VZCZCXRO0654
OO RUEHBC RUEHBZ RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHKUK RUEHMA
RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHNJ #0335 2241411
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 121411Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7157
RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS NDJAMENA 000335 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM SU LY FR UN EU CD
SUBJECT: EU CHIEF ON CHAD ELECTION PROSPECTS, REVENUE MANAGEMENT 
ASSISTANCE 
 
REF: (A) NDJAMENA 294, (B) NDJAMENA 282 
 
¶1.  (SBU) AMBASSADOR NIGRO MET WITH EU COMMISSION CHIEF GILLES 
DESESQUELLES AUGUST 11. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) THE KEY POINTS OF THE DISCUSSION WERE: 
 
------------- 
ON ELECTIONS: 
------------- 
 
-- DESESQUELLES IS SATIFIED THAT THE NEWLY-NAMED HEAD OF THE 
INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTION COMMITTEE (CENI), MR. NGARMADJAL GAMI, 
ALTHOUGH WITHOUT TECHNICAL BACKGROUND OR EXPERTISE IN ELECTIONS PER 
SE, COULD MAKE A "GOOD CENI PRESIDENT" BECAUSE OF HIS GENERAL 
POLITICAL INSTINCTS AND REPUTATION FOR FAIR-DEALING. 
 
-- DESESQUELLES IS ALSO SATIFIED IN GENERAL WITH THE OVERALL MAKEUP 
OF THE CENI. 
 
-- DESESQUELLES BELIEVES THAT THE CENI SHOULD SET A TENTATIVE 
ELECTION DATE FOR THE LEGISLATIVE AND MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS AND WORK 
BACKWARDS FROM THERE IN PLANNING FOR AN ELECTORAL CENSUS AND OTHER 
ARRANGEMENTS. 
 
-- DESEQUELLES THINKS THAT THE ELECTIONS COULD BE HELD IN 
MARCH-APRIL 2010. 
 
-- DESESQUELLES CONFIRMED THAT THE ELECTORAL REFORM COMMITTEE WOULD 
CONTINUE TO FUNCTION THROUGH THE 2010 ELECTIONS, COMPLEMENTING THE 
WORK OF THE CENI. 
 
-- DESESQUELLES AND AMBASSADOR AGREED TO URGE BOTH THE CENI AND THE 
ELECTORAL REFORM COMMITTEE TO HAVE FREQUENT CONTACT WITH EMBASSIES 
AS WELL AS CHADIAN NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND THE CHADIAN PUBLIC. 
 
-- DESESQUELLES AND AMBASSADOR AGREED TO COORDINATE EU ELECTION 
EFFORTS WITH U.S. EFFORTS, INCLUDING ON OBERVERS AND MONITORS. 
 
---------------------------- 
ON PUBLIC REVENUE MANAGEMENT 
---------------------------- 
 
-- DESESQUELLES SAID THAT HIS MISSION WAS EXPANDING, WITH A "PUBLIC 
REVENUE MANAGEMENT OFFICE" ALREADY UP AND RUNNING AND PLANNING FOR A 
"POLITICAL OFFICE" ADVANCED. 
 
-- DESESQUELLES AND AMBASSADOR AGREED TO COORDINATE EU AND U.S. 
EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE CHAD GOVERNMENT'S ABILITY TO MANAGE ITS 
PUBLIC REVENUES RESPONSIBLY. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) THERE HAVE BEEN RUMORS THAT DESESQUELLES WOULD SOON BE 
REPLACED AS EU MISSION HEAD, BUT HE GAVE NO INDICATION THAT HE WAS 
ON HIS WAY OUT. 
 
 
NIGRO