VZCZCXRO2644
PP RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHRY #0510/01 2391633
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 271633Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3975
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CONAKRY 000510 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID KDEM PHUM ASEC GV
SUBJECT: TECHNICAL DISCUSSION ON ELECTIONS SUGGESTS FURTHER 
DELAYS 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY.  A recent discussion of technical issues 
indicates that Guinea's elections may end up getting delayed 
once again.  A decision to add twelve new voter registration 
sites abroad, which appears to be a unilateral directive from 
the GoG, poses immediate technical and logistical problems. 
The decision is all the more troubling since it comes just a 
few days after stakeholders had agreed to accept the Ad Hoc 
Committee's recommendation to conduct registration in 
eighteen countries.  Meanwhile, the GoG has announced that 
its share of election funding has been disbursed, but 
contacts report that it is still sitting in the Central Bank. 
 The National Transition Council (CNT) has yet to take shape 
and is unlikely to do so soon since the Forces Vives has 
rejected the CNT's current composition of members.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) During a routine election focal group meeting on 
August 26, which focuses on the technical aspects of election 
organization, several key issues were discussed.  Chaired by 
the UNDP Country Director, the meeting included 
representatives from the EU, France, Spain, and Japan as well 
as the Director of Electoral Operations for the National 
Independent Electoral Commission (CENI), and the Secretary 
General of the Guinean Ministry of Territorial Administration 
and Political Affairs (MATAP).  USAID attended on behalf of 
the USG. 
 
------------------ 
WHERE'S THE MONEY? 
------------------ 
 
¶3.  (SBU) MATAP confirmed that the GoG had already disbursed 
its remaining 30 billion GnF contribution for elections to 
the CENI.  (COMMENT.  As of August 27, contacts reported that 
the funds were still sitting in the Central Bank.  The GoG 
continues to say that the money is available, but it is not. 
END COMMENT). 
 
----------------------------------------- 
DIRECTIVE TO EXPAND DIASPORA REGISTRATION 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Much of the discussion focused on the issue of 
registering the Guinean Diaspora for the upcoming election, 
an issue that has been on the table for months.  Last week, 
the Ad Hoc Committee on elections had recommended that the 
CENI develop a plan for registering voters living in 
seventeen foreign countries, which the Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs (MFA) had approved, adding one additional site to 
make the total eighteen.  However, members of the focal group 
seemed surprised to learn that the GoG is now planning to 
conduct registration campaigns in twelve additional 
countries, bringing the total number of sites up to 30. 
Added countries include Mozambique, China, the Democratic 
Republic of the Congo, Ghana, South Africa, Togo, Saudi 
Arabia, Egypt, Tunisia, Portugal, and Russia. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Participants commented that the additional burden 
is likely to have a significant impact on the technical 
process, and ultimately, the election timeline.  The CENI had 
already developed a plan to conduct registration in the 
previously agreed upon 18 countries, which was scheduled to 
begin on September 7 and end on September 21.  The remaining 
32 voter registration kits were to be used for this purpose. 
However, the need for campaigns at additional sites means 
that a total of 68 kits will be needed.  These kits are not 
available in Guinea. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Members of the donor community voiced concern over 
this decision, which appeared to be a unilateral directive 
from the GoG.  The UNDP Country Director commented that the 
decision will need to be approved by political parties. 
Further, he said the impact of the additional sites needs to 
be analyzed immediately since it is likely to delay 
registration.  USAID echoed these concerns, commenting that 
the decision comes late in the game.  He emphasized that 
elections could be held without the broader participation of 
Guineans abroad, as is done in many countries, because the 
benefits of such an extensive registration program are 
unclear when compared to the costs in terms of financial and 
technical resources. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) The French representative raised questions about 
how the decision was made while Spain questioned whether the 
number of voters in these additional countries would be all 
that significant.  The EU said that Guinean stakeholders 
should evaluate the issue with a certain degree of 
pragmatism.  Participants recommended that Guinean 
 
CONAKRY 00000510  002 OF 002 
 
 
stakeholders quickly evaluate the pros and cons of the 
decision and present a recommendation to the CNDD to keep the 
number of sites at the original level of eighteen. 
 
--------------------- 
NO TRANSITION COUNCIL 
--------------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) The group also discussed the National Transition 
Council (CNT), which is a key element of the election 
timeline.  Participants said the CNT is already behind 
schedule as participant groups have not yet named their 
representatives.  (COMMENT.  In the Forces Vives' August 23 
declaration, the coalition rejected the CNT, claiming that 
CNDD President Moussa Dadis Camara had unilaterally added 
names to the list.  END COMMENT). 
 
---------------------------- 
AND NO APPROVAL OF NEW DATES 
---------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Participants noted that the CNDD had not yet issued 
a decree to officially announce the new election dates 
recommended by the Ad Hoc Committee, casting doubt on 
political will. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Completion of voter registration abroad and the 
acceptance of the recommendations of the CNT are both key 
elements of the adapted election timeline.  The August 26 
discussion indicates that these elements are already behind 
schedule and if not resolved soon, may fuel arguments to push 
elections back even further.  The decision to add twelve 
registration sites appears to be a directive from the GoG, 
which has observers wondering whether or not it is a 
deliberate attempt to prolong the transition.  At the same 
time, it may not be a done deal.  The UNDP is working with 
the CENI in order to demonstrate the contraints this decision 
will put on the agreed upon timeline.  END COMMENT. 
BROKENSHIRE