RECYCLED BUREAUCRATS AND NEW OFFICES EXPAND CNDD

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CONAKRY 000572

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/17/2019
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL ASEC GV
SUBJECT: RECYCLED BUREAUCRATS AND NEW OFFICES EXPAND CNDD
GOVERNMENT

REF: A. CONAKRY 00549

B. CONAKRY 00221

Classified By: POLOFF JULIA TULLY FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)


1. (C) SUMMARY. Recent additions to the Dadis government
include two bureaucrats who served in the Conte regime, a new
Ministry for Guineans Abroad, and a new Secretariat in Charge
of Mines and Energy. The changes will likely create redundant
layers of bureaucracy while helping Dadis consolidate his
control over key functions. END SUMMARY.

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COMMUNICATIONS
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2. (C) Recycled political opportunists continue to find new
positions in the Dadis government. The latest newcomer is
Tibou Kamara, a former Minister of Information under Conte
during the Souare administration, who was named Minister of
Communication of the Presidency and at the Ministry of
Defense on August 19. Tibou was featured on the Dadis show
early in the year when the CNDD actively pursued corrupt
officials from the Conte regime, often questioning them on
national television. Tibou is reportedly adept at political
maneuvering and appears to be creeping his way into Dadis'
favor. He now appears frequently in the press, most recently
negotiating a deal between the National Communications
Council (CNC) and representatives of the Guinean Association
of Private Broadcasters to lift the ban on political
discussions on radio (reftel).


3. (C) Tibou was Minister of Telecommunications during the
50th Anniversary of the Independence celebrations and his
fall from grace was related to missing contributions from
telecommunications companies designated for the celebration.
Tibou claimed that he deposited the money directly into the
Ministry of Telecommunications account where it was used to
support the celebrations, thus avoiding the official
Committee's bureaucracy.


4. (C) Tibou's intelligence and eloquent self-defense during
the questioning on television may have impressed Dadis. Tibou
confidently presented himself and portrayed his decisions as
those of a skilled bureaucrat avoiding burdensome red tape.
Tibou was never taken to court and no case was ever
developed.


5. (C) From an influential Muslim family that includes
scholars, imams, and marabouts, Tibou never attended
university. His wife is the sister of the Gambian president's
wife and reportedly Tibou has also been accused of embezzling
money from the Gambian government.

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YOUTH
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6. (C) Baidy Aribot is another recycled player who has
reemerged in the Dadis government. The former Minister of
Youth under Conte during the Kouyate administration, he was
recently appointed Secretary General of the Social Security
Office, which is considered a prime appointment with a high
potential for graft. Earlier this year, Aribot was also
featured on the Dadis show where he was accused of failing to
return government money left over from Guinea's participation
in a soccer match with Ghana. Like Tibou, Aribot is young and
his confident demeanor while defending himself may have
impressed Dadis.


7. (C) Reportedly Aribot is self-assured, and often mingles
with young people, distributing money and favors to the
youth. Aribot was a longtime employee of the Central Bank
and returned there as an advisor after leaving the
government. He also comes from an influential family; his
sister was Minister of Social Affairs under Conte.
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MINES
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8. (C) Another newly created position, the Secretariat in
Charge of Mines and Energy, is filled by Kadiatou Balde, the
former Director of Energy. The new position will concentrate
on resolving urgent problems related to electricity, and
facilitate cooperation between the mining and energy sectors.
It is also reportedly intended to bolster Dadis' "electricity
for all" campaign (reftel).


CONAKRY 00000572 002 OF 002


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DIASPORA
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9. (SBU) A new government office has also been recycled
recently. The Ministry for Guineans Abroad existed under the
Conte regime, and shortly after the coup it was placed under
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Now it is back as a separate
ministry dealing with the issues of the Diaspora, assisting
them with investments, documents, and other government
regulations.

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COMMENT
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10. (C) Comment. A combination of factors may make Tibou and
Aribot attractive to Dadis. Although bureaucratically
Tibou's position may overlap with other communication
offices, it does provide Dadis with more options, and Tibou
is a skilled player and communicator, although widely viewed
by the press as a controversial figure. The new positions
create a parallel layer of bureaucracy, enabling Dadis to
consolidate control and influence.(Note: The extra-judicial
Bureau of Conflict that adjudicated over 3,000 cases earlier
in the year, is a prime example of parallel and conflicting
layers of governance under the CNDD (retelB.))


11. (C) Aribot's connections among the youth may be valuable
to Dadis as he approaches elections. Dadis has consistently
attempted to portray his government as youthful and both
Tibou and Aribot bolster that image. Both men are self-made
and may have attracted Dadis' attention because they
challenged him during their questioning -- a quality that has
not been seen much to date within the junta-led government.
END COMMENT.


BROKENSHIRE