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PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUEHUJA #0268/01 0421256
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 111256Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5270
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 0929
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0051
RUEHRY/AMEMBASSY CONAKRY 0004
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 1675
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0082
RUEHYD/AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE 0642
RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS 0815
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 000268 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/W, INR/AA 
DEPT PASS TO USAID/AFR ATWOOD, USTR - AGAMA 
DOE FOR GEORGE PERSON 
BAGHDAD FOR DUNDAS MCCULLOUGH 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/09/2019 
TAGS: ECON EAID EAGR ECOWAS PGOV GV NI
SUBJECT: ECOWAS: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH PRESIDENT CHAMBAS 
 
Classified By: Political Counselor Walter N. S. Pflaumer for reasons 1. 
¶4. (b & d). 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: On February 5, the Ambassador, in her 
capacity as U.S. permanent representative, met with Economic 
Community of West African States' (ECOWAS) President Mohamed 
Ibn Chambas to discuss a range of issues, including ECOWAS' 
next steps on the Guinea coup, the status of USAID projects 
in the region, and other matters.  Chambas described ECOWAS 
as working closely with the African Union (AU) on responding 
to events in Guinea; the two organizations will be 
co-chairing the first session of the international contact 
group on Guinea on February 16.  He added that the unanimity 
shown by Guinea's stakeholders directly after the coup was 
breaking down, and the need for a comprehensive strategy for 
a smooth transition to democracy was more necessary than 
ever.  Chambas gave an update on the Comprehensive African 
Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) and efforts to 
attract more foreign investment to the region's agriculture 
sector.  Ambassador briefed Chambas on the $25 million Food 
Security Program and how this would also assist regional 
agricultural issues.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (SBU) On February 5, the Ambassador met with ECOWAS 
President Mohamed Ibn Chambas to discuss the latest on the 
coup in Guinea, as well as USAID's projects in member states. 
 After expressing his congratulations on the U.S. election 
and his desire to work closely with Secretary Clinton, 
Chambas said that ECOWAS was working with the AU on Guinea to 
try and ensure a smooth and speedy transition to democracy, 
having established an international contact group consisting 
of ECOWAS, the AU, the UN, the permanent members of the UN 
Security Council, the European Union, the International 
Organization of la Francophonie, the Organization of the 
Islamic Conference, the Mano River Union, and the World Bank, 
with interest also shown by Japan.  The inauguration of the 
contact group will be February 16 in Conakry, and Chambas 
assured the Ambassador that this Guinea contact group (GCG) 
would not interfere with or overshadow the work being done by 
the Mano River Union contact group, as the Union would only 
have an observer status in the new GCG as to not distract it 
from its work.  Once the GCG became more mature, then it will 
be incorporated into the Mano River Union group.  Right now, 
however, the ECOWAS President said it was necessary to keep 
the contact groups separate.  The contact group will meet 
every two months, and focus on ensuring a smooth, non-violent 
transition to an elected government.  He described a general 
breakdown of the tacit support that had followed the coup 
from those wanting a positive change for Guinea, but now 
civil society and labor unions especially expressed concern 
about the direction in which the National Council for 
Democracy and Development was heading, having restricted 
civil liberties, neglected to engage vital national 
stakeholders, and thus far not issued any type of statement 
of their vision and purpose. 
 
¶3. (SBU)  Ambassador raised the CAADP and the Global Food 
Security Response (GFSR).  Chambas said the French Government 
is trying to help augment West African agriculture within the 
context of the CAADP.  ECOWAS expects to hold a donor 
roundtable meeting in October, bringing together the French 
government, USAID, the World Bank, and other interested 
parties, emphasizing the key role the private sector can play 
in investment and financing.  He described an "ambitious, 
bold" goal of attracting investment to West Africa from 
Middle Eastern countries in the commercially viable 
agricultural export and food security sectors.  Subsequent to 
mentioning the $25 million the USG is giving Nigeria through 
the GFSR, the Ambassador gave Chambas a list of USG 
initiatives under the GSFR, which Chambas said he would read 
carefully with an eye to finding ways to expand USG/ECOWAS 
 
ABUJA 00000268  002 OF 002 
 
 
cooperation. 
 
¶4. (C) COMMENT: The meeting with Chambas was brief but 
cordial and informative.  ECOWAS continues to be engaged and 
forward-thinking in its stance on Guinea, putting to good use 
experience hard-won from dealing with the crises that have 
rocked the region, where the unfortunate truth is that coups 
are not yet a thing of the past.  END COMMENT. 
 
¶5. (U) This cable was coordinated with Consulate Lagos. 
SANDERS