VZCZCXRO9259
RR RUEHPA
DE RUEHDK #1751/01 2361247
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 241247Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY DAKAR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9064
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 0253
RUEHLC/AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE 0967
RUEHLI/AMEMBASSY LISBON 0807
RUEHLU/AMEMBASSY LUANDA 0429
RUEHTO/AMEMBASSY MAPUTO 0470
RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DAKAR 001751 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF/W, AF/RSA, INL/AAE, G/TIP 
PARIS FOR POL D'ELIA AND DEA HOUSTON 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/13/2017 
TAGS: SNAR PREL PU
SUBJECT: GUINEA BISSAU: FORMING NATIONAL DRUG STRATEGY 
 
Classified By: Charge Jay T. Smith for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1. (C) The GOGB announced its program to fight drug 
trafficking, which ranges from constructing a prison -- the 
top GOGB priority -- to a national awareness campaign.  The 
UN Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is trying to help raise 
over USD 15 million in donations for the effort.  Until it 
receives significant and steadfast support from the 
international community, it seems clear the GOGB will take no 
further concrete steps to fight drug trafficking.  End 
Summary. 
 
GOGB ORGANIZING TO FIGHT DRUGS 
------------------------------ 
 
¶2. (U) On August 2, Justice Minister Carmelita Pires along 
with Prime Minister Martinho N'Dafa Cabi presented to the 
press their plan to combat drug trafficking.  The plan 
includes building a prison, shoring up the judicial system, a 
national education campaign, police training, and a 
functioning inter-ministerial/civil society coordination 
committee.  A legislative review is already underway and on 
May 17 the National Popular Assembly ratified the UN 
Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the 
Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in 
Persons, Especially Women and Children. 
 
¶3. (U) Most of the Government's program is entirely dependant 
upon external financing.  Pires told Poloff and LEGATT that 
the European Union had agreed to provide financing for a 
prison with a price tag near USD 3 million.  She noted that 
Portugal had promised to send police inspectors specializing 
in counter-narcotics operations to work alongside Judicial 
Police but no date had yet been set for their arrival.  Other 
components are yet to be funded.  The GOGB will host a 
conference, tentatively scheduled for late September in 
Bissau, to define parameters and raise cash for its program. 
Partners in the region, Europe and the United States will be 
invited.  In her press conference, Pires singled out The 
United States, Portugal and Cape Verde as key partners.  The 
UNODC in cooperation with the GOGB is circulating a draft 
program proposal for USD 15.450 million as a base for 
requesting donor support. 
 
¶4. (C) LEGATT reiterated to Min. of Justice that the U.S. DEA 
and FBI representatives had exchanged information and 
provided assistance in the past, with promises of continued 
assistance, but all that was halted as a result of the firing 
of the former PJ chief and Deputy.  LEGATT expressed his 
desire on behalf of FBI and DEA to renew communication and 
cooperation with the new PJ chief.  Min of Justice promised 
that that would be the case, and suggested USG law 
enforcement also coordinate advance intelligence and 
information regarding inbound drug shipments through the 
INTERPOL office.  POLOFF reminded Min of Justice of DEA 
having offered training and drug analysis kits in the past. 
 
"NAO TEMOS MEIOS" 
----------------- 
 
¶5. (C) Dr. Lucinda Gomes Barbosa Aukharie is the new head of 
the Judicial Police (JP), which has responsibility for 
fighting drug trafficking.  Her husband, Calvario Aukharie, 
is the Director of Interpol in Bissau.  In a meeting with 
Poloff and LEGATT, Barbosa Aukharie limited her comments to 
pleasantries and the typical refrain of "nao temos meios," or 
"we have no means" to combat crime, a sentiment also 
expresssed by the Justice Minister.  The JP has only about 70 
agents, all located in the capital.  She said the JP has no 
communications equipment and only three vehicles of which 
only one is serviceable.  By contrast, the Public Order 
Police, headed by Interior Minister Baciro Dabo (who many 
believe to be involved with drug trafficking), has a force of 
hundreds posted throughout the country and several new 
vehicles.  Alexandre Forbes, who was fired as Deputy of the 
JP only to be hired back as an Inspector, estimated at least 
three tons of cocaine pass through the country every month. 
 
¶6. (C) The head of the inter-ministerial coordination 
commission, Nelson Morreira, is a tough-talking advisor to 
 
DAKAR 00001751  002 OF 002 
 
 
the Minister of Health.  The seven-Ministry, fifteen-person 
commission was re-activated in 2005 and helped draft the 
Government's program.  Morreira lamented that the commission 
was not very active, only he and one other person attended 
the last meeting because he says they are volunteers who 
receive no incentive or even transportation stipend. 
Morreira told Poloff and LEGATT the GOGB's traditional 
approach of asking for money and goods would not be enough to 
have an impact.  He said the international community should 
be hitting traffickers and those that assist them where it 
hurts: in the passport.  He hoped foreign intelligence and 
law enforcement agencies would coordinate to issue arrest 
warrants so traffickers know they are in danger of being 
apprehended or extradited to face trafficking charges if they 
travel outside Guinea-Bissau. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶7. (C) Poloff told Justice Minister Pires that 
anti-corruption measures were an important component and her 
response was that until GOGB receives support, it will be 
impossible to know who the drug barons are.  In reality, a 
barely conscious observer can see Hummers, Jaguars, and 
mansions springing up around Bissau and know that is not 
true.  It seems with this anti-narcotics program and upcoming 
conference, the GOGB is saying essentially, "we will allow 
the international community to fight drugs in Guinea-Bissau, 
but until we have proof of support and receive significant 
resources, we will take not risk our lives by taking action." 
 
 
Visit Embassy Dakar's classified website at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/af/dakar. 
SMITH