Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09YAOUNDE1032
2009-12-07 06:57:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Yaounde
Cable title:
COMIFAC DEMARCHE DELIVERED TO CAMEROONIAN MINISTER
how-toVZCZCXRO9030 RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO DE RUEHYD #1032 3410657 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 070657Z DEC 09 FM AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0509 INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0071 RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 0001 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 2158
UNCLAS YAOUNDE 001032
SIPDIS
PASS TO ELLEN SHAW OES/ENRC
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CM EAID ECON SENV
SUBJECT: COMIFAC DEMARCHE DELIVERED TO CAMEROONIAN MINISTER
OF FINANCE
REF: STATE 120278
UNCLAS YAOUNDE 001032
SIPDIS
PASS TO ELLEN SHAW OES/ENRC
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CM EAID ECON SENV
SUBJECT: COMIFAC DEMARCHE DELIVERED TO CAMEROONIAN MINISTER
OF FINANCE
REF: STATE 120278
1. (SBU) On December 1, Ambassador delivered reftel
demarche to Cameroonian Minister of Finance Essimi Menye.
She was accompanied by the German Ambassador and the Canadian
High Commissioner. The Chiefs of Mission presented a letter,
also signed by the French Ambassador who could not attend the
meeting, containing reftel points about COMIFAC and the
automated funding mechanism.
2. (SBU) Menye did not know when CEEAC finance ministers
would meet, but he guessed some may follow the heads of state
to Paris for the pre-Copenhagen summit proposed by French
President Sarkozy. He did not address the funding mechanism
issue specifically but thanked the Chiefs of Mission for
their input. He also took the opportunity to depart from his
finance portfolio and discuss forestry policy. He said "most
of the Cameroonian people live on the forest," and "to
protect the forest you must cultivate the savanna." He also
said diplomats and the international community needed to
think concretely about the issue rather than reading from
books and papers.
3. (SBU) Comment: Although Menye was not current on the
funding mechanism and was combative and wandering in his
responses, he had just pulled an all-nighter during the
previous evening's budget session at the Cameroonian National
Assembly and was visibly exhausted. We have also seen him
prickly and distracted on a host of other issues. In our
view, his reaction should not be interpreted as disdain for
the demarche's content. We will report septel if we receive
a more substantive response. End comment.
GARVEY
SIPDIS
PASS TO ELLEN SHAW OES/ENRC
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CM EAID ECON SENV
SUBJECT: COMIFAC DEMARCHE DELIVERED TO CAMEROONIAN MINISTER
OF FINANCE
REF: STATE 120278
1. (SBU) On December 1, Ambassador delivered reftel
demarche to Cameroonian Minister of Finance Essimi Menye.
She was accompanied by the German Ambassador and the Canadian
High Commissioner. The Chiefs of Mission presented a letter,
also signed by the French Ambassador who could not attend the
meeting, containing reftel points about COMIFAC and the
automated funding mechanism.
2. (SBU) Menye did not know when CEEAC finance ministers
would meet, but he guessed some may follow the heads of state
to Paris for the pre-Copenhagen summit proposed by French
President Sarkozy. He did not address the funding mechanism
issue specifically but thanked the Chiefs of Mission for
their input. He also took the opportunity to depart from his
finance portfolio and discuss forestry policy. He said "most
of the Cameroonian people live on the forest," and "to
protect the forest you must cultivate the savanna." He also
said diplomats and the international community needed to
think concretely about the issue rather than reading from
books and papers.
3. (SBU) Comment: Although Menye was not current on the
funding mechanism and was combative and wandering in his
responses, he had just pulled an all-nighter during the
previous evening's budget session at the Cameroonian National
Assembly and was visibly exhausted. We have also seen him
prickly and distracted on a host of other issues. In our
view, his reaction should not be interpreted as disdain for
the demarche's content. We will report septel if we receive
a more substantive response. End comment.
GARVEY