VZCZCXRO2433
PP RUEHPA
DE RUEHDK #0904/01 1031304
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 131304Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAKAR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4837
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 0072
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 0172
RUEHLC/AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE PRIORITY 0874
RUEHLI/AMEMBASSY LISBON PRIORITY 0721
RUEHLU/AMEMBASSY LUANDA PRIORITY 0375
RUEHTO/AMEMBASSY MAPUTO PRIORITY 0408

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 DAKAR 000904 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF/W, AF/RSA, INL, INR/AA AND S/P - M.JAMES 
ACCRA ALSO FOR WARP 
LAGOS ALSO FOR DEA 
LISBON ALSO FOR DAO 
PARIS FOR POL - D'ELIA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/06/2016 
TAGS: PGOV PINS PREL ECON SNAR SG PU US
SUBJECT: GUINEA-BISSAU: COURTING U.S. AND OTHERS WITH 
REFORM AGENDA 
 
REF: A. DAKAR 0835 (NOTAL) 
     ¶B. DAKAR 0831 (NOTAL) 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Janice L. Jacobs for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
¶1.  (C) In a March 29-31 visit, then Charge and PolOff saw a 
Guinea-Bissau that is oriented toward courting international 
donors and investors and implementing a domestic agenda that 
reflects the top priorities of UN, European and U.S. 
interests.  The government,s priority is security sector 
reform, but it also is putting a strong emphasis on 
counternarcotics with the creation of a task force; stricter 
control of public financing and anti-corruption with several 
high-level officials under investigation; increasing cashew 
exports and oil exploration; and improving public 
institutions, especially the judiciary.  The GOGB is hoping 
the big payoffs will come at a mini-roundtable for security 
sector reform tentatively planned for this summer, a larger 
donors conference in the fall, and a much desired re-opening 
of the U.S. Embassy.  END SUMMARY. 
 
&U.S., PLEASE COME BACK8 
------------------------ 
¶2.  (C) Almost every person then Charge and PolOff met, 
including the President, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, 
business community, foreign diplomats and others, delivered a 
common message: the United States should re-open its embassy 
in Bissau.  The Prime Minister put it most eloquently when he 
said he appreciated the USD 2.2 million in U.S. assistance, 
but we could keep it all if we would just re-open the 
Embassy.  Most observers view a U.S. permanent presence as a 
vote of confidence in the stability of the country -- one 
international donors and investors will take seriously. 
 
FRANCE CONCENTRATING ON FRENCH LANGUAGE; PORTUGAL DOING LITTLE 
--------------------------------------------- ----------------- 
¶3.  (C) During a meeting with the French Ambassador, she 
stressed that one third of French assistance is devoted to 
teaching French.  Indeed, the Franco-Guinean Cultural Center 
is large and active.  When asked if the Portuguese see the 
French as competitors, she said she believed they did.  She 
also observed that Portugal is providing little assistance 
and does not seem to have any strategy for dealing with its 
former colony beyond working through the Community of 
Portuguese-speaking Countries (CPLP), which will hold a 
summit in Bissau in July. 
 
STABILITY IN CHECK FOR NOW 
-------------------------- 
¶4.  (C) Since the Prime Minister,s policy program was 
approved by the National Popular Assembly (ANP) last month, 
questions over government viability have waned but tensions 
between a faction of the Party for the Independence of 
Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC) and the ruling coalition 
have not.  The current war of words is being staged over the 
Senegalese border conflict, with some PAIGC leaders calling 
for an end to the military campaign against Salif Sadio's 
Atika wing of the Movement of Democratic Forces of the 
Casamance (MFDC) and Armed Forces Chief of Staff Tagme na 
Waie threatening some ANP members with imprisonment for 
alleged support of rebels (Ref A). 
 
¶5.  (C) The question of political stability is playing out 
primarily in the ANP, which raises the profile and importance 
of the U.S.-sponsored training program run by the National 
Democratic Institute (NDI).  Assembly members Serifo 
Nhamadjo, Chairman of the Administration Committee, and Joao 
Perreiro Nandigna, Chairman of the Security Committee told 
Charge and PolOff the program is well run and much 
appreciated by members of various political parties and 
backgrounds.  Foreign Minister Monteiro expressed gratitude 
for the NDI project and said he hopes similar assistance will 
be available for the executive and judicial branches.  He 
believes a thriving private sector can only be developed in 
tandem with a responsible and efficient public sector. 
 
