ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN: INFLUENCE IN STATE HOUSE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 FREETOWN 000134

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/W (JHUNTER/ESPRUILL)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/09/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR SL
SUBJECT: ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN: INFLUENCE IN STATE HOUSE

REF: FREETOWN 79

Classified By: Ambassador June Carter Perry for reasons 1.4 (b/d)


1. (C) Summary: Ambassador Perry recently met with two of the
President's closest advisors: Emmanuel Osho Coker, Secretary
to the President, and Joseph Koroma, newly-appointed Minister
of Presidential Affairs. Both are highly experienced
technocrats, having served in the Foreign and Civil services,
as well as stints with international and private
organizations. Since Coker's appointment as Secretary in
September 2008, his time has been focused primarily on
development assistance and coordination. Koroma, an addition
to the Cabinet following the reshuffle (reftel),considers
himself the "political enforcer" whose responsibilities
primarily include ensuring other ministers follow-through on
their promises and Executive instructions. Both are
considered influential with the Head of State, as is
President Koroma's special assistant, Brian Gilpin. These
three advisors have specific roles to play with regards to
supporting the President's objectives, as well as our own.
Joseph Koroma is emerging as the person best-situated to
influence the President on significant issues. End Summary.

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THE COMPANY MAN: COKER
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2. (C) Ambassador met with Emmanuel Osho Coker on April 2,
who discussed his efforts to reinvigorate the donor community
to tangibly support the President's priorities in agriculture
and youth unemployment. Coker is determined to re-establish
the donor coordination that has waned in recent years. The
Ambassador informed him of various USAID and post-supported
activities, including the $13 million agricultural project
being implemented by ACDI/VOCA. Coker discussed the need for
value-added production, and noted his impatience with Sierra
Leone's inability to produce even simple items for domestic
consumption, such as toothpicks and paper clips. He agreed
with Ambassador that this is the right time for Sierra Leone
to take fuller advantage of AGOA benefits.


3. (C) Coker is a veteran of the Foreign Service (7 years in
Germany),and also held leadership positions in the
Development and Establishment Secretariats. He took a
secondment with DFID in 2001 and headed the Governance Reform
Secretariat. Coker is noted for his consistent push to
improve the public sector and build capacity with the civil
service, particularly at the mid- and junior levels. Though
an APC member, he considers himself an apolitical technocrat
in his professional life. Coker is noted amongst insiders as
being a man of great integrity, who would resign if he
believed that business was being conducted inappropriately or
unlawfully.

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THE ENFORCER: KOROMA
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4. (C) At an April 6 meeting with the new Minister for
Presidential Affairs, Joseph Koroma, topics for discussion
included some of the general themes from the Coker meeting;
implementing activities to address the President's priorities
in youth employment and agriculture, as well as increasing
investment interests. The Minister also spoke at length
regarding problems plaguing the health sector, including the
avalanche of low-quality and fake drugs now on the market, as
well as pharmaceutical procurement, management, and
distribution. The Minister mentioned several high-level
meetings the President has held lately regarding developing a
strategic plan for agriculture, with a focus on increasing
the production of cassava and rice over the next two years.
He also noted the need for investment in the extractive
industries and tourism.


5. (C) Koroma was highly responsive to the Ambassador's
message that the various "big ticket" requests the GoSL
continues to be interested in, including an official visit to
Washington and inclusion in the Millennium Challenge
Corporation (MCC) account, cannot be considered without clear
signs that the GoSL is a fully cooperative bilateral partner
(Note: At the same time, we are continuing to respond to
critical humanitarian needs and will seek further support
from Department to do so. End note). Ambassador referred to
the Status of Forces Agreement, which has been in the
negotiations stage since 2006 and is only now making
incremental progress towards signature, as well as an
unsigned and needed agreement to enable the U.S. Coast Guard
to conduct joint enforcement operations with the military's
maritime wing. Ambassador also stated that planned video
conferences between government officials and MCC

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representatives have been pending for several months because
the GoSL has not provided a list of who should be involved.
Koroma was quick to note these pending issues, and assured
the Ambassador that he will provide responses on all within a
week's time. He made clear that he intends to hold Ministers'
feet to the fire with regards to providing timely responses
(Note: Koroma is so far proving himself to be a man of his
word: Embassy received a list of GoSL officials for the MCC
video conferences on April 7. End note). He also stated that
he serves as the primary conduit of information to the
President.


