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FM AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE
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INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 YAOUNDE 000078 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CM ECON KCOR PGOV PHUM PREL
SUBJECT: CAMEROON: BIYA OFF TO A BUSY NEW YEAR 
 
REF: A. YAOUNDE 1046 
     ¶B. YAOUNDE 1095 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Summary:  President Biya set the tone for a busy 
year with an uncharacteristically active January.  In his 
annual New Year's address, Biya focused on the economy and 
the need to forge greater national unity as Cameroon enters 
its fiftieth anniversary of independence.  He praised the 
Obama administration's consultative style and highlighted his 
international engagement in a New Year's speech to the 
diplomatic corps.  In January, the government took small 
steps to boost the economy, made a new round of 
corruption-related arrests under "Operation Sparrowhawk," 
transferred equipment and the electoral roll to the Electoral 
Commission (ELECAM) and moved forward on a new electoral 
code.  Speculation about early (2010) elections has reduced, 
despite continued signs that the ruling CPDM party is in 
campaign mode.  Encouraged by these latest developments, the 
European Union and UNDP are preparing to support ELECAM. 
Like most Cameroonian political observers, we remain 
skeptical of Operation Sparrowhawk and ELECAM but the events 
of January suggests Biya may be more active in the year 
ahead.  End summary. 
 
Biya's New Year's Messages 
-------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (U)  In his annual New Year's address, Biya highlighted 
Cameroon's declining economic growth resulting from the 
global economic crisis.  Although the economy "weathered the 
storm with limited damage," he acknowledged "we fell short in 
our objectives, particularly in the energy sector."  For 
2010, the President saw the need to stimulate industrial 
production and anticipated the launch of a number of major 
infrastructure projects, including the Lom-Pangar 
hydroelectric dam, the Kribi deep sea port, the Memve'ele 
dam, the Kribi natural gas power plant, the Mekin mini 
hydroelectric power station on the Dja river, the 
rehabilitation and extension of water supply systems, and the 
modernization of roads.  He also promised to speed up the 
launching of cobalt, bauxite, gold and other ongoing mining 
projects.  He pointed to new investments in the social 
sector, including three billion CFA (about $7 million) of 
financial support to Cameroon's best university students. 
 
¶3.  (U)  In addition to boosting the economy, Biya pointed to 
strengthening democracy as "one of the two major thrusts of 
our policy of greater achievements."  The Electoral 
Commission (ELECAM) "may require some adjustments," he said, 
asserting that "ultimately we will have an electoral 
mechanism that will make the results of upcoming polls 
unchallengeable."  He promised further progress in 
decentralization and said "we have paved the way" for the 
creation of the Senate.  The war against corruption and 
efforts to combat banditry would continue.  Biya concluded by 
proclaiming that 2010 would be a year to celebrate Cameroon's 
fiftieth anniversary of independence, proclaimed on January 
1, 1960, and its achievements, "foremost among which are 
national unity and peace".  Somewhat ominously, Biya also 
denounced "systematic contestation by a minority of our 
compatriots who would readily resort to lie-telling and 
slander" and "would rather see our country plunged into all 
forms of chaos for them to achieve their aims." 
 
¶4.  (U)  In his New Year's address to the diplomatic corps, 
Biya once again highlighted the global economic crisis and 
its impact on Cameroon.  He noted signs of a "new era in 
international relations," marked by more extensive and 
equitable global consultation on the world's major 
challenges.  He praised what he saw as the Obama 
administration's willingness to "follow the path of dialogue 
and consultation," with a more constructive approach to the 
Arab-Israeli conflict, and closer collaboration with the 
United Nations.  Biya highlighted his participation at the 
UN, the Copenhagen summit, and in meetings of the CEMAC, as 
well as hosting visits to Yaounde in 2009 of the Presidents 
of Gabon, Chad, Central African Republic, the Prime Minister 
of France and Pope Benedict XVI. 
 
Off to an Active Start 
---------------------- 
 
¶5.  (U)  Over the past month, the government has projected 
forward movement on the economy. The GRC signed 250 billion 
CFA ($530 million) of new water investment deals, hosted a 
major water and energy conference, and named a new Agency for 
the Promotion of Investment.  The Minister of Finance 
publicly announced 200 billion FCFA ($425 million) of 
borrowing to cover budgetary gaps (ref B).  Biya announced in 
his New Year's address that the GRC would organize an 
agricultural fair in Ebolowa, capital of the South Region 
 
YAOUNDE 00000078  002 OF 003 
 
 
(Biya's home area), which has not had such an event in twenty 
years. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  "Operation Epervier" (Operation Sparrowhawk), 
Biya's roundup and arrests of senior corrupt officials, was 
launched in 2007 and has led to  a number of high level 
arrests.  After a lull, on January 6-8, 2010 Epervier struck 
again, with the arrests of Ntongo Onguene, former director of 
the Airports of Cameroon (ADC), Haman Adama, former minister 
of basic education, Catherine Abena, former Secretary of 
State for Secondary Education, and about a dozen other more 
junior officials, including several city mayors.  On January 
21, former Minister of Economy and Finance Polycarpe Abah 
Abah, in prison on corruption charges since 2008, was 
indicted on another count of corruption.  Sources tell us 
that at least ten more sitting and former ministers will soon 
be arrested for corruption, possibly followed by a Cabinet 
shuffle and more arrests, likely including former Prime 
Minister Ephraim Inoni and the current Minister of Secondary 
Education.  The Minister of Finance recently announced plans 
to investigate 100 officials in his ministry for corruption. 
The government has also recently been more actively 
discussing lifting immunity from prosecution for 
parliamentarians, which is expected to lead to more 
corruption-related arrests. 
 
