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PP RUEHBZ RUEHGI
DE RUEHGI #0009/01 0230326
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 230326Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY BANGUI
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RUEHBZ/AMEMBASSY BRAZZAVILLE PRIORITY 0108
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RUEHGI/AMEMBASSY BANGUI 1007

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BANGUI 000009 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/C FOR SSARDAR, MASHRAF, SLOPEZ, KWYCOFF; PARIS FOR RKANEDA; 
LONDON FOR PLORD; YAOUNDE FOR POL/ECON 
STATE FOR OPS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM PINR ECON EAID CT
SUBJECT: NEW CAR COALITION GOVERNMENT - NOTHING NEW, AND NOT A 
COALITION 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY: The announcement on Monday, January 19, of a 
new coalition government ended the several weeks of delay in 
naming the new coalition recommended by December's Inclusive 
Political Dialogue. The new government, listed below, represents 
little change from the old and is even less inclusive. Prime 
Minister Faustin Archange Touadera remains in his position, 
though the number of members in the new Cabinet jumped from 29 
to 32 and the most controversial Ministers such as the Minister 
of Mines remain in place. The new reshuffle will certainly not 
placate the political opposition, and it remains to be seen 
whether a couple token government positions will quell the 
northwest and northeast rebellions. END SUMMARY 
 
THE FEW CHANGES 
 
¶2. (SBU) The CARG agreed in December to a new consensus 
government, to be created from all of the Dialogue's 
participants, including the various rebel groupings and 
political opposition. Nonetheless, the President delayed in 
naming a new Prime Minister for several weeks, mired in 
difficult negotiations with the UFVN opposition coalition. The 
new government, listed below, is not inclusive of all 
partcipants and represents little change from the old. Prime 
Minister Faustin Archange Touadera remains in his position, 
though the number of members in the new Cabinet jumped from 29 
to 32, with one promotion for then-Minister of Communications 
Cyriaque Gonda to the title of Minister of State for 
Communications. The other Ministers of State, including 
notoriously corrupt Minister of Mines Sylvain Ndoutingai, remain 
in their positions, while several other Ministers were shuffled 
to different portfolios. Former Minister for Foreign Affairs 
Dieudonne Kombo-Yaya was dropped and replaced by CAR General 
Antoine Gambi whose previous duties included overseeing the 
Security Sector reform process, a position he carried out with 
mediocre reviews from international partners. Justice Minister 
Thierry Maleyombo lost his position, and was replaced by the 
former Secretary-General of the Presidency Laurent Ngon-Baba. 
The President's cousin and previous Water and Forests Minister 
lost her position, and was replaced by former Finance Minister 
Emmanuel Bizot. 
 
THE UNKNOWNS 
 
¶3. (SBU) Nonetheless, the few departures underline the lack of 
change in this government, and the few appointments of outsiders 
and rebel-associated Ministers call into question the coherence 
of the CARG. The unknown APRD-affiliated Francois Naoyama was 
selected as Minister for the Environment and Ecology, a much 
less powerful and redundant Ministry in comparison with that of 
Water and Forests. Another relative unknown, Mr. Djollo-Djidou 
of Abacar Sabone's rebel group MLJC, was named as Minister of 
Housing and Habitats, while the only member of the political 
opposition on the list, Mr. Andre Nalke-Dorogo of the opposition 
Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People 
(MLPC), was not notified of his impending selection and resigned 
his new position as Minister of Health on January 21 under 
pressure from his party. That President Bozize would not notify 
his nominee for Minister of Health of the impending announcement 
indicates a random selection process, as well as a paltry 
qualifications scheme for these positions. 
 
NOTHING NEW, AND POSSIBLY WORSE 
 
¶4. (SBU) In short, little has changed in the CARG, and the new 
government so resembles the old that it hardly counts as 
anything new. It will certainly not placate the political 
opposition, though their general unwillingness to compromise and 
their preparations for the 2010 elections may lead them to 
accept the government for the moment in hopes of defeating it 
 
BANGUI 00000009  002 OF 003 
 
 
later at the ballot box. As for the rebel groups, a couple token 
government positions is unlikely to quell the northwest and 
northeast rebellions. At present, some rebel leaders are touring 
the northwest in hopes of convincing their troops to drop their 
arms. That said, recent fighting near Ndele may signal a return 
to the chaotic groupings and erratic low-scale warfare that has 
characterized northern CAR for the last five years. 
 
¶5. (U) List of Ministers: 
 
Prime Minister - Faustin Archange Touadera 
 
Ministers of State 
 
Minister of State of Plan, the Economy, and International 
Cooperation: Sylvain Maliko 
Minister of State of Transportation: Parfait Mbaye 
Minister of State for Mines, Energy, and Hydraulics: Lt. Col. 
Sylvain Ndoutingai 
Minister of State for Communications, Civics, National 
Reconciliation, and Follow-Up for the Dialogue: Cyriaque Gonda 
 
Ministers 
 
Minister of Rural Development and Agriculture: Fidele Gouandjika 
Minister of Justice: Laurent Gon-Baba 
Minister of Tourism and Artisanat: Marie-Solange 
Pagonendji-Ndakala 
Minister of the General Secretariat of the Government and with 
Relations with Institutions: Desire Kolingba 
Minister of Commerce and Industry: Emilie Beatrice Epaye 
Minister of Water, Forests, Hunting, and Fishing: Emmanuel Bizot 
Minister of Reconstruction, Public Buildings, and Urbanism: 
Faustin N'Telnoumbi 
Minister of Equipment and Linkages (Desenclavement): Cyriaque 
Samba-Panza 
Minister of the Public Sector, Labor, Social Security and Youth 
Training: Gaston Mackouzangba 
Minister of Social Affaires, National Solidarity, and the 
Family: Bernadette Sayo 
Minister of National Education: Ambroise Zawa 
Minister of the Environment and Ecology: Francois Naoyama 
Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization: 
Elie Wefio 
Minister of National Security and Public Order: General Jules 
Bernard Ouande 
Minister of Finance and Budget: Albert Besse 
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration, and the 
Francophone World: General Antoine Gambi 
Minister of Public Health, Population, and the Fight Against 
HIV/AIDS: Andre Nalke-Dorogo 
Minister of Youth, Sports, Arts, and Culture: Aurelien Simplice 
Zingas 
Minister for the Promotion of Small and Medium Enterprises, 
Informal Sector: Moise Kotaye 
Minister of Habitats and Lodging: Mr. Djollo-Djidou 
 
Deputy Ministers 
 
Deputy Minister for Defense: Francis Bozize 
Deputy Minister for Mines, Energy, and Hydraulics: 
Jean-Chrysostome Meckondongo 
Deputy Minister for Plan, the Economy, and International 
Cooperation: Raymond Adouma 
Deputy Minister for Finance and Budget: Hassan Abdalla-Kadre 
Deputy Minister for National Education: Sall Djibrine 
Deputy Minister for Rural Development and Agriculture: Youssoufa 
Yerima Mandjo 
Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration, and 
 
BANGUI 00000009  003 OF 003 
 
 
Francophonie: Ambroisine Kpongo 
COOK ##