![Keep Us Strong](../../../static/gfx/ja-cg.jpg)
![WikiLeaks logo](../../../static/gfx/WL_Hour_Glass_small.png)
Currently released so far... 3954 / 251,287
Articles
Browse latest releases
2010/12/01
2010/12/02
2010/12/03
2010/12/04
2010/12/05
2010/12/06
2010/12/07
2010/12/08
2010/12/09
2010/12/10
2010/12/11
2010/12/12
2010/12/13
2010/12/14
2010/12/15
2010/12/16
2010/12/17
2010/12/18
2010/12/19
2010/12/20
2010/12/21
2010/12/22
2010/12/23
2010/12/24
2010/12/25
2010/12/26
2010/12/27
2010/12/28
2010/12/29
2010/12/30
2011/01/01
2011/01/02
2011/01/04
2011/01/05
2011/01/07
2011/01/09
2011/01/10
2011/01/11
2011/01/12
2011/01/13
2011/01/14
2011/01/15
2011/01/16
2011/01/17
2011/01/18
2011/01/19
2011/01/20
2011/01/21
2011/01/22
2011/01/23
2011/01/24
2011/01/25
2011/01/26
2011/01/27
2011/01/28
2011/01/29
2011/01/30
2011/01/31
2011/02/01
2011/02/02
2011/02/03
2011/02/04
2011/02/05
2011/02/06
2011/02/07
2011/02/08
2011/02/09
2011/02/10
2011/02/11
Browse by creation date
Browse by origin
Embassy Athens
Embassy Asuncion
Embassy Astana
Embassy Asmara
Embassy Ashgabat
Embassy Ankara
Embassy Amman
Embassy Algiers
Embassy Addis Ababa
Embassy Accra
Embassy Abuja
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Embassy Abidjan
Consulate Amsterdam
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embassy Bujumbura
Embassy Buenos Aires
Embassy Budapest
Embassy Bucharest
Embassy Brussels
Embassy Bridgetown
Embassy Bratislava
Embassy Brasilia
Embassy Bogota
Embassy Bishkek
Embassy Bern
Embassy Berlin
Embassy Belgrade
Embassy Beirut
Embassy Beijing
Embassy Banjul
Embassy Bangkok
Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan
Embassy Bamako
Embassy Baku
Embassy Baghdad
Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen
Embassy Conakry
Embassy Colombo
Embassy Chisinau
Embassy Caracas
Embassy Canberra
Embassy Cairo
Consulate Curacao
Consulate Casablanca
Consulate Cape Town
Embassy Dushanbe
Embassy Dublin
Embassy Doha
Embassy Djibouti
Embassy Dhaka
Embassy Dar Es Salaam
Embassy Damascus
Embassy Dakar
Consulate Dubai
Embassy Kyiv
Embassy Kuwait
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Embassy Kinshasa
Embassy Kigali
Embassy Khartoum
Embassy Kampala
Embassy Kabul
Embassy Luxembourg
Embassy Luanda
Embassy London
Embassy Lisbon
Embassy Lima
Embassy Lilongwe
Embassy La Paz
Consulate Lagos
Mission USNATO
Embassy Muscat
Embassy Moscow
Embassy Montevideo
Embassy Monrovia
Embassy Minsk
Embassy Mexico
Embassy Maputo
Embassy Manama
Embassy Managua
Embassy Malabo
Embassy Madrid
Consulate Munich
Consulate Montreal
Consulate Monterrey
Embassy Pristina
Embassy Pretoria
Embassy Prague
Embassy Port Au Prince
Embassy Phnom Penh
Embassy Paris
Embassy Paramaribo
Embassy Panama
Consulate Peshawar
REO Basrah
Embassy Rome
Embassy Riyadh
Embassy Riga
Embassy Reykjavik
Embassy Rangoon
