US embassy cable - 05DJIBOUTI212

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DJIBOUTI 000212 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF, AF/E; STATE PLEASE PASS MCC; 
LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHER; 
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/01/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, SOCI, KDEM, PINR, DJ 
SUBJECT: ACTING FOREIGN MINISTER ON ELECTIONS, MCA, GOOD 
GOVERNANCE 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Marguerita D. Ragsdale. 
For reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) Summary: Ambassador met with Acting Foreign Minister, 
Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, at her request February 23 to discuss 
several issues, among them good governance, elections, and 
Djibouti's quest to become eligible for the Millennium 
Challenge Account. Youssouf said regarding good governance, 
Djibouti was concerned on the political side. He said the 
Government was doing the best it could to develop a political 
process with a good opposition and with transparent 
elections. Youssouf discussed at length the opposition and 
its refusal to participate in upcoming presidential elections 
in April. He emphasized that the Government had told the 
opposition from the beginning that its participation and 
opinions were welcomed. Youssouf also addressed the issues of 
developing the infrastructure of the political system, 
government willingness to change, and Djibouti's hope for new 
ideas from the opposition. End Summary. 
 
2. (C) Regarding good governance, Youssouf said the 
Government was concerned when it came to the political 
system. He said Djibouti is trying its best to develop a 
political process that has a good opposition and transparent 
elections. The opposition had not declared a candidate. 
Nonetheless, the Government had information that indicated 
the opposition coalition, Union for Democratic Alternance 
(UAD), was preparing the necessary paperwork for its 
President Ismail Guedi Hared to be declared a candidate. 
Youssouf continued that at the moment there was only one 
official opposition candidate, Mohamed Daoud Chehem, who had 
been kicked out of UAD for his declaration of candidacy. He 
said he had also been informed of at least one independent 
candidate. However, up to that point the other candidates had 
not sent their representatives to the National Independent 
Electoral Commission (CENI). 
 
3. (C) Youssouf noted that the Minister of Interior had 
appeared on television two nights before requesting the 
opposition to come verify electoral lists. He said the 
Minister of Interior wants them to be a part of the CENI. 
Youssouf emphasized the Government had told the opposition, 
it was welcome from the beginning to the end of the process. 
It seemed the opposition was not showing all its cards. He 
added the Government had requested observers from the United 
Nations, U.S., European Union, Francophone countries, African 
Union, and Arab league. He asked "what more can we do than 
that?" Youssouf stated the lists for candidacy would remain 
open until one month prior to the election, March 8th. 
 
4. (C) Ambassador commented that Djibouti also had work to do 
on the infrastructure of its political system. She added in 
light of its pursuit for Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) 
eligibility, Djibouti would have to integrate its citizens 
into the process of decision making. Ambassador also noted 
the interest expressed by MFA Director of Bilateral Affairs, 
Mohamed Ali Hassan, in opening a dialogue with the Embassy on 
remedying problems cited in the U.S. Human Rights Report on 
Djibouti. Youssouf responded the Government is ready and 
willing to accept suggestions on how to improve Government's 
practices. He added that the Embassy would find the 
Government's response to change to be "yes," while the 
opposition would be those constantly saying "no" to 
proposals. He described the opposition as very weak and in 
need of a leader. Youssouf said "You have to keep in mind 
that all of the opposition leaders have been part of the 
government at one point in the past." Youssouf then stated 
the country had gone from bad to worse under these 
individuals until President Guelleh came to power and 
everything began to change, slowly, but change nonetheless. 
Youssouf said that while the Government could be accused of 
not changing fast enough, it could not be accused of 
stagnating. 
 
5. (C) Ambassador pointed out the importance of giving 
citizens, whether opposition or government-allied, a platform 
from which they could speak their minds and the right to do 
so without fear of imprisonment. Youssouf responded that in 
the realm of elections, once the campaign starts both sides 
will have equal time allotted on television and radio. He 
added that citizens can meet at any time, anywhere to discuss 
their opinions and "we are waiting for their new ideas." 
 
6. (C) Comment: Post believes that there appears to be 
political desire and political will within the highest ranks 
of the Government to change the manner in which the 
administration governs. There does not seem to be a desire or 
will among the opposition to accept any perspective of the 
Government other than as persecutor. The opposition is 
reduced to merely complaining that it is not in power, rather 
than presenting actual alternatives to Government practices. 
Embassy has established a Country Team focus group to look 
more closely at democratization, human rights and Djibouti 
and to dialogue with the MFA on these and other political 
integration issues. End Comment. 
RAGSDALE