Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09USUNNEWYORK1035
2009-11-14 00:40:00
CONFIDENTIAL
USUN New York
Cable title:  

OBASANJO ON THE DRC, NIGERIA, AND AFRICAN ISSUES

Tags:  PGOV PREL UNSC CG RW NI XA 
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TO RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA PRIORITY 0434
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RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA PRIORITY 2021
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INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 USUN NEW YORK 001035 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/12/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL UNSC CG RW NI XA
SUBJECT: OBASANJO ON THE DRC, NIGERIA, AND AFRICAN ISSUES

Classified By: Ambassador Susan E. Rice, for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

(C)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 USUN NEW YORK 001035

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/12/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL UNSC CG RW NI XA
SUBJECT: OBASANJO ON THE DRC, NIGERIA, AND AFRICAN ISSUES

Classified By: Ambassador Susan E. Rice, for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

(C) 1. SUMMARY. In his final briefing to the Security
Council as Special Envoy to the Great Lakes on November 9,
former Nigerian President Obasanjo said the situation in
the Great Lakes region had improved in the last year. He
noted the CNDP was no longer a threat to the DRC
government, and said he was pleased by the rapprochement
between the DRC and Rwanda. He also noted the need to fix
the entire DRC security sector. Ambassador Rice called for
an end to impunity, especially within the DRC army, and she
was joined by all Council members in thanking Obasanjo for
his efforts. In a private meeting on November 10 between
Rice and Obasanjo, he said President Kabila needed help,
and was not well-served by those around him. On Nigeria,
Obasanjo told Rice that someone other than President
Yar'Auda (but also a northerner) should be elected in

2011. Obasanjo also shared his idea for a group of African
elders to help the younger generation become responsible
leaders. END SUMMARY.

OBASANJO NOTES THE NEED TO IMPLEMENT THE MARCH 23 AGREEMENTS


2. (SBU) Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo
briefed the Security Council on November 9 in an open
session on his year's work as Special Envoy to the Great
Lakes Region. He said that he would "step back" from his
efforts, and noted the positive changes that occurred as a
result of his work, including the incorporation of the CNDP
into the DRC army (FARDC) and the rapprochement between
Rwanda and the DRC, including the exchange of ambassadors.
He said the FDLR threat had been considerably reduced, and
that many refugees and IDPs were returning to their homes.
He noted, however, that many elements of the March 23
Agreements remained to be implemented, including
establishment of a national reconciliation mechanism and
reforms to the electoral law, good governance, and control
of natural resources. He said the Congolese must be
encouraged and empowered to be architects of their own
future, since lasting peace must have local ownership.

OBASANJO AND MKAPA "ON ALERT" IF NEEDED



3. (SBU) Obasanjo also said that he and his co-facilitator
former President Benjamin Mkapa would remain "on alert"
should the region need to call on their good offices
again. He said that he and Mkapa would submit their final
report to the African Union (AU) during its January Summit
and recommended retooling his office in Nairobi to be a
small liaison post for the region. Obasanjo suggested an
"umbrella approach" to bring together the UN, the AU, the
International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR),
and international development partners in a concerted
effort to strengthen governance institutions in the DRC.

RICE CALLS FOR AN END TO IMPUNITY, THANKS THE ENVOYS


4. (SBU) Continuing the meeting in closed consultations,
Ambassador Rice thanked President Obasanjo for his efforts
and stressed the significant contributions both he and
President Mkapa made to the peace process in the Great
Lakes region. She also stressed that there must be an end
to impunity, especially regarding the government and
members of the FARDC. She noted that the U.S. Special
Envoy to the Great Lakes Howard Wolpe looked forward to
continuing the work with bilateral partners that was
started by Obasanjo and Mkapa. All Council members joined
Rice in expressing their gratitude to Mkapa and Obasanjo.
Costa Rican PR Urbina seconded Ambassador Rice's concern
that impunity at the highest level must be addressed. The
U.S., Costa Rica, Turkey, and Mexico all called for
improved vetting mechanisms for the FARDC.