Embassy Rabat
Consulate Rio De Janeiro
Consulate Recife
Secretary of State
Embassy Stockholm
Embassy Sofia
Embassy Skopje
Embassy Singapore
Embassy Seoul
Embassy Sarajevo
Embassy Santo Domingo
Embassy Santiago
Embassy Sanaa
Embassy San Salvador
Embassy San Jose
Consulate Strasbourg
Consulate Shenyang
Consulate Shanghai
Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis
Embassy Tripoli
Embassy Tokyo
Embassy The Hague
Embassy Tel Aviv
Embassy Tehran
Embassy Tegucigalpa
Embassy Tbilisi
Embassy Tashkent
Embassy Tallinn
USUN New York
USEU Brussels
US Mission Geneva
US Interests Section Havana
US Delegation, Secretary
UNVIE
Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Browse by tag
AF
AM
AE
AG
AR
ASEC
AS
AU
AORC
AJ
AMGT
AGMT
AFIN
APER
ABUD
ATRN
AEMR
ACOA
AEC
AO
AX
AMED
ADCO
AODE
AFFAIRS
AC
AL
ASIG
ABLD
AA
AFU
ASUP
AROC
ATFN
CH
CE
CA
CASC
CU
CLINTON
CO
CI
CVIS
CDG
CIA
CACM
CDB
CS
CBW
CD
CV
CMGT
CJAN
CG
CF
CN
CAN
COUNTER
CIS
CM
CONDOLEEZZA
COE
CR
CY
CTM
COUNTRY
CLEARANCE
CPAS
CWC
CT
CKGR
CB
CACS
COM
CJUS
CARSON
COUNTERTERRORISM
EUN
EG
EAID
ENRG
ETTC
EFIN
ECON
ETRD
EPET
EINV
EMIN
ECIP
ECPS
EINDETRD
EAGR
EU
EN
EZ
ELAB
ER
ET
ES
EUC
EI
EAIR
EIND
EWWT
ELTN
EREL
ECIN
EFIS
EINT
EC
ENVR
ECA
EXTERNAL
EINVETC
ENIV
EINN
ENGR
EUR
ESA
ENERG
EK
ELECTIONS
ECUN
EINVEFIN
IR
IS
IZ
INRB
IAEA
IN
IT
ID
IO
IV
ICTY
IQ
ICAO
INTERPOL
IPR
IRAJ
INRA
INRO
IC
IIP
ITPHUM
IWC
ISRAELI
IRAQI
ICRC
IMO
IF
ILC
IEFIN
INTELSAT
IL
IA
IBRD
IMF
ITALY
ITALIAN
KCOR
KDEM
KNNP
KU
KWBG
KPAL
KN
KS
KZ
KAWK
KISL
KPAO
KCRM
KJUS
KSEC
KIPR
KGHG
KIFR
KTFN
KDRG
KV
KSUM
KWAC
KAWC
KDEMAF
KFIN
KGIC
KTIP
KOMC
KHLS
KSPR
KGCC
KPIN
KG
KBIO
KHIV
KSCA
KE
KFRD
KPKO
KNUC
KMDR
KPLS
KOLY
KUNR
KIRF
KIRC
KACT
KRAD
KCOM
KMCA
KHDP
KVPR
KDEV
KWMN
KTIA
KPRP
KCIP
KCFE
KOCI
KTDB
KMRS
KLIG
KBCT
KICC
KGIT
KSTC
KPAK
KNEI
KSEP
KPOA
KFLU
KNUP
KNNPMNUC
KO
KTER
KHUM
KRFD
KBTR
KDDG
KWWMN
KFLO
KSAF
KBTS
KPRV
KMPI
KNPP
KNAR
KWMM
KERG
KTBT
KCRS
KRVC
KR
KPWR
KMIG
MOPS
MZ
MO
MNUC
MASS
MARR
MY
MEPP
MCAP
MA
MR
ML
MX
MIL
MTCRE
MPOS
MOPPS
MTCR
MAPP
MU
MG
MASC
MCC
MK
MTRE
MP
MDC
MAR
MEPI
MRCRE
MI
MT
MQADHAFI
MD
MAPS
MUCN
PREL
PTER
PGOV
PO
PHUM
PINS
PARM
PK
PINR
PINT
PBTS
PROP
PE
PL
PREF
POGOV
PINL
POL
PBIO
PSOE
PHSA
PKFK
PGOF
PARMS
PA
PM
PMIL
PTERE
PF
PALESTINIAN
PY
PGGV
PNR
POV
PAK
PAO
PFOR
PHALANAGE
PARTY
PNAT
PROV
PEL
PGOVE
POLINT
POLITICS
PEPR
PSI
PU
POLITICAL
PARTIES
PECON
SNAR
SA
SY
SOCI
STEINBERG
SP
SENV
SCUL
SF
SO
SR
SG
SW
SU
SL
SMIG
SN
SHUM
SZ
SYR
ST
SANC
SC
SAN
SIPRS
SK
SH
SI
UNSC
UP
UK
USEU
UG
UNMIK
UV
UZ
UY
UN
US
UNGA
UNO
USUN
UE
UNESCO
UAE
UNEP
USTR
UNHCR
UNDP
UNHRC
USAID
UNCHS
UNAUS
Browse by classification
Community resources
courage is contagious
Viewing cable 09DAKAR1069, CONFLICTING MESSAGES ABOUT WADE'S MONUMENT
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.
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. #09DAKAR1069.
Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|---|
09DAKAR1069 | 2009-08-19 13:01 | 2010-12-09 21:09 | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | Embassy Dakar |
VZCZCXRO6177
OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUEHDK #1069/01 2311310
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 191310Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY DAKAR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2953
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1251
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0408
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DAKAR 001069
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPT FOR AF/W
PARIS AND LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHERS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM XY PU
SUBJECT: CONFLICTING MESSAGES ABOUT WADE'S MONUMENT
REF: 08 DAKAR 696
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Details have continued to emerge regarding
Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade's project for a "Monument of the African Renaissance." To pay off the North Korean firm that is
constructing the monument, a valuable tract of land is said to have
been given to Mbackeou Faye, one of Wade's prominent supporters,
with the instructions that Faye should pay the cost of construction
(believed to be $25-35 million) to the North Koreans with proceeds
from selling the newly-acquired land. After paying off the North
Koreans, Faye will end up with a hefty profit from the land deal.
In response to an inquiry from the European Union (EU), Prime
Minister Souleymane Ndene Ndiaye defended the land deal without
really revealing any details. However, his additional assertion
that the Ministry of Finance (MOF) had supervised the process
conflicts with existing information. Additionally, Wade's recent
decision to claim 35 percent of the monument's proceeds as an
intellectual property right conflicts with Ndiaye's assertion that
the land deal was done transparently and within GOS regulations.
END SUMMARY.
BACKGROUND ON THE MONUMENT
--------------------------
¶2. (SBU) The execution of President Wade's idea for a "Monument of
the African Renaissance" in Dakar is currently in the process of
being realized. A 100-plus North Korean crew has been constructing
the titanic, grandiose edifice of a style reminiscent of the
Stalinesque behemoths of the halcyon days of the Soviet Union. As
described by a GOS brochure, the structure features an "African man
emerging from a volcano, facing the West, with his wife, and he is
holding his child up as if to show him to the world." Reportedly,
Wade sees the monument as a cultural legacy for himself and a
tangible symbol mirroring his belief that Africa must look to the
future rather than be beholden to its past.
