Cablegate: Drc Consultative Group Meeting in Paris: The Wrong

VZCZCXYZ0002
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKI #0437 1061354
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 161354Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5980
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000437

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

TREASURY FOR OWHYCHE-SHAW

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EFIN PGOV ECON CG
SUBJECT: DRC CONSULTATIVE GROUP MEETING IN PARIS: THE WRONG
SIGNAL

1. (SBU) It is our understanding a DRC Consultative Group
meeting is being scheduled in Paris in June. Post believes
holding the meeting in Paris, rather than in Kinshasa, sends
a bad signal to a newly-elected government that needs to
exercise budgetary discipline, drastically cut back foreign
travel, and start evincing signs that it is taking seriously
its economic crisis. The GDRC currently has many officials
in Washington for the World Bank's regular spring meeting;
sending a substantially larger number to Paris in June would
only add to excessive official travel costs. More
importantly, we feel having the Consultative Group meeting in
Kinshasa would show (a) government officials that donors are
serious about fiscal discipline; and (b) the Congolese people
that donors are working with their government to address
their needs and to rebuild their country. We suggest that
State and Treasury suggest to Consultative Group meeting
organizers, particularly the Bank, that Kinshasa would be a
more suitable venue.
MEECE

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