VZCZCXRO5765
PP RUEHPA
DE RUEHNK #1259 2931353
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 201353Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5919
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0352
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0396
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 0552
RUEHBAD/AMCONSUL PERTH 0360
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 0305
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0505

C O N F I D E N T I A L NOUAKCHOTT 001259 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/20/2016 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM EAID KPAO MR
SUBJECT: UNDP DECLINES TO PRINT BALLOTS 
 
REF: NOUAKCHOTT 1235 
 
Classified By: CDA Steven Koutsis, Reasons 1.4(b)(d) 
 
 
 ----------- 
(U) Summary 
----------- 
 
-- The issue of printing of ballots remains unresolved as the 
UN steering committee has decided not to take up the 
government's last minute offer to have the UNDP fund and 
control the ballot printing process. 
 
-- UN rules regarding waiting periods for bids would make 
printing in time for the November 19 elections difficult to 
meet. 
 
-- Therefore, the government is on the hook to fund and print 
the ballots.  The UN will provide technical support if 
requested. 
 
-- Meanwhile, the government has agreed to UN and partners' 
request to delay the second round of legislative elections 
until December 3. 
 
------------ 
(C) Comments 
------------ 
 
-- There is still time to resolve the ballot issue to avoid 
delaying the November vote. 
 
-- However, the lack of Mauritanian cooperation has created a 
level of mistrust with the Europeans (who are funding the 
lion's share of the electoral assistance) that will be 
difficult to mitigate in the short term. 
 
End Summary and Comments. 
 
¶1. (U) Basket fund steering committee members sent a letter 
October 20 to the Minister, Secretary General of the 
Presidency Habib Ould Hemet declining the government's 
last-minute request to have the UN fund and contract the 
printing of the ballots for the legislative and municipal 
elections to be held on November 19.  The letter stated "UN 
request for tender procedures do not allow sufficient time, 
given the date we received your request, to guarantee the 
printing and delivery of the ballots" by election day. 
 
¶2. (U) According to UN ResRep Cecile Molinier, UN rules 
require a minimum of seven business days to submit bids after 
announcement of tender.  Any waiver of the open bid process, 
including a limited tender to pre-qualified bidders, would 
require a waiver from UN headquarters, which would be 
unlikely in these circumstances. 
 
¶3. (C) Molinier told charge she believes that the 
Mauritanians -- too late -- realized the importance the EU 
had placed on this issue only after an October 17 meeting 
with EU ambassadors to discuss Mauritania's progress in 
EU-ACP Article 8 discussions.  The loss of confidence was 
noticeable to the Mauritanians, she said. 
 
¶4. (C) Molinier noted that the UN would continue to work with 
the Mauritanians to produce an acceptable ballot.  However 
she could not be sure that the Senegalese company that the 
national printing company had subcontracted to has the 
capacity to add the necessary security features. 
 
¶5. (U) The Basket Fund earmarked over USD 1 million for 
printing of ballots.  The steering committee must now decide 
how else to spend that money. 
Koutsis