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Viewing cable 06DAKAR2431, GUINEA-BISSAU: ECONOMIC AND COMMERCIAL TOUR D'HORIZON ON

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06DAKAR2431 2006-10-10 09:45 2011-08-24 16:30 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Dakar
VZCZCXRO3958
PP RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHDK #2431/01 2830945
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 100945Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAKAR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6521
INFO RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 0202
RUEHLI/AMEMBASSY LISBON 0751
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0767
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 DAKAR 002431 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EB/IFD/ODF, INR/AA, AF/EPS AND AF/W 
AID/W FOR AFR AND AFR/WA 
DOE FOR OFFICE OF POLICY AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS 
USDOC FOR 4510/OA/PMICHELINI, AROBINSON-MORGAN/KBOYD 
USDOC FOR 3131/CS/ANESA/OIO/GLOOSE/GLITMAN/MSTAUNTON 
ACCRA FOR USAID/WA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON ETRD EAGR EINV EPET EFIN SOCI PU
SUBJECT: GUINEA-BISSAU: ECONOMIC AND COMMERCIAL TOUR D'HORIZON ON 
THE EVE OF THE DONOR ROUNDTABLE 
 
REF: DAKAR 02418 (NOTAL) 
 
DAKAR 00002431  001.2 OF 004 
 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
1.  (SBU) Guinea-Bissau ranked 172 out of 177 countries on the 
UNDP's 2005 Human Development Index.  This is a critical moment for 
Guinea-Bissau, which has only recently emerged from years of armed 
conflict and missed economic opportunities.  With a government 
struggling to provide basic services and downsize the bloated 
military, development assistance is crucial to ensuring economic 
growth and political stability.  The agriculture and fishing sectors 
face significant challenges, with few Bissau-Guineans fishing. 
Cashew revenues are likely to fall significantly and rice production 
has declined in 2006.  Most investors outside the energy and cashew 
sectors continue to watch and wait.  The impressive Minister of 
Economy has a vision, but he needs donor resources to realize it. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
ECONOMIC BASICS 
--------------- 
2.  (SBU) Several areas are key to economic growth in Guinea-Bissau. 
 First, the business investment climate needs significant 
improvement.  Despite increased attention to Guinea-Bissau, there 
has been only a small amount of foreign direct investment (FDI) in 
the country over the past several years.  Second, investors remain 
concerned about political stability although significant 
opportunities exist in most sectors including agriculture, energy, 
textiles and seafood processing. 
 
3.  (U) Basic data includes: 
GDP (2005 est.): USD 285.1 million; 
Real growth rate (2005 est.): 1.6 percent. 
GDP per capita, purchasing power parity (2004 est.): USD 710. 
Natural resources: Fish and timber.  Bauxite and phosphate deposits 
are not exploited; offshore petroleum. 
Agriculture: Products--cashews, tropical fruits, rice, peanuts, 
cotton, palm oil.  Arable land--11 percent. Forested--38 percent. 
Industry: Very little industrial capacity remains following the 
1998-99 civil war.  The cashew processing industry is nascent. 
Trade: Exports--USD 100.8 million (f.o.b., 2005 est.): cashews (USD 
64.1 million, 2003 est.), fish and shrimp (USD 0.2 million, 2003 
est.), other (USD 2.8 million, 2003 est.). 
Major markets (2004)--India 54.1 percent, United States 23 percent, 
Nigeria 13.7 percent, Italy 3.5 percent, Senegal 1.2 percent. 
Imports--USD 115.7 million (f.o.b., 2005 est.): foodstuffs (USD 22.8 
million, 2003 est.), capital equipment (USD 21.5 million, 2003 
est.), petroleum products (USD 7.2 million, 2003 est.). 
Major suppliers (2004 est.)--Senegal 45.6 percent, Portugal 14.2 
percent, Netherlands 4.0 percent, China 3.8 percent, Italy 3.8 
percent. 
 
