VZCZCXRO8449
PP RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHRY #0028 0100557
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 100557Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2038
INFO RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS CONAKRY 000028 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
TREASURY FOR OFFICE OF AFRICAN NATIONS 
TREASURY FOR USED IMF AND USED WORLD BANK 
COMMERCE FOR SALIHA LOUCIF 
 
E.O. 12598:  N/A 
TAGS: ECON EFIN PGOV ELAB ASEC GV
SUBJECT:  BUSINESS UNRUFFLED BY STRIKE THREAT - CONTE CRONY STILL IN 
HOT WATER 
 
REF: CONAKRY 1203 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY. Local businesses are confident that a negotiated 
settlement to the labor union strike threat will be accomplished 
tonight.  Meanwhile, a Conte crony is not yet out of legal trouble. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) On January 9, Econoff met with members of the Conseil 
National du Patronat Guineen (Patronat), the organization of 
employers in Guinea.  The Secretary General, Elhadj Abdoulaye Dima 
Dabo, and Vice President Mr. Kahlil Abou Kahli were eager to discuss 
the union strike threat as well as the status of the case against 
corruption poster boy, Mamadou Sylla. 
 
------------------------------- 
BUSINESS VIEW OF STRIKE: HO HUM 
------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Elhadj Dabo said that the Patronat is working with all the 
other concerned parties to find a non-violent solution to the 
current controversy.  He relayed that they had met until late 
Tuesday night trying to negotiate a solution.  Mr. Kahli was 
confident that an agreement will be reached and the strike averted 
tonight. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Both Patronat members said that the unions had made a 
mistake in calling for a strike.  They said that this was a 
political issue, not a labor issue.  Mr. Kahli recommended that the 
unions stick to labor issues and not jeopardize their standing with 
the people by taking sides in political squabbles. 
 
-------------------------- 
OTHER BUSINESS VIEWPOINTS 
-------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) On January 8, Econoff met with Ibrahima Sow, Director of 
the Societe de Commerce et de Financement.  His company is one of 
the largest rice importers, and is the supplier for the army.  Mr. 
Sow was frank; he saw no reason for the strike, and did not feel 
that the public was supporting the strike.  No one has been able to 
explain to him why the labor unions should strike over the 
replacement of a communications minister.  He was also concerned 
that any violence could jeopardize the recently signed IMF program. 
The Director also said that once a strike starts, business are hurt, 
which in turn hurts all of Guinea. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Mr. Sow mentioned that he has sufficient rice stocks to 
feed the army, and he has a ship anchored offshore (w/30,000 tons) 
waiting to offload more rice once the strike threat is over. 
However, he noted that rice is scarce on the world market, which 
means the price is going up.  He was pessimistic as to any negative 
impact this price increase might have here in Guinea. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Similarly, Lebanese stores plan to open tomorrow, although 
they have qualified their statement by saying that they will decide 
for sure after decisions are made later this evening. 
 
---------------------------- 
SYLLA STILL NOT OFF THE HOOK 
---------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Self-proclaimed richest man in Guinea, Elhadj Mamadou 
Sylla, (REFTEL) was overheard this week exclaiming that the legal 
case against him was over.  (NOTE: Sylla was arrested for 
embezzlement from the Central Bank in late 2006.  END NOTE.) 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Elhadj Dabo speculated that someone may have been paid off 
in order to get the case dropped, since Sylla did not even appear in 
court.  However, Dabo revealed that the Central Bank has appealed 
the ruling, thereby suspending the dismissal pending the appeal.  So 
for the time being, Elhadj is not quite off the hook. 
 
¶10. (SBU) COMMENT.  While many sectors of the population seem 
uncertain as to what may happen with respect to the strike, the 
business community appears relatively confident that there is 
nothing to worry about.  END COMMENT. 
 
CARTER