FRANCE LOBBIES FOR SARKOZY'S ECONOMIC COOPERATION PLAN


5. (SBU) French PR Araud warned of the plunder of the DRC's
natural resources, and said France supported conditionality
for the UN's cooperation with the FARDC. Araud also lauded
President Sarkozy's regional economic cooperation
initiative announced in March, saying the region's riches
could be turned into a positive force for peace.

OBASANJO SAYS THE ENTIRE SECURITY SECTOR MUST BE FIXED


6. (SBU) Responding to questions, Obasanjo commented that

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security would only come with a complete development of a
viable security sector, including the army, the police, the
judiciary, and a responsible corrections system. He called
on international partners to help the DRC, but cautioned
that "warlordism" was a constant threat. Regarding a
question about Kabila's political will for positive change,
Obasanjo said it did not matter how much will Kabila had if
he had no means to exercise it. Obasanjo also warned that
if Sudan is broken up following its referendum, the fallout
could also cause the DRC to split apart. In conclusion,
Obasanjo said lasting peace in the Great Lakes can only be
achieved if there is regional social and economic
development.

OBASANJO ON KABILA AND THE DRC


7. (C) In a private subsequent meeting on November 10,
Obasanjo told
Ambassador Rice that the DRC lacked the institutions for
governance. He said that President Kabila had the
disability of appearing to not be "Congolese" (since Kabila
was from the east) and had not visited other areas in the
DRC, aside from the Kivus. Obasanjo said he thought at one
point that
Kabila was overwhelmed by his presidency,
and needs to be helped by the international community.
He also said that Kabila was not so forthcoming as Rwandan
President Kagame, and that he wished Kagame were in the DRC
and Kabila in Rwanda, due to their respective leadership
attributes. He commented that Kabila was very sensitive
and needed to develop self-confidence, but that would be
difficult to do because he was not well-served by the
people around him. While discussing other potential
leaders for the DRC, Obasanjo said that former Speaker
Vital Kamerhe was smart, and opined that Kamerhe may one
day return to the political stage.

NIGERIA NEEDS SOMEONE OTHER THAN YAR'AUDA


8. (C) Obasanjo said that Nigeria can't afford eight years
of President Yar'Auda. Ambassador Rice replied with a smile,
"Well, that's your fault, Mr. President." Obasanjo didn't
deny his role in Yar'Auda's ascendancy and received the joke
in good humor. Obasanjo noted Yar'Auda's health
continued to be an issue, and that he was once again
receiving dialysis for his kidneys. He said Yar'Auda's
successor must come from the north for the election in
2011, but serve for only one term, since the informal
agreement would then dictate the need for a southern
Nigerian to become president in 2015. Ambassador Rice
suggested a female president could be beneficial,
transformative and ground-breaking. Obasanjo asked for
suggestions of Northern Women. He said, unconvincingly, that
he would not be a "king-maker" for the Nigerian election, and
emphasized his worry that there was no leadership left in
his country. When asked about the situation in the Delta
region, Obasanjo said industries were closing or divesting
and moving to Ghana, and that Nigeria needed to evolve to
remain economically viable.

"DYNASTIC DEMOCRACIES" A PROBLEM FOR AFRICA


9. (C) Obasanjo said he counted at least 14 African leaders
that
were currently in power, or attempting to hold onto it,
through a trend towards "dynastic democracy," i.e. putting
one's son in office via the electoral process. He lamented
that coups would most likely follow those who gained or
held onto power in this way.

PLAN FOR AFRICAN "ELDERS" GROUP AND A TRUST FOR AFRICA'S
YOUNG LEADERS


10. (C) Obasanjo said he wanted to create a group of
African "elders" to help address the concerns of the
continent. He thought Mozambique's Chissano, South
Africa's Mbeki, Tanzania's Mkapa, Mali's Konare and
Botswana's Masire or Mojae could join him in
creating a forum if he can find the funds. He said the
elders should encourage a new generation
of young Africans to take up the mantle of responsible
leadership. Rice and Obasanjo mused that such a
"generation-skipping trust," could avoid the corrupt,
current ruling age bracket, and focus on youth, and could
create a trustworthy cadre of leaders for the future. Rice

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offered her encouragement for this next generational
engagement.

Rice