VZCZCXRO7643
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUEHYD #1057/01 3501213
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 161213Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0535
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 YAOUNDE 001057 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/10/2019 
TAGS: CM PGOV PINR PREL
SUBJECT: CAMEROON: PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR ON RELATIONS WITH 
CENTRAL AFRICA AND THE U.S. 
 
REF: YAOUNDE 1007 
 
Classified By: POL/ECON CHIEF SCOTT TICKNOR FOR REASONS 1.4 (D) AND (E) 
 
¶1.  (C)  Summary:  On December 10, Ambassador met with 
Minister in Charge of Special Duties at the Presidency and 
Secretary General of the ruling Cameroon People's Democratic 
Movement (CPDM) party Rene Sadi for a tour d'horizon of 
regional and national developments.  Sadi explained President 
Biya's regional activism as filling a void left by the death 
of former President Omar Bongo.  Despite the Foreign 
Minister's recent criticism of Ambassador and others 
(criticism allegedly coming from Biya - reftel), Sadi said 
that he and others in the Government of Cameroon (GRC) 
accepted that the United States would voice its opinions at 
times.  He hoped criticism could be relayed privately and 
warned against being used by some Cameroonians for their own 
purposes.  He urged understanding of Cameroon's history of 
political and economic challenges.  End summary. 
 
Biya and Central Africa 
----------------------- 
 
¶2.  (C)  President Biya has for many years let former 
Gabonese President Omar Bongo take center stage on Central 
African regional issues.  Bongo liked being an Africa-wide 
leader and sought roles as a mediator.  Biya, by contrast, 
got frustrated with the time he was wasting in travel and 
participation in Africa-wide conferences and events that he 
thought didn't produce results.  Biya preferred to focus on 
socio/economic and political events at home, Sadi said. 
 
¶3.  (C)  With Bongo's death, Biya is beginning to fill the 
void and exert what Sadi saw as Cameroon's "natural" 
leadership as one of the biggest countries and economies in 
the region.  Countries in Central Africa appreciate Biya's 
wisdom and skills, Sadi continued, arguing that neighbors not 
only don't contest Biya's regional leadership but they want 
him to assume this role. 
 
¶4.  (C)  Recent visits to Cameroon by President-elect Ali 
Bongo (September 11), Chadian President Idriss Deby (October 
28) and Francois Bozize (December 8-9) highlighted the 
priority of security and economic relations in the region, 
according to Sadi.  He pointed to continued instability in 
Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, and the Democratic Republic of 
Congo, ongoing concerns about security in Equatorial Guinea 
(EG), and banditry in Cameroon's Grand North (which he blamed 
in part on former Chadian soldiers).   He described relations 
with EG as "not bad," praising Biya's skill in managing 
tensions caused when Cameroonians have been thrown out of EG. 
 
 
¶5.  (C)  Biya had "tried to calm spirits" during the tense 
recent pre-election period in Gabon, meeting with all the 
Gabonese players, although he didn't want to play this role 
in the future, Sadi said. (Note:  Director for Americas at 
the Ministry of External Affairs told us separately that the 
Government of Cameroon had indicated it would intervene 
militarily if necessary to secure peace in the post-election 
period in Gabon.  End note.)  Ambassador suggested (somewhat 
wistfully) that Cameroon might play a role in encouraging 
democracy in the region.  Sadi agreed that Cameroon could set 
a good example - "we don't persecute opponents" he offered. 
 
U.S.-Cameroon Relations 
----------------------- 
 
¶6.  (C)  Ambassador expressed surprise and concern about 
President Biya's November 25 message to her and other 
Ambassadors, as delivered by Foreign Minister Henri Eyebe 
Ayissi, that they should not criticize the government, 
especially the newly created Electoral Commission (ELECAM), 
per reftel.  The message was too strong and was starting to 
generate questions in the international community about 
Biya's intentions, she said.  She explained that the U.S. 
diplomatic style was to speak openly about problems, even to 
friends. 
 
¶7.  (C)  Sadi said he understood diplomats had a 
responsibility to inform their governments.  The Ministry of 
External Relations wasn't trying to tell diplomats they 
shouldn't talk about problems or report back to headquarters. 
 The principle of non-interference was "depasse" in modern 
diplomacy.  The GRC knew diplomats had opinions and welcomed 
constructive criticism but hoped views would be expressed 
"prudently," through direct dialogue with senior government 
officials.  Some acts could be seen as "unfriendly" and 
diplomats had to be careful not to be used by local contacts 
pursuing their own agendas.  "If you want to help us, don't 
always believe what others tell you," he pleaded, conceding 
 
YAOUNDE 00001057  002 OF 002 
 
 
that Minister Ayissi's style had been "abrupt and 
surprising". Cameroon knows that the United States stands for 
democracy and that our foreign policy style (from President 
Obama on down) is to say what we think, Sadi noted. 
 
Cameroon's Challenges 
--------------------- 
 
¶8.  (C)  Sadi was optimistic about Cameroon's future but 
pleaded for more understanding about its historical 
challenges.  Cameroonians knew they could have done much 
better had it not been for decades of setbacks.  The 1984 
coup attempt had "an enormous impact" and the 1987-91 
economic downturn took twenty years to manage. The early 
democratic transition (1990-92) brought the "villes mortes" 
("ghost towns" - nationwide strikes) which had "an 
extraordinarily bad impact,"  the IMF structural adjustment 
of the late 1980s through the mid-90s required major 
sacrifices and changes.  The 1994 devaluation resulted in a 
major salary cut for civil servants and the current global 
economic crisis has badly hurt the economy.  He lamented 
Cameroon's bad roads, lack of national spirit, and 
individualized politics as factors which keep Cameroon from 
reaching its potential. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶9.  (C)  After over 18 years at the Presidency, Sadi is 
President Biya's top diplomatic advisor and one of his 
closest confidantes.  He took pains to reassure us that he 
and Biya "understand our good friends" even if "some take 
criticism badly," leaving it unclear whether Ayissi's earlier 
demarche truly came from Biya.  Sadi was more relaxed and 
friendly than in previous meetings, although he complained 
about his long hours.  When asked about how he balances his 
role in the presidency and the party, he responded "they're 
almost the same thing."  He's a man to watch in both circles 
and is often viewed as a possible successor to Biya.  From 
this and other meetings we have had with him, Sadi would make 
an intelligent, reasonable and generally pro-American 
(although low-key and not particularly democratic) possible 
next President of Cameroon. 
GARVEY