HOPING FOR BUDGET SUPPORT 
------------------------- 
4.  (U) The GOGB is hoping for significantly increased international 
donor assistance as a result of a planned IMF-hosted donors' 
roundtable in Geneva, November 7 and 8.  Guinea-Bissau has a 
projected budget gap of 14.2 billion CFA francs (CFAF) (USD 26.3 
million dollars) of which USD 25.9 million is identified budget 
support from the West African Economic and Monetary Union 
(UEMOA/WAEMU), Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS), 
European Union, World Bank, UNDP, and China.  Over 90 percent of the 
budget gap stems from 11 months of salary arrears dating from 2002 
and 2003 during the Yala administration.  The GOGB owes USD 480.8 
million in multilateral debt and USD 511.2 million in bilateral debt 
(none owed directly to the United States).  The Government is 
drafting a new legal and regulatory framework to meet WAEMU norms 
and hopes to achieve HIPC completion by the end of 2009. 
 
5.  (U) The Vieira administration is pursuing a new wage bill to 
help address the budget issue.  The Ministry of Finance, with an eye 
towards eliminating "ghost" employees, is attempting to rationalize 
government payrolls by comparing its current payroll to a 2005 
census that identified 12,000 actual civil servants.  Currently, in 
spite of collecting a minimum monthly salary of roughly USD 38, many 
civil servants long ago stopped reporting to their offices, have 
taken other jobs, or have even left the country.  The proposed wage 
 
DAKAR 00002431  002.2 OF 004 
 
 
bill also provides for the retirement of 1,000 employees, a hiring 
freeze, and a new competency-based test for high level 
administrative positions. 
 
ENERGY 
------ 
6.  (U) In addition to seeking critical donor support, the 
Government is hopeful that oil may soon come on line.   Water and 
energy agency (EAGB) officials told EmbOff that national energy 
consumption consists of 80 percent biomass (charcoal and wood), 17 
percent petrol, and 3 percent diesel (in generators).  Only eight 
percent of the country's residents have access to electricity.  In 
Bissau there are 17,000 customers and in the Bafata-Gabu region 
there are 5,000 customers.  The average rate is CFAF 150-200 per kw. 
 Throughout the country, there are three functioning power stations, 
one each located in Bissau, Bissora and Bafata.  There are six other 
power stations located throughout the country that do not currently 
function due to a lack of diesel fuel supplies. 
 
7.  (U) In 2005, EAGB imported 49,577,596 liters of diesel; 
3,872,000 liters of gasoline; mixed gasoline: 2,220,000 liters of 
mixed gasoline; and 1,040,100 liters of jet fuel.  It imports from 
Senegal's refinery (SAR) -- when it is producing, -- as well as from 
Shell and Total.  The GOGB sets energy prices by decree, and in the 
past retailers faced low margins when the domestic retail price was 
not raised to correspond with increases in international market 
prices.  To avoid the ensuing supply shortages and smuggling, the 
GOGB claims it will introduce an automatic adjustment mechanism for 
petroleum product prices by end of 2006. 
 
OIL PROSPECTING 
--------------- 
8.  (SBU) Petroguin, the state's oil prospecting agency, has a 20-30 
percent stake in a partnership with Occidental Petroleum (U.S.) and 
Premier (UK) for prospecting two offshore exploration blocks: 
"SICAP" in the North and "Esperance" in the South.  They plan to 
drill Esperance by next year.  Petroguin is also reportedly in 
negotiation with Australian-based Hardman and Swiss-based GB Gas & 
Oil for prospecting contracts in a different block. 
 
9.  (SBU) Petroguin and western oil consultants are optimistic about 
the prospects for significant discoveries based on the geological 
conditions present off shore.  Houston-based data broker, Fortesa, 
stores this sensitive data, which Petroguin uses as a marketing 
tool.  Petroguin reports that technical mapping and ensuring data 
quality are their primary challenges in moving forward with offshore 
exploration. 
 
OTHER AMERICAN INVESTMENT AND COMMERCIAL CLIMATE 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
10.  (U) Apart from oil exploration, the United States has limited 
involvement in Guinea-Bissau's economy.  A handful of American 
companies have interests in Bissau, including Occidental Petroleum 
and Fortesa (Energy), Western Union (money transfers), Wachovia Bank 
(Visa card services), and Rota International (cashews). 
 
