VZCZCXRO9951
PP RUEHPA
DE RUEHDK #0081/01 0121547
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 121547Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAKAR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3901
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHLMC/MCC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 0209
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 0006
RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA 0164

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 DAKAR 000081 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR H, AF/RSA, DRL/PHD, AF/EPS, AF/W AND INR/AA 
PARIS FOR POL - D'ELIA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/12/2016 
TAGS: OREP EAID PHUM PREL KMCA KPKO SG
SUBJECT: CODEL KOLBE'S MEETING WITH PRESIDENT WADE FOCUSES 
ON MCA, HUMAN RIGHTS, PEACEKEEPING AND CASAMANCE PEACE 
PROCESS 
 
REF: A. DAKAR 0072 (NOTAL) 
     ¶B. DAKAR 0043 (NOTAL) 
     ¶C. 05 STATE 228797 (NOTAL) 
 
DAKAR 00000081  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
Classified By: CDA ROBERT P. JACKSON FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). 
 
¶1.  (C) SUMMARY: Codel Kolbe met with Senegalese President 
Abdoulaye Wade for over 75 minutes on January 4.  They 
discussed Senegal,s Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) 
proposal; peacekeeping; human rights, especially the charges 
against former Prime Minister Idrissa Seck; and the Casamance 
peace process.  The Codel underscored U.S. friendship, and 
both sides emphasized shared values.  For his part, Wade 
insisted that the Seck prosecution is about corruption rather 
than politics and hinted that security charges against Seck 
may soon be dropped.  He declared that the Casamance peace 
process is irreversible.  Senior officials have since told us 
that Wade was pleased with the visit.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (U) PARTICIPANTS: 
 
United States            Senegal 
-------------            ------- 
Rep. Jim Kolbe           President Abdoulaye Wade 
Rep. Dennis Rehberg      Prime Minister Macky Sall 
Rep. Betty McCollum      Senior Minister for Foreign 
                           Affairs Cheikh Tidiane Gadio 
Charge Robert P. Jackson Senior Minister for Economy and 
                           Finance Abdoulaye Diop 
USAID/Senegal Director   Minister of Urbanism Assane 
  Olivier Carduner         Diagne 
MCC Senior Country Dir.  Director of Cabinet Souleymane 
  for Francophone Africa   Ndene Ndiaye 
  Michael Grossman       Minister-delegate for the 
HAC PSM Robert Blair       Budget Cheikh Hadjibou Soumare 
USAID Congressional      Ambassador to the U.S. Lamine Ba 
  Liaison Officer        Counselor to the President 
  Susan Williams           Pierre Goudiaby Atepa 
Military Escort Cmdr.    AMPMD Director General Habib 
  Ben Pearson              MBaye 
Vice Consul Thomas       APIX Director Aminata Niane 
  Chojnacki (notetaker)  Transportation Technical Advisor 
                           Abdou Aziz Gueye 
                         Counselor to the President Pape 
                           Camara (translator) 
 
MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE ACCOUNT PROPOSAL 
------------------------------------- 
¶3.  (U) President Wade, with Prime Minister Sall, Director of 
Cabinet Ndiaye, and AMPMD Director General Mbaye, began the 
75-minute meeting by thanking Codel Kolbe for coming to 
Senegal.  He also expressed his gratitude for the MCA 
initiative, noting that three years of eligibility has yet to 
translate into implementation.  Wade said he understood the 
MCA precepts of growth and poverty reduction.  Noting that 
Senegal,s MCA proposal has evolved over time, he said the 
Diamniadio Platform has many advantages: its strategic 
location near a major crossroads, the planned new airport and 
new duty-free zone, as well as its proximity to the 
University of the Future.  Wade insisted that the potential 
impact on GDP growth is clear, and the MCA project will fight 
poverty by creating jobs. 
 
¶4.  (U) Chairman Kolbe said MCA is forward looking.  He 
praised Senegal,s very ambitious and very visionary 
proposal.  Kolbe assured Wade that the USG is committed to 
seeing the project through.  He noted, however, that the 
complexity of Senegal,s proposal requires feasibility 
studies to ensure that the MCA funds are well spent.  Kolbe 
also acknowledged some impatience with the MCC,s speed. 
Before moving from Wade,s office to the larger conference 
room, Wade provided a tour of a number of models of existing 
and proposed building projects. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Joined by other Senegalese Ministers and other 
officials, President Wade thanked President Bush and the USG 
for &the best cooperation in Africa.8  Wade stressed our 
shared values.  Chairman Kolbe extended President Bush,s 
greetings.  Kolbe again praised Senegal,s &very visionary8 
MCA proposal.  Expressing hope that we can move forward, 
Kolbe reiterated the need for studies and analysis.  Kolbe 
noted that MCA eligibility is a reward for good governance 
rather than UN votes, and Senegal has met the first test. 
Rep. Rehberg noted that President Bush and the American 
 
DAKAR 00000081  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
people are Senegal,s friends.  Given his experience with 
development in Montana, particularly at reservations for 
Native Americans, Rehberg highlighted his understanding of 
rural development and praised Senegal,s MCA concept.  Mr. 
Grossman indicated that the MCA process was a partnership. 
 