THE MONUMENT(al) LAND DEAL
----------------------
¶3. (SBU) Wade appropriated a public piece of land occupying the
western-most promontory of the Senegalese coast, just northwest of
downtown Dakar to be used for the site of his proposed monument. He hired a North Korean firm to construct the monument at a cost of CFA 12-16 billion (approximately USD $25-35 million), according to Wade himself. To cover the costs of construction, rather than pay for
the structure from the GOS's limited budget, a valuable tract of
land near Dakar's airport was appropriated. Rather than sell the
land itself, it is believed the North Koreans and/or GOS engaged the
services of Mbackeou Faye, a prominent businessman and one of Wade's close friends and loyal supporters, to commercialize the real
estate. (COMMENT: Although the GOS asserts that the North Koreans
chose Faye to develop and sell the property, it is all but certain
that Wade himself chose Faye and merely told the North Koreans whom to hire. END COMMENT)
¶4. (SBU) Faye has sold 12 hectares of land thus far, to Ipres, a
retirement and pension institution for private sector and
nongovernment employees-civil servants, for USD $54 million. (NOTE: pres is co-managed by the private sector and the GOS, with Wade nominating the company's director and the company's private board confirming the nomination. END NOTE.) With the remaining land, Faye is believed to be planning to build 270 luxurious residences, each of which will cost USD $300,000. This is expected to bring him an additional USD $81 million. After paying the North Korean firm, Faye is expected to end up with a handsome profit from the deal. (COMMENT: Although Ipres's board is technically independent, its members are vulnerable to political pressure from the Presidency. Wade can easily pull some strings at the company to push deals through. It is very probable that Wade had some say in Ipres's land purchase. END COMMENT.)
THE GOVERNMENT BEGINS TO CONTRADICT ITSELF
------------------------------------------
¶5. (SBU) On June 30, 2009 the EU sent a letter to the GOS
questioning the land deal. In the letter, the EU complained that
the GOS gave up a valuable revenue-generating opportunity while
continuing to ask for budget support from donors.
¶6. (SBU) On July 9, Prime Minister Souleymane Ndene Ndiaye responded with a letter defending the land deal, essentially arguing that the GOS had done nothing wrong, did not "sell" the land, and did not receive any money. The letter also argues that the North Koreans, not the GOS, chose Faye to develop the land. Furthermore,
DAKAR 00001069 002 OF 002
the letter asserts that the MOF was involved in all aspects of the land
deal. This is in direct contradiction to what Abdoulaye Diop, the
Minister of Finance, asserted during the presentation of the revised
2009 budget at the National Assembly. Essentially, the Minister
stated that the MOF was not involved in the monument land deal.
(NOTE: According to XXXXXXXXXXXX the President handled the land deal himself without consulting the ministry, and that the Presidency, not the MOF, controls all public land in the airport and upscale Almadies neighborhoods. END NOTE.)
FURTHER CONTRADICTIONS
----------------------
¶7. (SBU) President Wade recently claimed that since the monument was his own personal idea he has a right to share in the proceeds,
claiming intellectual property rights over the statue. Wade has
subsequently created a foundation and claimed that 35 percent of the
monument's proceeds will go as royalties to the foundation.
Additionally, Wade has named his son, Karim Wade, as the president of the foundation's board of directors. The money that goes to the foundation will ostensibly be used to fund another of Wade's pet projects, the "Cases de Tout Petits". These "cases" are early
childhood education centers, of which over 100 have been built
throughout the country since 2000. Although these "cases" are a
good idea in theory, early childhood education is a luxury in a
country where even universal primary education is unattainable.
Most of the existing centers sit as empty shells, either locked or
diverted to multiple other uses.
MORE TO COME?
-------------
¶8. (SBU) In his letter, Ndiaye mentioned that a second land deal is
likely in the works. He claimed that this deal will cover the costs of landscaping the monument grounds, the construction of a
proposed museum and conference center inside the edifice, and the
construction of parking lots and an amusement park.
COMMENT
-------
¶9. (SBU) The monument, the outer shell of which is missing only the
man's head, is now a prominent feature of greater Dakar's skyline
clearly visible from most of the outer rim of the city. As it sits
close enough to the flight path of planes landing at Dakar's
international airport, it is ensured of becoming a topic of
conversation for foreign visitors and those passing through. The
Senegalese man and woman on the street are also talking, most
expressing the simple plaint that, if given the choice, they would
have preferred electricity and running water. END COMMENT.
BERNICAT