VZCZCXRO2122
RR RUEHROV
DE RUEHDJ #0549/01 1411054
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 211055Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0426
INFO IGAD COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA
RUEHDJ/AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DJIBOUTI 000549 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E 
CJTF-HOA FOR POLAD 
LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA WATCHER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL SOCI ECON PHUM DJ
SUBJECT: GODJ LOOKS BACK ON SEVEN YEARS OF ACTION; FIELDS CITIZEN 
QUESTIONS 
 
DJIBOUTI 00000549  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY. During a weeklong, televised "National Seminar 
of Reflection on Government Action," President Guelleh and the 
members of his cabinet summarized the GODJ's accomplishments of the 
past seven years, outlined remaining challenges, and fielded 
questions from a broad cross-section of the Djiboutian public. 
Many ordinary Djiboutians tuned in to live coverage of the week's 
presentations and debates on state-run television and radio. 
Following what senior GODJ officials characterized as an often 
"intense" week of discussions, cabinet members digested the 
collected critiques and suggestions at an offsite retreat in 
northern Djibouti.  President Guelleh and his team are expected to 
announce resulting revised action plans in the coming weeks, and 
there are some rumors that personnel shake-ups-if not at the 
cabinet level, then at the technical level-may ensue.  END SUMMARY. 
 
 
 
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MEDIA OUTREACH TO A LIVE AND AT-HOME AUDIENCE 
 
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¶2. (SBU) Djibouti's second "National Seminar of Reflection on 
Government Action" took place May 2-9.  The first such national 
seminar was held in 2002; this second version examined the GODJ's 
performance between 2002-2008.  President Guelleh presided over the 
week's events, which featured an invited live audience of 
Djiboutian citizens.  Invitees included participants from all of 
Djibouti's regions, the private sector, and non-governmental 
organizations.  Audience members could pose questions live, while 
listeners and viewers could also submit questions remotely. 
Questions and responses were translated into local languages.  In 
addition to live radio and television coverage, the government-run 
daily newspaper "La Nation" gave prominent attention to the 
seminar, which it heralded as an example of "direct, participative 
democracy" expressed through "constructive reflection and debate." 
A dedicated GODJ website provided more detailed information on the 
seminar, and allowed public access to transcripts of the various 
ministers' speeches, a 200-page seminar "Framework Document," and 
other materials. 
 
 
 
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TOPIC TEAMS EXPLORE KEY THEMES 
 
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¶3.  (SBU) The week's debates were centered around five "theme 
groups:" 1) Macro-economic stability, growth, and competitiveness; 
2) Valuation of human capital, access to basic social services; 3) 
Rural and urban development, food security, housing, and 
environment; 4) Promotion of women, social solidarity, social 
exclusion, and fighting poverty; and 5) Governance, 
decentralization, internal and external security.  Related 
ministries were clustered together under each topic, and each 
minister was given the opportunity to present a summary of 
performance and then to respond to public questions.  Questions 
were wide-ranging, but reportedly largely constructive; President 
Guelleh occasionally intervened personally as necessary to keep 
discussions on-topic. 
 
 
 
¶4. (SBU) Presentations by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and his 
Deputy Minister for International Cooperation outlined Djibouti's 
diplomatic strategy to "reinforce links with traditional partners" 
and "diversify relations with non-traditional partners."  While the 
Minister and Deputy Minister did not cite the U.S. among top 
bilateral donors, they noted the re-establishment of USAID, and the 
USG's "consistent support" for Djibouti's development.  In 
addition, they underlined the important overall impact of the U.S. 
presence in Djibouti beyond traditional bilateral cooperation 
programming-including through Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of 
Africa civil affairs projects. 
 
DJIBOUTI 00000549  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
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MOUNTAIN RETREAT AND NEW MARCHING ORDERS 
 
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 ¶5. (SBU) Following the conclusion of the weeklong seminar, cabinet 
members regrouped for a three-day retreat at the President's summer 
residence in the village of Day, located in the relatively remote , 
mountainous northern district of Tadjourah.  State-run media 
reported that the retreat was dedicated to a close examination of 
the previous week's discussions, and that this evaluation would 
inform President Guelleh's "new instructions and directives" to his 
government.  After the return of the ministers to Djibouti City on 
May 17, Djiboutians continued to speculate about whether the 
President's directions to the ministries might involve new 
appointments to cabinet positions or other staff shuffles; MFA 
contacts have also surmised that there may be some changes in 
ambassadorial and other diplomatic appointments. 
 
 
 
¶6.  (SBU) COMMENT.  While the national seminar unfolded in a 
relatively controlled environment, questions were often pointed, 
and the event afforded Djiboutians an important opportunity to 
address their government directly-and in a format which resonated 
with Djibouti's nomadic, oral tradition of direct negotiation and 
debate.  President Guelleh's self-evaluation of his government's 
accomplishments was largely positive, yet he also told citizens 
that he shared their feelings of "frustration and injustice" about 
Djibouti's many remaining challenges, and acknowledged that there 
was still much work to be done to ensure that new economic growth 
yields real benefits for all regions and social groups.  Guelleh 
also highlighted the timeliness of the national seminar, calling it 
an "important moment for listening, dialogue, and collective 
reflection."  With the nationwide April celebrations of the 
President's tenth year in office-and calls for a constitutional 
amendment allowing him to stand for a third term-fresh in 
Djiboutians' minds-Guelleh and his government likely recognized an 
opportune moment to model responsive  governance.  END COMMENT. 
SWAN