DEBY'S BEST BOYS: CHADIAN PRIME MINISTERS SINCE 1992

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NDJAMENA 000380

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

STATE FOR AF/S AND S/USSES
NSC FOR GAVIN
LONDON FOR POL - LORD
PARIS FOR POL - BAIN AND KANEDA
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR AU

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF PHUM PINR SU LY CD
SUBJECT: DEBY'S BEST BOYS: CHADIAN PRIME MINISTERS SINCE 1992

REF: (A) NDJAMENA 139, (B) 08 NDJAMENA 165

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SUMMARY
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1. (SBU) Idriss Deby took power by a coup d'etat in December of
1990, after which he ruled for several years through a number of
"revolutionary councils" staffed by his supporters. Since Deby
"regularized" his government in 1992, some ten men have served as
Prime Minister, one of them twice. Two of them died in office;
others have faded from public life. But several of the former PMs
continue to have thriving political careers. END SUMMARY.



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THE A LIST
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2. (U) Prime Ministers under Idriss Deby:

1992-1993 JOSEPH YODOYMAN
1993 FIDEL MOUNGAR ABDELKARIM
1993-1995 DELWA KASSIRE COUMAKOYE
1995-1997 DJIMASTA KOIBLA
1997-1999 NASSOUR GUELENGDOUKSIA
1999-2002 NAGOUM YAMASSOUM
2002-2003 HAROUN KABADI
2003-2005 MOUSSA FAKI MAHAMAT
2005-2007 PASCAL YOADIMNADJI
2007-2008 DELWA KASSIRE COUMAKOYE
2008-present YOUSSOUF SALEH ABBAS

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WHERE THEY ARE NOW
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3. (SBU) Their current status:

JOSEPH YODOYMAN (1992-1993): An ethnic Ngambaye, which is a
sub-group of the southern Sara tribe; died in office in 1993 of
natural causes.

FIDEL MOUNGAR ABDELKARIM (1993): An ethnic Mongo, which is a
sub-group of the southern Sara tribe. A medical doctor now resident
in Paris, often mentioned as possible candidate for high office
again under Deby.

DELWA KASSIRE COUMAKOYE (1993-1995, 2007-2008): An ethnic
Nantchere, also a Sara tribe sub-group; ran for President against
Deby in 1996, came in second with 15 percent of the votes; currently
head of the Social Economic and Cultural Council, a constitutional
body that advises the government on issues and policies.

DJIMASTA KOIBLA (1995-1997). An ethnic Sara from the southern
region of Koumra; died in 2007.

NASSOUR GUELENGDOUKSIA (1997-1999): A member of the Massa ethnic
group, from southeastern Chad; has been President of the National
Assembly since 2002.

NAGOUM YAMASSOUM (1999-2002): A member of the Yamodo tribe of the
deep-southern Moyen-Chari region. Was Foreign Minister 2003-2006.
Currently head of Chadian National Petroleum Company, SHT - Societe
Hydrocarbons du Tchad).
HAROUN KABADI (2002-2003): An ethnic Sara-Kaba from southern Chad;
currently Secretary-General of the Presidency (equivalent to White
House Chief of Staff). He was Minister of Communications and
Government Spokesman in 1998, then headed the parastatal Chad Cotton
Company (SCT),before serving as Prime Minister from June 2002-June

2003. From 2007-2008, he was Agriculture Minister.
MOUSSA FAKI MAHAMAT (2003-2005): Ethnically a mix of Zaghawa and
Arab, he is from President Deby's own Bidayet clan as well as one of
the President's nephews. Currently Foreign Minister (since May
2008).
PASCAL YOADIMNADJI (2005-2007): A member of the Ngor ethnic group,
another southern Sara tribal sub-group, he was head of the National
Electoral Commission from 1995-1997, supervising the 1996
presidential election. He served as Minister of Mines, Energy and
Oil, 1997-1998; Minister of Tourism in 1998; and Minister of the
Environment and Water in 1999. He then served as President of the

NDJAMENA 00000380 002 OF 002


Constitutional Council from 1999-2004 and was Minister of
Agriculture, 2004-2005. He died in office in 2007 of natural
causes.
YOUSSOUF SALEH ABBAS (2008-PRESENT): See REF B.


4. (U) Minimize considered.

NIGRO