R 011428Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 3178
INFO ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
CIA WASHDC
DIA WASHINGTON DC
HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS CONAKRY 000725 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EFIN PGOV GV
SUBJECT: GUINEA STILL HAS NO 2009 BUDGET 
 
REF: CONAKRY 701 
 
GUINEA STILL HAS NO 2009 BUDGET 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY. With just one month left in the 2008 fiscal 
year and the National Assembly budgetary session only days 
away from expiring, the GoG has yet to finalize even a draft 
2009 budget.  Given the lengthy budgetary process, it is 
unlikely that a budget will be in place by the end of the 
fiscal year on December 31.   If the GoG starts off the new 
year without a budget, the president will have to authorize 
"essential" spending by decree.  Guinean law does not provide 
for a continuing resolution as is the case in the U.S.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
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OVERVIEW OF THE BUDGETARY PROCESS 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) Approval of the national budget in Guinea is a 
multi-step procedure.  The Ministry of Finance kicks off the 
process by organizing revenue and spending data for other 
ministries.  Based on these data, cabinet ministers then 
prepare draft budgets for their individual ministries.  After 
the president approves the consolidated budget, the Secretary 
General of the Government passes the document to the 
President of the National Assembly, who relays it to the 
chairmen of the committees that have budgetary oversight over 
the ministries.  Once the committees have reviewed and 
approved their separate portions of the budget, the National 
Assembly votes on the entire package.  The ratified document 
then passes to President Conte for promulgation.  This 
process generally takes several months. 
 
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CABINET IS STILL DRAFTING BUDGET 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (U) Though the National Assembly's annual budgetary 
session opened in late September, the cabinet has not yet 
finished preparing draft budgets for all the ministries.  As 
a result, the Assembly has had no document to consider 
(reftel).  In past years, a draft budget was typically 
presented to the Assembly at the opening of the session. 
 
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PRESIDENT MAY AUTHORIZE ESSENTIAL INTERIM SPENDING 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶4. (U) Should the GoG fail to pass a budget by the end of the 
fiscal year, President Conte must authorize by decree 
spending deemed essential, such as day-to-day ministerial 
operations, salaries, and fuel.  A contact in the Ministry of 
Finance told EconLES that when the current session expires 
later this month, President Conte plans to convene an 
extraordinary session 30 days thereafter to continue budget 
deliberations.  This interim period of 30 days between 
sessions is required by the constitution. 
 
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COMMENT 
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¶5.  (U) The GoG has been making numerous financial promises 
to various groups, such as the military, but does not have 
even a draft budget in place to reflect these commitments. 
The requirement of the presidential authorization for basic 
spending after January 1 could cause further problems for a 
government that is already strapped for cash.  Meanwhile, the 
National Assembly has been in session for nearly two months 
with nothing to do since it can only look at draft 
legislation during the spring session on laws.  END COMMENT. 
 
 
RASPOLIC