Washington, D.C. — After widespread unrest in Guinea earlier this year, during which more than 100 people died, President Lansana Conté, who has ruled the country since seizing power in a coup in 1984, agreed to demands from unions and civil society that he appoint a consensus prime minister. The parties finally agreed on Lansana Kouyaté, a former executive secretary of Ecowas (the Economic Community of West African States) and special envoy for the International Organization of La Francophonie in Cote d'Ivoire.
Last week, Kouyaté visited Washington, DC to meet with United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, as well as International Monetary Fund and World Bank officials. In an interview with AllAfrica's Katy Gabel and Brian Kennedy, and intern Hassatou Diallo, Kouyaté discussed his relationship with President Conté and the importance of upcoming elections. Excerpts:
On this visit, you met with United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. How was your visit with her?
It went very well. I didn't know she was so aware of the situation in Guinea … I felt she was well aware of the situation which prevailed before the crisis, during the crisis, and now the first steps my government is taking toward improving the situation… I received from her a total commitment to back the process in some areas. The issue of security is paramount... [we are working out] how to reinforce the Guinean army, how to reinforce our police, our security system, and how to help us [hold] transparent elections in December 2007.
Have you scheduled a date for parliamentary elections? If so, when?
Well, there is not a precise date, [but] we say [they will be] in December… The election was due to take place in June [but] because of all this turmoil everybody was compelled to [postpone it]…. This is the first time in my country that even deciding on the postponement or the date of election [was discussed with] with political parties. The parties had many options, but the majority decided the elections should take place in December.
It is a real challenge because we have a long way to go. The administration in the countryside is non-existent because the infrastructure – police stations, prison, [and] prefecture – was destroyed during the turmoil. And we have to rebuild all this before December, so the elections can happen safely and with total transparency.
Do you think you need to hold free and fair elections in order to get aid, or should Guinea receive immediate help from the international community?
The policy of "wait and see" in emergency cases is not a good option… The situation can deteriorate. It is wise to help before the election... [Secretary] Rice said [the United States] was going to help us as soon as possible.
The people have very high expectations for you and expect you to deliver soon. What can you do in the short-term, specifically to ensure some degree of independence, at least for the electoral process?
The immediate need of my government is to rehabilitate all the destroyed buildings inside the country, because without that we cannot send the local authorities [to establish and monitor election procedures]… The government sent a draft law establishing a national commission, and the law was passed by the assembly.
But, immediately, we need money. The European Union has committed roughly seven million euros, but this is directly linked to the election process itself. It has nothing to do with the rehabilitation or restoration of the buildings we are talking about, which will require some money. So I discussed that today with the newly appointed ambassador of the United States to Conakry.
How would you describe your relationship with the President?
Good.
Any problems?
Well, relations between two persons cannot be without any problems… I have to confess that it was very difficult to foresee that I would be able to achieve the formation of a brand new cabinet, because the formation decree had to be signed by the president. But he signed. All his former ministers who had strong relations with him had been put aside [from the new cabinet]. He agreed for that to happen.
I am the product of the [February] agreement [between the unions, civil society and the President]... If [something] is not in concordance with the agreement, I am not going to do it, because for me my Bible, my Quran, is the agreement signed by the parties.
The labor unions played a crucial role in bringing about change early this year. How is your relationship with them right now?
Good. A few days ago, they issued a communiqué supporting the government … They know that I want to change the situation and they fought to get that change to happen.
How is your relationship with the traditional opposition parties?
One of my first actions was to visit all the political parties, including the opposition, which is unprecedented... I didn't [want] to postpone the election alone. I called [the parties] and all of them attended the meeting, including the opposition parties and leaders. I think we have a relationship based on confidence and trust… We shall aim to create the best political environment. We are [both] players in the political arena. I am a player on the executive side. We have to work together.
What would you say to those in the opposition who might think that you are trying to discredit them?
The unionists and civil society were at the front of the action ...They [the opposition parties] tried at certain times to merge but the unionists rejected it. As you know, the agreement… which is my birth certificate, is signed by the unions and civil society on one side and the government on the other side. The political parties [were] not present ... In fact, I have tried … to promote them, because during the crisis they were not perceived as those who were driving the movement and there was a gap between them and the key players [in] the change.