TERRORISM, PEACEKEEPING AND HUMAN RIGHTS 
---------------------------------------- 
¶6.  (U) Acknowledging Senegal,s constitutional government, 
Rep. Kolbe praised Senegal,s commitment to democracy and the 
rule of law.  Rep. McCollum noted that Senegal,s MCA 
proposal is very ambitious.  She praised Ambassador Ba,s 
activism.  She stressed that having been selected for the 
MCA, Senegal should stand for democracy and human rights. 
 
¶7.  (U) Kolbe and Rehberg then thanked President Wade for 
Senegal,s support in the Global War on Terrorism and for its 
commitment to peacekeeping.  Kolbe noted that, as a 
percentage of its armed forces, Senegal has more peacekeepers 
than any other military.  Kolbe and McCollum extended special 
thanks for Senegal,s peacekeeping in Darfur. 
 
THE SECK/THIES PUBLIC WORKS CASE 
-------------------------------- 
¶8.  (C) Chairman Kolbe noted that President Wade has been a 
strong supporter of human rights.  Kolbe said he was 
concerned by interference with the opposition and the arrest 
of former Prime Minister Idrissa Seck.  He urged the GOS to 
resolve the case quickly, bringing it to trial if appropriate. 
 
¶9.  (C) President Wade responded at length, changing from 
English to French with translation to make certain that there 
was no misunderstanding.  Wade said he considered Seck &a 
son8 and had paid for his education.  Wade said he had a 
heavy heart when the police arrested Seck.  Significantly, 
Wade said that he was not convinced that there was evidence 
that Seck had in fact attempted to destabilize the Government 
through non-democratic means; therefore, those charges should 
be dropped.  However, the corruption and embezzlement charges 
were serious.  Wade said that he had authorized up to 20-25 
billion CFA francs (CFAF) (USD 40-50 million) to be spent on 
public works projects in Thies in 2004, with no loans.  Seck, 
however, allegedly spent 46 billion CFAF (USD 92 million). 
Moreover, many of the projects were allegedly not put out for 
tender, which Wade declared is contrary to Senegalese law. 
In addition, there is evidence of overbilling and 
embezzlement.  Wade asserted that 16 billion or more CFAF 
(USD 32 million or more) could not have been spent without 
Seck,s involvement, and he apparently pressured the Public 
Markets Board to approve expenditures.  Wade stated, &That 
is corruption; I stand for good governance.8  The legal 
system found grounds to detain Seck, including significant 
unexplained wealth of unknown origins.  Wade insisted Seck 
&was not arrested for political reasons.8  Wade ended by 
noting that Seck has friends in the United States, including 
his American attorney. 
 
¶10.  (C) Rep. Kolbe responded that he appreciated the 
explanation and raised the case as a friend of Senegal.  He 
pointed out that some believe the case against Seck is 
politically motivated, and that perception can best be 
addressed by bringing the case to trial.  Wade concluded that 
part of the discussion by expressing his confidence in the 
judiciary, noting that he had been arrested and acquitted 
five times himself. 
 
¶11.  (C) NOTE: On January 10, International Committee of the 
Red Cross Delegate Henry Fournier told Charge that although 
he has received some requests to visit former Prime Minister 
Idrissa Seck in prison, he decided not to do so for the time 
being because he fears that such a visit could disrupt 
ongoing negotiations between Seck and Wade.  END NOTE. 
 
CASAMANCE PEACE PROCESS 
----------------------- 
¶12.  (C) Wade did not want the Codel to depart before he 
described the state of the Casamance peace process.  He said 
the GOS has succeeded in establishing peace with some of the 
Movement of Democratic Forces of the Casamance (MFDC) rebels 
)- all but one gang.  He said the Government had analyzed 
the January 2 death of the deputy Prefect and had concluded 
that the death was essentially an accident (Ref B).  Wade 
said the Government has decided not to react but has asked 
the MFDC to hand over the assassins for trial.  Wade 
 
DAKAR 00000081  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
concluded that the peace process is irreversible. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
¶13.  (C) Senior government officials have told us that 
President Wade was very pleased with Codel Kolbe's visit, the 
first by a Codel to Senegal since 2004.  While Wade indicated 
some impatience with the development of the MCA Compact, he 
seemed reassured by Codel Kolbe,s overall comments about 
Senegal,s MCA proposal.  Wade was anxious to dispel the idea 
that the Seck case is politically motivated, and his comment 
about the likelihood of the security charges being dropped 
was encouraging, as are negotiations between Seck and Wade. 
Finally, Wade took pride in highlighting progress in the 
Casamance peace process. 
 
¶14.  (U) Codel Kolbe did not have an opportunity to clear 
this cable before departing Senegal.  END COMMENT. 
JACKSON