EU CHIEF ON CHAD ELECTION PROSPECTS, REVENUE MANAGEMENT

UNCLAS NDJAMENA 000335 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM SU LY FR UN EU CD SUBJECT: EU CHIEF ON CHAD ELECTION PROSPECTS, REVENUE MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE REF: (A) NDJAMENA 294, (B) NDJAMENA 282 ¶1. (SBU) AMBASSADOR NIGRO MET WITH EU COMMISSION CHIEF GILLES DESESQUELLES AUGUST 11. ¶2. (SBU) THE KEY POINTS OF THE DISCUSSION WERE: -------------- ON ELECTIONS: -------------- -- DESESQUELLES IS SATIFIED THAT THE NEWLY-NAMED HEAD OF THE INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTION COMMITTEE (CENI),MR. NGARMADJAL GAMI, ALTHOUGH WITHOUT TECHNICAL BACKGROUND OR EXPERTISE IN ELECTIONS PER SE, COULD MAKE A "GOOD CENI PRESIDENT" BECAUSE OF HIS GENERAL POLITICAL INSTINCTS AND REPUTATION FOR FAIR-DEALING. -- DESESQUELLES IS ALSO SATIFIED IN GENERAL WITH THE OVERALL MAKEUP OF THE CENI. -- DESESQUELLES BELIEVES THAT THE CENI SHOULD SET A TENTATIVE ELECTION DATE FOR THE LEGISLATIVE AND MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS AND WORK BACKWARDS FROM THERE IN PLANNING FOR AN ELECTORAL CENSUS AND OTHER ARRANGEMENTS. -- DESEQUELLES THINKS THAT THE ELECTIONS COULD BE HELD IN MARCH-APRIL 2010. -- DESESQUELLES CONFIRMED THAT THE ELECTORAL REFORM COMMITTEE WOULD CONTINUE TO FUNCTION THROUGH THE 2010 ELECTIONS, COMPLEMENTING THE WORK OF THE CENI. -- DESESQUELLES AND AMBASSADOR AGREED TO URGE BOTH THE CENI AND THE ELECTORAL REFORM COMMITTEE TO HAVE FREQUENT CONTACT WITH EMBASSIES AS WELL AS CHADIAN NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND THE CHADIAN PUBLIC. -- DESESQUELLES AND AMBASSADOR AGREED TO COORDINATE EU ELECTION EFFORTS WITH U.S. EFFORTS, INCLUDING ON OBERVERS AND MONITORS. -------------- ON PUBLIC REVENUE MANAGEMENT -------------- -- DESESQUELLES SAID THAT HIS MISSION WAS EXPANDING, WITH A "PUBLIC REVENUE MANAGEMENT OFFICE" ALREADY UP AND RUNNING AND PLANNING FOR A "POLITICAL OFFICE" ADVANCED. -- DESESQUELLES AND AMBASSADOR AGREED TO COORDINATE EU AND U.S. EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE CHAD GOVERNMENT'S ABILITY TO MANAGE ITS PUBLIC REVENUES RESPONSIBLY. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶3. (SBU) THERE HAVE BEEN RUMORS THAT DESESQUELLES WOULD SOON BE REPLACED AS EU MISSION HEAD, BUT HE GAVE NO INDICATION THAT HE WAS ON HIS WAY OUT. NIGRO