US embassy cable - 04DJIBOUTI439

C O N F I D E N T I A L DJIBOUTI 000439 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF AND AF/E 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2007 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PHUM, DJ 
SUBJECT: DJIBOUTI REQUESTS ASSISTANCE IN SUPPORT OF OCTOBER 
2004 MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS 
 
REF: DJIBOUTI 269 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR MARGUERITA D. RAGSDALE. 
REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). 
 
1. (C) Minister of Interior Abdoulkader Doualeh Waiss 
convoked Ambassador 3/20 to ask for U.S. assistance in 
Djibouti's preparations for its first-ever municipal 
elections slated for October, 2004.  Department will note 
that Embassy put forward in reftel a case for Economic 
Support Fund (ESF) backing of Djiboutian election 
preparations -- both municipal (referred to locally as 
"regional") in 2004 and presidential in 2005.  Waiss's 
request is the first, formally, from the government. 
 
2. (C) The Interior Minister said Djibouti would be 
interested in inviting international organizations, the 
European Union, and African Union and the Arab League, plus 
ambassadors and journalists in country to track the progress 
of municipal elections. The aim is to provide reassurance 
regarding the transparency of Djibouti's electoral system. 
He noted the role played by the country's Constitutional 
Council, which tracks elections and assures normal electoral 
procedures, and its National Independent Electoral 
Commission, composed of jurists, civil society and 
representatives of political parties with a similar mandate. 
 
3. (C) The Minister noted previous U.S. assistance to 
Djibouti for electoral assistance.  Specifically, the U.S. 
allotted in FY-02 the sum of USD 500,000 in ESF to support 
parliamentary and local elections.  (Comment: All but USD 
68,000 was eventually obligated and spent.  Embassy Djibouti 
awarded the remaining USD 68,000 to the Djiboutian League for 
Human Rights to conduct a voter education program on 
decentralization and voter rights. End comment.) 
 
4. (C) Ambassador told Waiss that she would be pleased to 
raise his request with Washington. In support of that 
request, she asked that he give thought to anticipated needs 
and provide a list of minimum requirements. Waiss promised to 
provide the document later in the week.  We will convey to 
Washington Djibouti's indications. AID Director Schulman is 
also exploring with appropriate AID units, possible democracy 
and governance programs, if available. 
 
RAGSDALE