11.  (U) Guinea-Bissau's Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper aims to 
improve the investment climate by conforming to the World Bank's 
Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and "Le Fonds 
Africain de Garantie et de Cooperation Economique's" (FAGACE's) 
standards for FDI.  Other investment promotion efforts planned by 
the GOGB include: 
 
-- introducing a single stop for potential investors; 
-- drafting a new investment code; 
-- establishing build-operate-transfer procedures; 
-- creating export processing zones; and 
-- eliminating administrative barriers and industrial and commercial 
license fees. 
 
In addition, the GOGB is hoping for donor assistance with the 
rehabilitation of the port of Bissau, including cold storage 
facilities, and with school repairs and rebuilding. 
 
12.  (U) To improve contract enforcement, the Ministry of Justice 
claims to be establishing new measures including commercial 
 
DAKAR 00002431  003.2 OF 004 
 
 
legislation compliant with the "Organisation pour l'Harmonisation en 
Afrique du Droit des Affaires" (OHADA) standards by the end of 2007. 
 The Ministry is also working on a commercial court (financed by the 
World Bank), better trained magistrates, and a small arbitration 
center embedded in the Chamber of Commerce.  The Ministry has 
already established procedures backing a Bissau-Guinean certificate 
of origin for exports.  Justice Minister Gomes asserted that the 
European Union will fund the construction of an agriculture and food 
laboratory to improve phyto-sanitary norms and assure the safe 
movement of food and agricultural goods.  Regarding the movement of 
people, the Ministry has reportedly placed an order for Selmex 
biometric equipment from Belgium to issue identity cards to all 
Bissau-Guineans. 
 
13.  (U) GOGB officials are outspoken in their assertion that these 
reforms, when enacted, along with the Government's efforts to 
enhance political stability, should create attractive investment 
opportunities in many sectors of Guinea-Bissau's economy.  Notably, 
in 2006, the Government initiated a privatization program for 14 
companies with an estimated total market value of 2.6 billion CFAF, 
including two hotels.  Other sectors highlighted by officials 
include, alternative energy development, cashew processing, 
construction, and the importation of basic goods from wheat to 
construction materials.  Moreover, Prime Minister Aristides Gomes 
was proud to join Ambassador Jacobs at the opening of the African 
Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Resource Center on September 28. 
 
RECENT CRISIS IN IMPORTS OF BASIC GOODS 
--------------------------------------- 
14.  (U) The Government recently reduced import tariffs and sales 
tax for several basic necessities, including rice, wheat, sugar, 
cement, and gasoline.  Although the objective was to make these 
goods more accessible to consumers, the importers failed to reflect 
their newly reduced costs in their sales prices -- most likely 
because the goods were already being imported tax-free through 
illegal/informal channels.  The Government reacted by setting price 
ceilings on a range of products.  The importers responded by 
withholding the products from the market.  Consequently, as of 
August 2006, there was a severe shortage of cement and flour among 
other basic goods.  To address the crisis, the Ministry of Economy 
organized a trade mission to Bissau in late August for officials 
from Senegal's Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture to 
improve the availability of basic necessities in Guinea-Bissau. 
 
RICE 
---- 
15.  (U) Historically, Guinea-Bissau was mostly self-sufficient in 
rice, the country's primary, almost exclusive, food staple.  At an 
estimated 200,000 tons, domestic rice production is significantly 
lower than in previous years, due to two primary causes:  heavy 
rains that washed away protective barriers in the rice paddies, 
allowing seawater in to spoil the rice, and, many rice farmers 
switching over to cashews, which they erroneously believed would be 
more lucrative. 
 
16.  (U) Unfortunately, at the same time that rice harvests fell, 
the Government raised taxes on imported rice in order to encourage 
local rice production and consumption.  The combined result of the 
poor rice harvest and the cashew nut pricing crisis (reftel) is that 
a vast number of Bissau-Guineans do not have sufficient income from 
nut sales to buy the more expensive imported rice.  Equally 
problematic, one kilogram of cashews used to be bartered within 
local markets for one sack of rice.  However, with the crash in 
value of cashews, it now takes three or more kilograms of cashews to 
trade for a sack of rice. 
 
