VZCZCXRO9739
PP RUEHPA
DE RUEHDK #0876/01 1011643
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 111643Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAKAR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4806
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA 0169
RUEHLC/AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE 0870
RUEHTRO/USLO TRIPOLI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DAKAR 000876 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF/W, AF/SPG, AF/C, NEA/MAG AND EUR/WE 
ABUJA PLS PASS TO AMBASSADOR RANNEBERGER 
KINSHASA FOR BRAZZAVILLE OFFICE 
PARIS FOR POL - D'ELIA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/10/2011 
TAGS: PREL PINR PGOV EINV FR LY SU SG
SUBJECT: THE "LIBYAN GUIDE" GIVES PLENTY OF GUIDANCE TO 
SENEGAL 
 
DAKAR 00000876  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Classified By: DCM Robert P. Jackson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
¶1.  (C) President Wade celebrated Senegal's 46th anniversary 
of independence surrounded by five other African heads of 
state, but the presence of Mouammar Qadhafi drew the most 
fanfare.  Foreign Minister Gadio told the Ambassador during 
her introductory call that there was no discussion of Sudan 
or other contentious issues.  In typical fashion, Qadhafi 
came bearing promises of USD 2 billion in investments and the 
tallest tower in Africa and pushed for reparations from 
France, a united states of Africa, a single African army, and 
a presidency without a term limit.  So far, however, his 
promises remain theoretical, and his policy pronouncements 
stirred controversy.  END SUMMARY. 
 
QADHAFI PRESIDES 
---------------- 
¶2.  (C) In the days before Qadhafi arrived in Dakar, 30-foot 
posters of him sprang up around town.  The "Libyan Guide," as 
they call him, was the real guest of honor at the 
Independence Day festivities on April 4.  He spent that day 
and the next laying the cornerstone for a 50-floor tower to 
be built with Libyan financing and addressing the National 
Assembly and thousands of Senegalese women.  The 
government-run newspaper, "Le Soleil," printed tribute after 
tribute to this "friend of Senegal," mentioning in passing 
the presence of the Presidents of the Congo, Gabon, 
Guinea-Bissau, and Cape Verde.  Indeed, Qadhafi was the only 
visiting African leader permitted to make a speech on 
Independence Day.  He used the opportunity to tell the 
Senegalese that Wade should be president for life and that 
they should demand compensation for having been colonized by 
France and reparations for the soldiers who fought for France 
in World War I and II.  In a very insightful reply, President 
Wade noted that his father had fought in World War I and had 
pursued a pension in the French courts for 35 years, which 
may explain why Wade trained as a lawyer and why he is so 
unwavering once he sets his mind on something.  The French 
Charge and military representatives were visibly unhappy with 
the remarks and boycotted the Senegalese military reception 
that followed the four-hour parade.  Not only the French were 
upset by the spectacle though. The other four heads of state, 
who sat in the sun waiting 30 minutes for Qadhafi to arrive 
and another 20 for Wade, were reportedly furious about the 
poor treatment they received, especially since Sassou-Nguesso 
is entitled to higher billing as African Union President. 
 
QADHAFI AVOIDS CONTENTIOUS ISSUES 
--------------------------------- 
¶3.  (C) When Ambassador Jacobs paid her introductory visit on 
Senior Minister for Foreign Affairs Cheikh Tidiane Gadio on 
April 7, the Minister said that there had been no bilateral 
discussions about Darfur during Qadhafi's visit.  According 
to Gadio, "Both sides were trying to avoid discussion of 
contentious issues."  Gadio added that Senegal remains 
committed to re-hatting the African Union Mission in Sudan 
(AMIS). 
 
QADHAFI PROMISES MUCH 
--------------------- 
¶4.  (U) For the most attention-generating event during the 
visit, the Libyan leader put in place the first stone of 
"Qadhafi Tower," billed to become the tallest tower in 
Africa.  According to Abdoulaye Balde, Secretary General at 
the Presidency and National Agency for the Organization of 
the Islamic Conference (ANOCI) officials, the tower will cost 
USD 250 million.  Ambassador Ahmed Khalifa Niasse, special 
advisor to President Wade, added that the tower will take two 
to four years to build and will be visible as far away as The 
Gambia.  Niasse told "Le Soleil" that Niasse fought hard to 
get the tower built in Senegal and that it is part of a USD 2 
billion plan for Libyan investment, including a new airport 
(although he said he "could not speak about the airport 
before President Wade"). 
 
¶5.  (U) Qadhafi also addressed a gathering of women, to whom 
he promised laws protecting them from divorce.  At the 
National Assembly, he called for a unified Africa, a regional 
army for the continent and a presidency for life.  He said he 
is against constitutions limiting the mandate of heads of 
state and said presidents should be allowed to stay in power 
as long as possible if that is the will of the people.  This 
 
DAKAR 00000876  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
last pronouncement led to vigorous debate in the media. 
 
QADHAFI DISAPPOINTS 
------------------- 
¶6.  (C) Despite the grand investment scheme Qadhafi may have 
brought with him, one Embassy contact in the National 
Association of Architects told us there is no blueprint or 
study for the tower and no money yet to build it.  The GOS 
has not yet decided on a site, though it will require five 
hectares of land.  An embassy source at APIX, the government 
investment agency, said no investment or actual promise of 
investment has flowed in from Libya as a result of Qadhafi's 
visit.  Moreover, Qadhafi donated no aid, something which, 
according to at least one newspaper, caused great 
disappointment among many expecting handouts. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
¶7.  (C) A quick call to the Foreign Ministry revealed that it 
had little involvement with Qadhafi's visit.  Staff at the 
Ministry said the visit was handled almost entirely by the 
Presidency.  For all the posters and articles glorifying 
Qadhafi, it is probable that his visit was orchestrated to 
bring maximum glory and exposure to President Wade.  One can 
imagine Wade's appreciation for Qadhafi's push for presidents 
for life.  END COMMENT. 
 
¶8. (U) Minimize considered. 
JACKSON