EUROPEAN COMMISSION CONSIDERING SUPPORT TO GUINEAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 000200

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

AF FOR CAZEAU, MCCARTY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/19/2025
TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEC EUN GV XA XY EAID
SUBJECT: EUROPEAN COMMISSION CONSIDERING SUPPORT TO GUINEAN
SECURITY SECTOR

REF: SECSTATE 12971

Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Christopher Davis for reaso
ns 1.4(b) and (d).


1. (SBU) Summary: The European Commission's
Directorate-General for Development is considering providing
support to Guinean judicial and security sector reform
(JSSR). The Commission's development aid to Guinea has been
largely suspended since September, but a Commission
delegation will travel to Conakry in early March to evaluate
the situation and consider expanding development cooperation.
In the meantime, the Commission is already considering areas
where it could contribute quickly, including JSSR, support
for mediation efforts and elections, and programs for
macroeconomic development. The Commission's desk officer for
Guinea, Marc Boucey, responded positively to reftel demarche
points, agreeing that it is important for international
donors to coordinate their activities early on. He said the
Commission wants to send an expert to participate in the
UN/ECOWAS assessment mission, probably in April at the
earliest, but that ECOWAS had not invited such participation.
The Commission is looking for the assessment to provide some
guidance for future JSSR programs. Boucey said the ideal
time for a donors' meeting would be late March, after the
Commission delegation returns from Conakry. Unlike the
Commission, EU member states are not considering JSSR in
Guinea at the European level. End Summary.

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COMMISSION WANTS TO CONTRIBUTE
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2. (SBU) On February 19, PolOffs delivered reftel demarche
to Marc Boucey, desk officer for Guinea in the European
Commission's Directorate-General for Development. Boucey
said that while the Commission has scaled back its
development cooperation with Guinea since the September 28
massacre, recent developments have led the Commission to
consider new initiatives, including support to JSSR. Boucey
said the challenge would be twofold: identifying what
projects could be undertaken in the short term, and
mobilizing funds from the Commission's various development
instruments. Boucey said the Commission is unsure of what
JSSR in Guinea will entail, and is looking to the UN/ECOWAS
assessment mission to provide detailed proposals. For that
reason, the Commission would like to send an expert to
participate in the mission, probably in April at the
earliest. Boucey noted, however, that ECOWAS has not invited
the Commission's participation.


3. (SBU) The Commission will send a delegation to Conakry
in early March to evaluate the situation and consider
expanding development cooperation under Article 96 of the
Cotonou Agreement. When that delegation returns, the
Commission will be in a better position to contribute
meaningfully to a donors' meeting. Boucey was not in a
position to confirm whether the Commission could host such a
meeting, but USEU suspects they would consider hosting if
approached again at a higher level.


4. (C) Boucey opined that while interim Guinean leader
Sekouba Konate appears open to military reform, he will
probably be more resistant to meaningful justice reform.
Notably, Konate has included men implicated in the September
28 massacre in his cabinet. Boucey argued, however, that if
the international community bands together and presses
consistently for reform -- using both carrots and sticks --
donors could make some progress.

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OTHER ACTORS LESS INVOLVED
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5. (C) On the other hand, EU member state representatives
suggested that coordinated action at the EU level, such as
the launch of a full-fledged security sector reform (SSR)
mission, is unlikely. Eva Martinez Sanchez (protect),who
chairs the EU's working group on Africa, admitted to PolOff
that whereas member states spend a lot of time discussing
Zimbabwe, Somalia, and the DRC in the working group, West

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Africa is "an orphan" in EU discussions. Member states such
as France have historical ties and national interests in
Guinea, but most member states simply are not interested in
Guinean affairs. Martinez said that even if member states
were to consider SSR initiatives, they probably would not do
so until after successful elections. France's counselor for
African issues, Franck Paris, made similar points in a
separate conversation. He said member states are more likely
to discuss governance and elections than SSR at this point.
He also acknowledged that most member states, led by the UK
and the Netherlands, would be skeptical of SSR efforts on a
European level.

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COMMENT
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6. (C) We will probably find a willing and able partner in
the European Commission. Although Commission representatives
have not yet decided what development funds to access for
JSSR in Guinea, there are many from which to choose.
Short-term (18 months or less) security projects can be
funded from the Commission's Instrument for Stability, while
the regional development fund can support longer term
initiatives. Often, the Commission can disperse its funds
without extensive consultation with member states, so it may
be a more nimble actor. On the other hand, the Commission
cannot launch a boots-on-the-ground SSR mission.

MURRAY
.