Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 08DAKAR1011, PRESIDENT WADE FIRES BUDGET MINISTER AFTER REVELATIONS OF

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #08DAKAR1011.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08DAKAR1011 2008-09-02 17:09 2011-08-24 16:30 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Dakar
VZCZCXRO3401
PP RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHDK #1011/01 2461709
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 021709Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY DAKAR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1061
INFO RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI PRIORITY 0062
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
RUEHLMC/MCC WASHDC
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DAKAR 001011 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR AF/W, AF/EPS, EB/IFD 
ABU DHABI FOR TREASURY/GRIFFERTY 
TREASURY FOR RHALL AND DPETRES 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EFIN ECON PGOV ETRD EAID KCOR SG
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT WADE FIRES BUDGET MINISTER AFTER REVELATIONS OF 
IMPROPER PAYMENTS 
 
REFS:  A. DAKAR 661, B. DAKAR 813 
 
DAKAR 00001011  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary:  During an August 7 cabinet meeting, President 
Wade fired Budget Minister Ibrahima Sarr and named Mamadou Abdoulaye 
Sow, a career Senegal Treasury official, as the new Minister.  The 
Presidential decree to remove Sarr -- which came just hours after 
Wade met the IMF Resrep -- followed an internal audit that revealed 
the disbursement of unauthorized and unjustified funds to several 
Ministries and Agencies.  The appointment of the respected 
technocrat Sow as Budget Minister should strengthen the hand of 
Finance Minister Diop in his efforts to assure that all GOS 
financial commitments are reflected in the government's actual 
budget.  End Summary. 
 
A DECREE TO CLEAN UP TREASURY "BLACK HOLE" 
------------------------------------------ 
2.  (U) On August 7, President Wade fired his Minister of Budget, 
Ibrahima Sarr, for committing Senegal's Treasury to finance 
unbudgeted expenditures and taking on other funding obligations in 
excess of CFA 109 billion (USD 259 million).  According to 
Senegalese law, such extra-budgetary disbursements require specific 
approval by the National Assembly.  The decision to fire Sarr came 
after an audit carried out by the Ministry of Finance's Inspectors 
General division, which had been requested by Minister of Finance 
Abdoulaye Diop and IMF Resrep Alex Segura in reaction to Senegal's 
increasing budget deficit and revelations of a larger than reported 
stock of unpaid invoices owed to private suppliers and contractors. 
Though reports differ on the total amount of unjustified expenses, 
with some claiming it could be as high as CFA 450 billion (USD 1.07 
billion), Minister Diop publically stated that the situation was 
"manageable," but he declined to comment directly on the size of the 
"financial black hole." 
 
3.  (SBU) Sources from the Ministry of Finance claimed that Sarr 
took a significant portion of funds previously obligated to pay 
private suppliers and also committed additional unbudgeted 
expenditures to finance the extra-budgetary spending of a number of 
ministries and national agencies.  Sarr apparently planned to pay 
the private suppliers with the proceeds from the sale of bonds 
issued in June 2008.  Unfortunately, as reported in Ref B, the June 
bond issuance fell short with only CFA 65 billion (USD 155 million) 
purchased out of the total offering of CFA 100 billion (USD 238 
million), and, in the end, the money was not used to pay the 
arrears.  Our sources confirmed that out of the CFA 65 billion 
collected from the bond sale, CFA 35 billion was used to help with 
the recapitalization of the state electricity company Senelec, CFA 
10 billion was for food subsides, and the remaining CFA 20 billion 
for the government operating budget, including the payment of civil 
service salaries. 
 
4.  (SBU) According to MinFin sources, ANOCI (the National Agency 
for the Organization of the Islamic Conference, which is run by 
President Wade's son Karim Wade) was a major recipient of these 
extra-budgetary expenses, receiving perhaps as much as CFA 200 
billion (USD 476 million), purportedly for costs associated with the 
infrastructure projects leading up to the March 2008 OIC Summit in 
Dakar.  The Ministry of Infrastructure and Transportation received 
CFA 12 billion (to support infrastructure projects), and the 
Ministry of Interior CFA 3 billion (for the OIC Summit and the 2007 
presidential and legislative elections).  The Ministries of 
Education, Habitat and Urban Development, Health, Water/Hydrology, 
Environment, Handicraft, and Maritime Economy all signed contracts 
that did not conform to Senegal's formal budget.  President Wade 
reportedly ordered the Ministries which received these irregular 
funds -- but not ANOCI -- to submit explanations and justifications 
of their actions. 
 
APPOINTMENT OF A TREASURY VETERAN 
--------------------------------- 
5.  (SBU) At the same August 7 cabinet meeting, President Wade 
announced without comment the appointment of Abdoulaye Sow as the 
new Minister of Budget.  Sow, who is known strictly as a technocrat, 
is reported to have been the Finance Minister's choice.  Sow will 
likely play a carefully subservient role to Minister Diop, unlike 
Sarr, who reportedly acted without the MinFin's consent on the 
extra-budgetary expenditures, and perhaps in other areas.  [Note: 
The budget portfolio is actually designated as a Junior Ministry 
under the Finance Ministry.  End note.] 
 
6.  (SBU) Bio note:  Abdoulaye Sow is a 30-year treasury service 
"veteran" who is among the most senior career civil servants at the 
Ministry of Finance.  Sow graduated from the National School of 
Administration and Magistracy with a degree in economics.  He was 
 
DAKAR 00001011  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
most recently the Finance Minister's Director General of the 
Treasury and prior to that was the Director of Public Accounting. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
7.  (SBU) The lack of a complete audit of extra-budgetary 
commitments and the need to formulate a plan for the payment arrears 
have been some of Senegal's most troublesome issues for the IMF (and 
donors).  Authorizing the audit was a very good first step. 
Dismissing Sarr was probably also necessary.  In an August 25 
meeting with the Ambassador (reported Septel), Finance Minister Diop 
expressed his apparent relief that Sarr had been dismissed.  While 
Sarr was a respected Ministry of Finance official, he is also 
reportedly close to Karim Wade and ruling party politicians.  To the 
extent that Sarr was able to operate outside of MinFin oversight, 
the political pressure on him to authorize payments for pet projects 
for ministries would have been intense.  The next question is 
whether all the firms who signed contracts with the various 
ministries and agencies, many knowing that the contracts did not 
have Ministry of Finance approval, will be paid.  A large number of 
these firms are facing serious liquidity problems as a result of the 
arrears, and this fiscal knot could continue to have a negative 
impact on Senegal's GDP growth and business climate for months to 
come. 
 
BERNICAT