17.  (U) In May 2006, the GOGB asked the international community for 
USD 2.35 million in assistance to alleviate the hunger of more than 
250,000 people residing in the southern region of the country.  The 
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development said that in addition 
to direct food aid, the requested funds would be used to reconstruct 
embankments for rice paddies, build up food reserves, and to 
replenish seed stocks. 
 
FISHING 
------- 
 
DAKAR 00002431  004.2 OF 004 
 
 
18.  (U) Guinea-Bissau's fishing agreement with the European Union 
will expire on June 15, 2007.  The agreement entered into force on 
June 16, 2001, and was extended for one year by the Vieira 
government.  The protocol is worth 44,520,000 euros in exchange for 
4,400 gross registered tons (GRT) of shrimp, 4,400 GRT of fish 
cephal, 40 tuna boats, and 30 pole and long-liners.  Guinea-Bissau's 
fishing sector concessions account for more than one-fourth of 
government revenues.  (NOTE: According to the IMF, in2005, 
agreements under which fishing licenses ar obtained against 
payments in kind or for settlig government obligations were 
stopped.  New agrements will be monetary only, and all fishing 
agrements are expected to be harmonized.  END NOTE.) 
 
19.  (U) The waters off of Guinea-Bissau produce ountiful shrimp, 
tuna, marlin, barracuda, shark,and other fish.  Vessels from 
Europe, Asia, and frica have signed fishing protocols with the 
GOG, but there are few commercial Bissau-Guinean fishing vessels 
due to the costs and bureaucracy associated with registering fishing 
boats and fishing licenses.  Additional problems in the sector 
include a lack of in-country processing, very few functioning cold 
storage facilities, illegal commercial fishing, and shark fin 
poaching.  The Government plans to repair two surveillance boats to 
improve territorial water monitoring and expects to receive 
additional equipment funded by the African Development Bank. 
 
NEW BANKS OPEN BUT WARY OF INVESTMENT RISKS 
------------------------------------------- 
20.  (U) Two new banks opened in Bissau within the past year: the 
"Banque Regionale de Solidarite" (BRS) and the locally owned "Banco 
du Uniao" (BDU), offering micro finance services (up to CFAF 20 
million (USD 40,000) and savings and loans services, respectively. 
Both banks report low levels of investment and lending due to a lack 
of governmental contract enforcement, international communications 
problems for offering commercial credit, and a lack of incentives 
for informal sector businesses to formalize in order to use banking 
services.  The informal sector constitutes an estimated two-thirds 
of Guinea-Bissau's economy. 
 
21.  (U) The BRS branch, backed by the BRS-SA Holding Group in 
Niamey, reports start-up capital of CFAF 2 billion with an 
additional CFAF 1.7 billion ready for investment.  Yet in spite of a 
goal of investing in 51 new microfinance projects this year, it has 
only invested in 20 so far.  Engaging mostly in equipment financing, 
the BRS does not issue loans.  If it approves a project, it can loan 
rolling funds up to ten percent of the total financing package. 
They are working with the American Wachovia Bank to offer visa 
services but first must install a new satellite link to improve 
communications.  BRS also works with Paris-based correspondent bank 
UBAF. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
22.  (SBU) The Vieira government is slowing coming to terms with its 
finances.  Burdened with a huge debt, especially from the salary 
arrears built up during Kumba Yala's administration, and with a 
huge, top heavy military, the GOGB is placing enormous stock in 
donor support and in hoped-for oil revenue.  Neither is certain. 
However, the Government, especially the impressive Minister of 
Economy, appears to understand that the GOGB has to cease fixing 
prices for cashews, cement, petroleum products and other goods.  The 
Government also realizes that agriculture alone will not get 
Guinea-Bissau's economy back on its feet.  It must attract 
additional foreign investment and take greater advantage of AGOA. 
END COMMENT. 
 
JACKSON