VZCZCXRO5821
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHBP #0027/01 0131631
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 131631Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY BAMAKO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9912
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAMAKO 000027 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR USAID 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM ML
SUBJECT: MALI SETS APRIL 26 DATE FOR 2009 LOCAL ELECTIONS 
 
1.(SBU) Summary:  Minister of Territorial Administration, 
General Kafougouna Kone, confirmed to the diplomatic corps on 
January 12 that Mali's municipal elections would occur on 
April 26, 2009.  Minister Kone said this date will hold 
despite calls by political parties to delay the elections due 
in large part to concerns over the quality of Mali's 
electoral lists. Mali had hoped to complete a nationwide 
census and national ID project in advance of the 2009 local 
elections, but the census project has yet to get underway. 
Minister Kone asked the diplomatic corps for assistance in 
funding the elections, which are estimated to cost slightly 
more than USD 15 million.  We do not currently have plans to 
provide anything beyond a USD 100,000 grant to NDI from USAID 
for radio messages designed to increase the participation of 
women voters.  At the end of the meeting the German 
Ambassador asked whether Minister Kone believed northern Mali 
would enjoy the peace and security needed to conduct 
legitimate elections.  Kone acknowledge that this was an item 
of concern but expressed optimism that peace would prevail 
and Mali would be able to hold elections across the country 
as planned.  End Summary. 
 
--------------------------------------- 
Despite Objections, Election Date Holds 
--------------------------------------- 
 
2.(U)  Minister of Territorial Administration, General 
Kafougouna Kone, told the diplomatic corps on January 12 that 
Mali would hold nationwide municipal elections on April 26, 
¶2009.  Malians will elect roughly 11,000 local officials 
during the 2009 municipal elections.  In addition to 
selecting local mayors later in 2009, these 11,000 elected 
individuals will wield a considerable influence over 
preparations for Mali's 2012 presidential and legislative 
elections.  Local officials will also select members of 
Mali's 75 member second and largely ceremonial house of 
parliament, the High Council of Collectivities (HCC).  The 
next HCC election will occur in the spring of 2012 and will 
serve as an important measure for the presidential and 
legislative elections to follow a few months later. 
 
3.(U)  Malian officials had hoped to complete a nationwide 
census and voter identification program, known under the 
acronym RAVEC, prior to the 2009 legislative elections. 
However, this census has yet to begin and even the most 
optimistic timelines now project a late 2009 completion date. 
 The USD 30 million RAVEC program is funded primarily by 
Canada and European donors and aims to provide each Malian 
over the age of 15 with a digitized photo ID and, for those 
of voting age, a voter card.  RAVEC will also compile a 
digital fingerprint database for all eligible voters in Mali 
- approximately 7 million individuals.  The French company 
SAGEM is implementing RAVEC.  SAGEM has the contract for a 
nearly identical national identification program in 
neighboring Cote d'Ivoire.  RAVEC's slow start means that 
Mali will have to limp into the 2009 local elections with the 
same electoral lists that generated so much controversy 
during the 2007 presidential and legislative elections. 
 
4.(U)  While the general time frame of late April has been 
known for some weeks, the Ministry informed local political 
parties of the April 26 date only two weeks ago, on December 
¶29.  Several political parties have already recommended 
postponing the local elections until May or June or later due 
to concerns over the electoral lists and the distribution of 
roughly USD 2.4 million in public financing funds to over 60 
political parties.  Some opposition parties have also 
objected to the number of National Independent Electoral 
Commission (CENI) seats allotted to the opposition (three out 
of ten spots for political parties) and the selection of a 
senior member of the majority Alliance for Democracy in Mali 
(ADEMA) party, former Agriculture Minister Seydou Traore, as 
CENI president.  The CENI established for the 2007 
presidential and legislative elections was led by a 
representative from the impartial magistrates union. 
 
----------------- 
A Request for Aid 
----------------- 
 
6.(SBU) Minister Kone told the diplomatic corps that the 
elections would go forward as planned so that local elected 
officials could be in place by the end of May 2009.  Minister 
Kone said Mali needed to respect this time line in order to 
ensure that local mayors, who are chosen by those directly 
elected during local elections, could be selected by June 2. 
 He then asked how the assembled diplomatic missions - which 
included only the U.S., Germany, France, Belgium, and the 
Netherlands - could help with financing the April elections. 
 
BAMAKO 00000027  002 OF 002 
 
 
Only Germany responded, noting that Germany has a history of 
providing logistical support for elections in Mali and that 
this support would continue in 2009. 
 
7.(SBU) "We have only three months to go," said Minister Kone 
at the end of the meeting, "we need to move quickly."  He 
then said he was counting on Mali's technical and financial 
partners for support, and that successful democratic 
elections depended on assistance from international donors. 
The Ministry of Territorial Administration's total budget for 
the 2009 local elections is slightly more than USD 15 
million. 
 
------------- 
And in Kidal? 
------------- 
 
8.(SBU)  The German Ambassador also asked Minister Kone 
whether the security situation in northern Mali, and 
specifically the regions of Kidal and Gao, would permit the 
organization of elections.  The German Ambassador said peace 
and calm were prerequisites for successful elections. 
Minister Kone acknowledged that this was "a real concern" for 
the Malian government.  "I hope," said Kone, "that there will 
be calm by the end of April so that we can hold elections 
everywhere." 
 
-------------------------- 
Comment: Short is the Time 
-------------------------- 
 
9.(SBU) We have passed a copy of the Ministry of Territorial 
Administration's election budget to USAID, which has already 
awarded a USD 100,000 grant to the National Democratic 
Institute (NDI) for radio programs designed to increase the 
participation of women in advance of the local elections. 
This NDI program has also received support from Denmark. 
Beyond this we do not envisage any additional support for the 
2009 local elections which, as Minister Kone noted, are 
already only three months away. 
LEONARD