6. (C) Koroma served 14 years in the Sierra Leonean Foreign
Service, spending 12 years at the country's mission to the UN
in New York. He ultimately rose to the position of Deputy
Permanent Representative to the UN before leaving the Foreign
Service to work for an NGO. He later worked for the African
Development Bank in Abidjan for four years on environmental
projects before taking up a position as the head of the UNIDO
office in Sierra Leone. According to a British contact,
Koroma had been approached by the President to be a member of
his first Cabinet, but Koroma refused. He was allegedly
unhappy with some of the initial Cabinet picks because they
represented pay-back for political favors, and chose to
remain with UNIDO. According to source, Koroma agreed to a
Cabinet position if he could play a decision-making role in
the reshuffle. He informed the Ambassador that poor
performers in the Cabinet had been moved to lower-level
positions as a warning sign, but that they would be fired if
their failure to impress the President and others continued
(Note: He was likely referring to David Carew, former
Minister of Finance and now Minister of Trade and Industry,
Alimamy Koroma, former Minister of Trade and Industry and now
Minister of Works, and Haja Afsatu Kabba, former Minister of
Energy and now Minister of Marine Resources. End note).

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THE WEATHER VANE: GILPIN
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7. (C) Emboffs meet with Brian Gilpin, Special Assistant to
the President, regularly to discuss pending issues,
particularly those that must be handled with great
sensitivity. Gilpin is also an important contact for
logistics and scheduling for the President, particularly for
VIP visits. Gilpin is known for his nuanced approach when it
comes to handling the President, and can be relied upon to
relay information to Koroma without adding his own
editorials. He is perhaps the best-placed within the
President's circle to accurately predict his reactions to
events and issues, as well as ascertain the optimal moment to
approach Koroma on particular topics. Gilpin frequently
writes the President's speeches and press statements, though
he admitted that others "sneak" things through when he is
even briefly away from State House (Note: The President's
immediate response to the March clashes, for example, was
cleared without Gilpin's knowledge or review. Gilpin
expressed frustration that the President's statement lacked
polish and failed to fully highlight the need for unity
across party lines. End note).


8. (C) Gilpin spent a number of years in the UK in the
private sector before returning to Sierra Leone in his
current capacity. While an APC member, he is not known for
partisanship. Though Gilpin is close to the President, he
does not have the authority to heavily influence his
decisions and it is unlikely that he puts significant
pressure on Koroma to make decisions or be responsive to
requests. A contact in the Office of Tony Blair who works in
State House told Poloff that Gilpin's authority and influence
is overestimated by the international community, noting the
UK in particular has unfounded faith in Gilpin to further
their agenda.

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COMMENT
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9. (C) Understanding the President's advisors, their areas of
influence, and their motivations are critical in Sierra
Leone. Time and again, President Koroma has shown himself to
be a slow decision-maker, oftentimes taking appropriate
action but only after weeks, or even months, of
deliberations. When Koroma does make promises, he has little
time to see that they are carried out by those serving him.
Post will need to make strategic use of our contacts who are
closest to him, to both speed his decision-making and ensure
that impediments to our bilateral agreements and needs are
removed. Coker will be an excellent interlocutor on issues
surrounding our foreign assistance, particularly as the GoSL
seeks to implement new, stringent regulations on NGO

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activities. Gilpin continues to be an asset to post, but with
recognition that he is limited in his ability to push the
right buttons for action on our behalf when needed. The
British High Commissioner, Ian Hughes, told Poloff that "they
are pinning their hopes on Joe Koroma," and post will do so
as well when it comes to addressing our highest priority
issues. Despite this optimism about Joseph Koroma's potential
impact on the efficiency and effectiveness of State House,
one cannot forget two independent variables that could muddy
the waters: President Koroma's stubborn and headstrong
personality, and the possibility that Coker and Joseph Koroma
could engage in a "turf war" to establish their place as the
Head of State's right-hand. Coker and the previous Minister
of Presidential Affairs had this type of battle, with Coker
victoriously remaining at State House while Alhaji Alpha Kanu
moved to the Ministry of Mineral Resources. Post will observe
the relationship between Coker and Koroma in the coming
months, and in the meantime will test Gilpin's hypothesis
that Joseph Koroma is "the most powerful man in government."
End Comment.
PERRY