacity building. A common trend among Guineans abroad is to invest in building housing for themselves and their families in Guinea, rather than in wide-scale community development. Remittances are also sometimes used for the construction of new mosques. Having noted this trend, many of Guinea's business and civil society leaders were educated abroad or started their careers outside of Guinea. Though they were once part of the diaspora community, but have since returned, their contribution is still worth highlighting as a greater trend among the diaspora community. With greater opportunities for education and occupational training, individuals among the diaspora who return are often able to take leadership positions within their industry or field of expertise. Many of Guinea's political and economic leaders who lived or were educated outside of Guinea at one point are still perceived to be part of the diaspora community, despite their current residence in-country. E: Due to a coup d,etat in December 2008, the USG does not facilitate or administer programming that is not directly related to support for democracy or humanitarian projects. F: As detailed above, the diaspora community is highly politically active. However, there is no information on diaspora involvement in peace building/conflict resolution. G: N/A H: The GOG currently plans to hold elections in January 2010, although the date has not been officially announced. The diaspora community is already heavily involved in preparation for these elections through means of political news websites and contributions toward political campaigns, as detailed above. In addition, the GOG is planning to register Guineans abroad to vote in the upcoming election, which is the first time such registration has taken place. CONAKRY 00000570 002 OF 002 I: The former ruling regime of Lansana Conte paid scant attention to the diaspora community at large, and they were often seen as the biggest threat to his power. Since the coup in January 2008, the CNDD has made several references to the importance of the diapsora to Guinea's economic and political success. However, many perceive the new attention paid to the diaspora as being politically motivated. The community is heavily involved in democracy promotion and sometimes inspires internal pro-democracy voices. As such, the government may see the community as a necessary means of support for the upcoming election. J: N/A K: A small number of Guinean-American citizens have contacted the Commercial Office at Post by email to inquire about investment opportunities in Guinea. In accordance with standard fee structures controlled by the US Commercial Service, Post must charge a fee to clients interested in using these services. As such, many Guinean-American businesses choose to inquire about investment opportunities through other channels after learning about the fee. The Political Section of the Embassy is sometimes contacted by members of the diaspora community to discuss democracy promotion and political views. Some influential members of the diaspora community are connected to internal political parties. L: N/A M: In the interest of Public Affairs programming, it would be helpful to create a database of Guineans living in the United States, with attention paid to their area of expertise/vocation. With such a database, the PAO, though IIP, could contact perspective speakers to present at various events. Since the Guinean-American diaspora community is knowledgeable about both Guinea and the US, they could potentially become a strong asset to PAO sponsored events. This database could also be used for reach-back programming to academics. ¶2. POC: Briana Warner, Economic Officer: warnerbm@state.gov, 224.65.10.4141 BROKENSHIRE