¶6.  (C) UNOGBIS also works with the ANP on conflict 
 
DAKAR 00000904  002 OF 003 
 
 
resolution and coordinates with NDI.  Since 1999, UNOGBIS, 
mandate has been to promote national reconciliation and 
presidential and legislative elections, but it is planning to 
close at the end of 2006.  UNOGBIS Representative Joao 
Honwana said there is more work to be done on two fronts: 
institutionalizing peaceful resolution of conflicts and 
security sector reform.  He has told the Government it needs 
to be &magnanimous in victory8 and reach out to the 
disaffected PAIGC members. 
 
PRESIDENT WORRIED ABOUT ILLICIT ACTIVITIES 
------------------------------------------ 
¶7.  (C) President Vieira told Charge and PolOff about various 
illicit activities in the area of the Bijagos Archipelago. 
He said boats from neighboring countries were raiding 
Guinea-Bissau,s rich fishing waters and noted that some are 
also carrying illicit drugs and arms.  Press reported that 
Bissau-Guinean authorities interdicted 30 &pirogues8 (small 
fishing boats) from Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Ghana, and 
Guinea-Bissau in addition to ten larger vessels from North 
Korea and China, which were poaching fish.  Oil exploration 
is increasing in the same waters, which prompted Vieira to 
request U.S. assistance to prepare for a possible windfall 
should sufficient deposits be found (Ref B). 
 
¶8.  (C) Drug traffickers through West Africa continue to be 
bold.  Customs authorities in Senegal seized more than eight 
tons of marijuana valued at USD 44.4 million in a container 
in the port of Dakar.  However, narcotics traffickers through 
West Africa are known to favor Guinea-Bissau as a transit 
point from Latin America to Europe because of the ease with 
which they can operate in the territorial waters with little 
or no surveillance.  In fact, drug trafficking may be killing 
what little licit commerce Guinea-Bissau has.  Former U.S. 
Ambassador John Blacken says the only fish processing plant 
that met European export standards is now being used solely 
as a drug warehouse.  The GOGB continues to request 
assistance from the USG and other international donors for 
boats, vehicles, and communications equipment to improve 
enforcement of drug trafficking and illegal fishing. 
 
¶9.  (C) The GOGB focus in recent months on strengthening the 
rule of law, improving enforcement of transnational crimes, 
and tackling corruption has highlighted the need for a 
prison.  Existing holding cells are inadequate in number, 
security, and living conditions to house all prisoners.  The 
GOGB gave PolOff an unsolicited request for a USD 6.4 million 
(3.4 billion CFA Francs) proposal to construct the country,s 
first maximum-security prison.  Currently, perpetrators of 
all but the worst crimes are released after a few days due to 
lack of space.  Then Charge discouraged GOGB thinking that 
the U.S. might fund prison construction, but the need is 
real. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
¶10.  (C) The NDI program is making important inroads to 
increasing dialogue and refocusing parliamentarians toward 
good governance and away from power struggles.  The program 
has revealed serious structural problems such as a lack of 
advisors, no research capability and no links to civil 
society, but these problems cannot be addressed before the 
program expires in September.  NDI is looking for funding for 
Qase two, which includes multi-media-based training for 
illiterate parliamentarians (thought to be about 60 percent), 
a student intern program, and linking committees with 
relevant NGOs.  They are cooperating closely with the 
Government of Brazil. 
 
¶11.  (C) Recent busts of illegal fishing and drug couriers 
and fines which may run up to USD one million for fish 
poaching indicate the GOGB is acting on the U.S. message of 
showing what it can do with the limited resources it has.  We 
have also urged officials to pass tougher laws on 
counternarcotics, asset forfeiture, and money laundering and 
are providing some sample legislation.  If stability is 
maintained through 2006, the Department should strongly 
consider re-opening the embassy in Bissau.  Counternarcotics, 
potential oil wealth and an interest in keeping the fragile 
 
DAKAR 00000904  003 OF 003 
 
 
state in the &win8 column on democratic governance 
necessitate permanent representation.  END COMMMENT. 
JACOBS