VZCZCXRO7048
PP RUEHTRO
DE RUEHTU #1025/01 2121524
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 311524Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY TUNIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3588
INFO RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI PRIORITY 0908
RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS PRIORITY 7507
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 1461
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1329
RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT PRIORITY 0896
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1803
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT PRIORITY 8417
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI PRIORITY 0122
RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA PRIORITY 4120
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TUNIS 001025 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/MAG (HARRIS), NEA/PI 
NEA/PPD (SMITH, FINVER AND AGNEW) 
PARIS FOR ARS (QUEEN, COWHER) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KPAO ECON KCOR TS
SUBJECT: ROBERT SMOLIK SPEAKS ON GOOD GOVERNANCE AND 
ECONOMIC GROWTH 
 
 
------- 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. (U) During his three day visit (July 9-11) to Tunisia, FSO 
and Diplomat-in-Residence Robert Smolik addressed a wide 
range of audiences, including businesspeople, academics, 
students, media, GOT officials, and members of civil society 
groups on the topic of "Good Governance and Economic Growth." 
 Smolik's message supported two Mission Strategic Plan goals 
-- Universal Human Rights Standards and Open and Growing 
Markets -- and was enthusiastically received by both GOT and 
civil society listeners.  The speaking events also generated 
several newspaper articles on the economic impact of 
corruption, a topic rarely addressed in local media.  The 
visit provided an excellent starting point for future Embassy 
activities in support of good governance.  End Summary. 
 
----------------------- 
Court of Accountability 
----------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) In a roundtable meeting with the Court of 
Accountability, the Tunisian equivalent of the Government 
Accountability Office (GAO), Smolik stressed the importance 
of transparency and accountability to good governance and 
highlighted the critical role that the GAO plays in fighting 
corruption in the United States.  The audience of 20 included 
judges from each of the Court's chambers.  One commented that 
this roundtable provided great ideas for future Court 
activity on corruption.  Participants were extremely 
interested in ideas such as whistleblower protection and the 
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.  The event was successful not 
only in spreading a critical message to those with the 
ability to take action, but it also opened the door for 
future events and cooperation with the Court. 
 
------------------------------------ 
Youth Chamber International - Sousse 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶3. (U) Leaving the capital of Tunis for Sousse, Tunisia's 
third largest city, Smolik addressed a group of 40 members of 
the Sousse chapter of Youth Chamber International (JCI), a 
group of current, and hopeful, entrepreneurs under the age of 
¶40.  Smolik's presentation helped to define and explain the 
elements of good governance, such as transparency and 
accountability, to a group of young people previously 
unfamiliar with many of the concepts.  While the JCI 
membership focused on the application of good governance to 
corporate governance, Smolik stressed that these principles 
may be applied to the management of any institution -- 
including the government. 
 
--------------------------------- 
National School of Administration 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) In an event organized by the Prime Ministry, Smolik 
spoke to a class of 60 students completing their second year 
of studies in government administration at the National 
School of Administration (ENA).  The audience, already 
well-versed in the theory, relished the opportunity to debate 
and discuss the linkages between good governance and economic 
growth.  COMMENT: Smolik's willingness to acknowledge that 
even the United States must continue to improve governance 
and fight corruption was critical to ensuring the message was 
well-received by an audience destined to enter the Tunisian 
civil service.  END COMMENT. 
 
------------------------------------------- 
Tunisian Association of Higher Universities 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Addressing an audience of 50 prominent 
intellectuals, business people, and journalists, Smolik's 
 
TUNIS 00001025  002 OF 002 
 
 
presentation centered largely on corruption and its negative 
economic impact.  Discussions on the topic of corruption are 
extremely rare, making this event notable for both its 
frankness and for even focusing on the issue at all.  The 
event inspired an article in French daily Le Temps entitled 
"Corruption and/or Growth," which incorporated the message of 
Smolik's presentation and presented Transparency 
International and World Bank statistics on the negative 
impact of corruption. 
 
------------------ 
Embassy Roundtable 
------------------ 
 
¶6. (SBU) As part of the Embassy's monthly Human Rights 
Roundtable series, Smolik facilitated a rousing discussion 
between ten lawyers, journalists, and representatives of 
political parties and NGOs.  While several participants 
questioned the direct connection between good governance and 
economic growth, citing China as a counterexample, most 
participants agreed that press freedom is critical to good 
governance and several were outspoken in criticizing the lack 
of freedom of expression and association in Tunisia. 
Although the group disagreed on the connection between 
economic growth and good governance, there was agreement that 
there must be more opportunities for Tunisian civil society 
to meet together and have debates such as this. 
 
------ 
Impact 
------ 
 
¶7. (SBU) Mr. Smolik's visit presented an excellent 
opportunity to address two of the Mission Strategic Plan 
goals -- Universal Human Rights Standards and Open and 
Growing Markets --  and to reach a wide-ranging audience. 
While human rights and democracy are often considered 
off-limits, the topic of good governance was met with 
enthusiasm rather than resistance.  The events generated 
articles in French-language dailies La Presse and Le Temps, 
and in online economic magazine Webmanagercenter.  In 
addition, all groups expressed eagerness to host future 
USG-sponsored speakers. 
 
¶8. (U) The Embassy thanks both Robert Smolik and ARS Paris 
for a successful and productive visit.  Smolik's impressive 
skill in facilitating discussion and tailoring his 
presentation to each audience helped ensure that the message 
hit the right target and advanced US foreign policy goals in 
Tunisia. 
GODEC