US embassy cable - 05DJIBOUTI1136

UNCLAS DJIBOUTI 001136 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR OBO/AM; OBO/REPM/AQD VICKI HARTUNG; OBO/PD/PEA 
PAUL THORN 
FOR AF/EX 
FOR AF/E 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ABLD, AMGT, DJ 
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT OF DJIBOUTI PROGRESS ON DJIBOUTI 
NEC CONTRACT CONDITIONS 
 
REF STATE 206608 
 
1.Charge d'Affaires met with Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs Director of Bilateral Relations Mohamed 
Ali Hassan on November 16 to impress on him USG 
concern that progress is not apparent on the 
infrastructure installation at/near the future 
embassy site.  Charge informed the Director that 
USG planning and contracting/funding 
requirements could be affected negatively if the 
Government of Djibouti did not meet its 
contractually obligated timelines.  Also 
discussed was the need for information about 
grades and elevations as noted in reftel 
paragraph 5. 
 
2.The Director noted that he closely followed the 
contract negotiations and worked consistently 
with the Ministry of Finance regarding 
g 
Djiboutian compliance with contractual 
obligations.  He allowed that in addition to 
timing requirements related to Djiboutian 
government contracting, similar to USG 
requirements, the unbearable temperatures of the 
summer and the general slowdown of Ramadan 
impacted progress.  Nevertheless, bids have been 
submitted and the Ministry of Finance is 
completing contracting.  The Director said that 
he will not be surprised at some minor delays 
but he said the timelines will be almost 
completely followed, and that the government's 
obligations will be fulfilled near the end of 
February. 
 
3.The Charge thanked the Director for the 
information and clarified that the Department of 
State's ability to complete planning and 
construction requirements relied on access to 
appropriations.  The Charge told the Director 
that if funds could not be obligated during the 
fiscal year, they could be lost and consequent 
project delays could be extensive. 
 
4.The Director appreciated the explanation and 
d 
agreed that delays were in no one's interest. 
He asked to be advised when local contracts 
might be available, clearly expressing interest 
in local economic enhancement, to which the 
Charge replied that such information could not 
be provided until a construction schedule was 
developed, and such development could not occur 
without Djiboutian completion of their contract 
obligations. 
 
5.Post will closely follow local action and will 
maintain reporting to the Department. 
 
 
BALL