¶7.  (U)  Also on January 21, the Ministry of Territorial 
Administration and Decentralization (MINADT) signed documents 
officially transferring all electoral material to the 
Elections Commission (ELECAM), including computer equipment, 
software, voting materials, and the electoral register. 
Speaking to the media, MINADT Minister Marafa Hamidou Yaya 
said he had submitted a new Electoral Code to the Prime 
Minister; Director General of ELECAM Mohan Sani Tanimou said 
that the institution had identified 70 percent of its staff 
and acquired a substantial amount of the property it needs 
throughout the country. 
 
Early Elections? 
---------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  Contacts have speculated for several months that 
Biya might call early presidential elections in 2010, a year 
before the constitutionally mandated date.  This speculation 
was fueled by a Presidential letter to the people, Biya's 
active international engagement, an ambitious 2010 budget and 
a growing chorus of support from CPDM militants (reftels). 
Further supporting this speculation was the high profile 
December 21 launch of a new book, "Paul Biya:  The People's 
Call," the first of two volumes of letters from supporters 
calling on Biya to run as the ruling Cameroon People's 
Democratic Movement (CPDM) party's presidential candidate in 
¶2011.  Preparations are also underway for Biya to travel in 
the near future to Bamenda in the Northwest, the anglophone 
heart of the main opposition party, to celebrate the fiftieth 
anniversary of the armed forces.  Other possible domestic 
presidential travel is being discussed in the media.  Biya 
has not traveled within the country outside of Yaounde and 
his village Mvomeka, for many years, making this Bamenda trip 
appear to be a further sign that the electoral campaign has 
begun. 
 
¶9.  (SBU)  While contacts agree the CPDM is in election mode, 
many seem less convinced than they were several months ago 
that Biya will call early polls.  Several civil society 
contacts recently argued to Pol/Econ Chief that they saw no 
reason why Biya would advance elections.  In a recent 
conversation with Pol/Econ Chief, Minister Delegate to the 
Presidency in charge of Relations with the Assemblies and 
Deputy Secretary General of the CPDM Gregoire Owona said he 
personally did not expect early elections, although he 
conceded "only the boss knows".  "We're not in the business 
of politics for politics sake," he continued, asking "why 
would we move the election forward?"  When Pol/Econ Chief 
pointed to increased electoral campaigning by the CPDM, Owona 
responded cryptically "we're always in campaign mode," 
denying that the current level of activity was unusual.  He 
saw no urgency in organizing a long-anticipated CPDM Congress 
(which hasn't occurred in twelve years). 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶10.  (U)  Many Cameroonians remain highly skeptical of 
ELECAM, pointing to its continued partisan leadership (10 out 
of 12 Council members are from the ruling party).  There is 
also widespread cynicism about Epervier.  Critics note that 
endemic corruption continues, that none of those arrested 
recently under Epervier have gone to trial and that the 
government recently granted several of the victims of 
Epervier pre-trial bail in exchange for paying back their 
 
YAOUNDE 00000078  003 OF 003 
 
 
stolen proceeds.  Many see Biya's activism on ELECAM and 
Epervier as an attempt to placate the international 
community.  The President's New Year's speech was criticized 
by anglophones who pointed out that 2010 was only the 
independence anniversary for francophones (anglophone regions 
only became part of a federated Cameroon in 1961). 
Furthermore, the speech offered none of the clues about early 
elections that many Cameroonians expected. 
 
¶11.  (SBU)  Whether or not Biya will move elections forward, 
he continues to take steps to leave all his options open.  By 
transferring electoral materials to ELECAM and heightening 
the Epervier anxiety within his government, he is signaling 
that major change could be in the wind.  Cameroonians have 
been absorbed with the Africa Cup over the past month and the 
loss of the Indomitable Lions soccer team has also defused 
speculation that Biya might use a victory to advance the 
election.  The President's focus on investment and the 
economy makes economic sense but it is also good politics. 
The recent moves have encouraged the UNDP and European Union 
to move forward with plans to provide ELECAM with technical 
support, although the UN is still consulting and planning for 
a final evaluation of electoral assistance in July. 
 
¶12.  (SBU)  Epervier is no doubt a mix of corruption-fighting 
and domestic politics, keeping potential rivals locked up and 
others on their toes.  The fact that Biya threatened 
potential opponents while at the same time praising democracy 
in his New Year's speech suggests we won't see more tolerance 
for dissent in 2010.  Biya deserves credit for continuing to 
arrest accused corrupt officials, an aggressive approach 
which is not in place in many other African countries. 
However, we share the skepticism of many Cameroonian 
observers about Epervier,s motives and their concerns about 
the lack of an accompanying legal process.  We are also more 
cautious than the UN and EU about ELECAM since there has been 
no movement to make the leadership less political. 
Nonetheless, we are encouraged that a President and 
government known for inertia, poor governance and slow 
decision-making seem to be grabbing the new year by the 
horns, especially on the economic front.  While hoping to 
strengthen his legitimacy and his bargaining position within 
the CPDM (which appears to be showing more fissures), Biya 
may also be thinking about his legacy.   We expect to see a 
continued heightened political and economic pace in the 
coming few months, leading into the March parliamentary 
session. 
GARVEY