To get the troops to return to the barracks after an uprising in May, the government promised to promote thousands of troops, provide new uniforms, and raise salaries. Some have questioned if the government can follow through on its promises. Can you? How?
The salaries have been increased. There were a lot of mistakes made in the calculation of the salaries before… [but we have re-evaluated them]… Salaries will be increased roughly about 1.7 billion Guinean francs. But [I told] all the army staff and all the high-ranking officials that this will not come from our budget. We are going to [economize] in the army… The current expenditure of the state in the army is too high, and it is not used properly.
Last year, Transparency International rated Guinea 160 out of 163 countries on their Corruption Perception Index. You have appointed a cabinet of fresh faces. Is this a step toward combating corruption? How do you plan to fight corruption and the perception of corruption?
If you correct corruption you will correct the perception of corruption. It is a world problem, it is not only in Guinea. [Problems of corruption] depend on magnitude - how deep it is. In Guinea it's true that impunity, which was linked with corruption, was very high.
Concretely, what to do? [I] envisage total independence of the judiciary. Since our country's independence, our Ministry of Justice – the attorney general – has been [housed] in the same building as the judiciary system, the courts. I think this is the first mistake … [to] mix up the executive and the judiciary. We have decided to cut that link. The Ministry of Justice is now relocated to the old embassy [building] of the United States. I have taken that building to give to the Ministry of Justice, in order to make a physical separation.
It is not enough to make our judicial system free of corruption and to make them independent and feeling independent. In this government, we have a new ministry called the Ministry of Economic and Financial Control, Ethics, and Transparency… There is no example in Africa where you have [ethics and transparency]along with the [Ministry of] Control.
I [ordered] a general audit on the [whole] system, which is going on now sector by sector. It is not only our internal auditors [from] the government, it is also the private sector auditors. This is another tangible action [for] combating corruption. But it is something you should plan over a long time, because it is a perpetual battle. It is not easy, but at least, what we can do we will do properly.
Will the human rights abuses that occurred be investigated? Is there anything in progress?
[With] regard to the violation of human rights in January and February, my government sent to the National Assembly the draft on the establishment of the commission [to investigate the matter]. The commission has been established, and they will be working. I have all confidence that they will do good job. The government is not going to get involved. After the inquiry … [the time] will be ripe to … [apply] sanctions in order to avoid impunity.
Has there been any talk about forming a sort of truth and reconciliation commission?
On the 28th of March, I made a very important address to the nation before I disclosed the composition of my government. In that address, I pointed out all of the priorities of the government, and the first one is national reconciliation. I don't know what format it will take, because… it is [necessary within] all sectors.
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There is a need to reconcile the army [with] the population; there is a need to reconcile those who are rich and those who are poor. The poor are getting poorer every day, so we have to bridge the gap. And you cannot do that without giving priority to justice - precisely, social justice - to give people [the knowledge] that they are not abandoned. The question of employment, the question of youth … all these are priorities, but there is a need to make this social reconciliation between our different regions, the different ethnic groups. I can assure you that [in] the turmoil that happened …all ethnic groups … want[ed] change.
What I am doing now is just to see which structure we can put in place. If that should culminate [in a] truth and reconciliation committee, why not? But Guinea will need a lot of psychological preparation. We went through such a … difficult time from the 1960s up to now, that if people are not mentally prepared to hear what they don't want to hear, any attempt that we will be doing to achieve truth and reconciliation … [will] fail. It's a very complex situation - people don't know the magnitude of it. And until that day [when we establish it], we will try to debate on this issue. I prefer to prepare it very well, so that mentally, everybody will be ready to forgive - maybe not to forget - but at least to forgive.
Many observers have described 2007 as a turning point for Guinea - a real chance for change. Would you agree?
It is very simple. The political parties [know] that we should [hold] elections in 2007. We are going to make sure it will be done. It will require some preparation, which will require some funding. I hope we will get the total support of the international community to fund that mechanism. My government [has made a ] commitment to [a 100% transparent] election.
The people will vote and select whomever they want to select. I was asked [in a previous interview] if I want to hang on to succeed President Conté. The matter is not who [is elected]. I want to put in place a system that can't be destroyed. If I spend two years or one year and I [create] something that cannot be changed, that is for the better.
