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. -------------- COMMUNICATIONS -------------- ¶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. -------------- YOUTH -------------- ¶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. -------------- MINES -------------- ¶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 -------------- DIASPORA -------------- ¶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. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶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