CIRCULAR NO.0 03 _/CAB/PM OF 2 8 MAR 2018 on the management of confidential documents and information belonging to the State and public institutions.-
# THE PRIME MINISTER, HEAD OF GOVERNMENT,
# TO
THE VICE-PRIME MINISTER; MINISTERS OF STATE; MINISTERS; MINISTERS DELEGATE; SECRETARIES OF STATE; HEADS OF DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS; HEADS OF ADMINISTRATIVE DISTRICTS; EXECUTIVE HEADS OF REGIONAL AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES; DIRECTORS GENERAL OF PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS AND STATE-OWNED COMPANIES. SERVICES DU PREMIER MINISTRESÉCRÉTARIAT GÉNÉRAL DIRECTION DES AFFAIRES ADMINISTRATIVES ET DES REQUÊTES COPIE CERTIFÉE CONFORME
It has come to my knowledge that in violation of the laws and regulations in force, confidential documents and information belonging to the State and public institutions are recurrently disclosed to unauthorized entities.
This phenomenon is gaining ground due to the growing use of the Internet and its offshoots, and the advent of new electronic communications tools which facilitate the spread of information. Thus, we observe the recurrent dissemination, on "social media" or on other mass media, of sensitive documents often inscribed with the words "CONFIDENTIAL", "SECRET" or "TOP SECRET", as the case may be.
This has also been observed in the dissemination of information on field operations of our security and defense forces, and on ongoing proceedings before the courts.
Added to the fact that these improprieties are likely to compromise the effectiveness of Government's action, they also jeopardise State security which is increasingly confronted with multifaceted threats.
In order to put an end to this phenomenon, and pending the finalization of State data management platforms and charters, I henceforth ask you to:
- Ensure improved compliance with the obligation of professional discretion by public officials under your responsibility, as enshrined in the General Statutes of the Civil Service;
- Ensure strict compliance with the laws in force on the management of confidential State documents, especially the provisions of Instruction No. 13/CAB/PRF of 6 August 1968 on ensuring confidentiality in the handling, possession, dissemination and conservation of classified material and classified or confidential information;
- Systematically take measures to bring public officials presumed guilty of breaching the duty of professional discretion before the competent disciplinary bodies;
- Assign only persons with an indisputable sense of probity to the mail management services of your department;
- Liaise with relevant public bodies such as the National Agency for Information and Communication Technologies (ANTIC) and the National Data Development Centre (CENADI) to set up secure electronic communication channels for the electronic transactions of the State.
I place the highest value on the strict enforcement of these prescriptions which should be disseminated as widely as possible among your collaborators.-
