VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHRB #0739/01 2441538
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 011538Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY RABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0619
INFO RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA 4705
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS RABAT 000739 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR ISN/ECC - VENNIE PSAROS, INL/AAE - AARON ALTON 
AND NEA/MAG 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON ETTC KSTC PARM PREL MO
SUBJECT: EXBS PROGRAM IN MOROCCO READY TO EVOLVE 
 
REF: A. STATE 123198 
     ¶B. RABAT 0545 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  The Department's Export Control and 
Related Border Security (EXBS) Program has led a 
well-received, coordinated interagency effort to improve 
Morocco's export control and border security system since 
¶2007.  Morocco has recently reached a "turning point" in its 
trade control system, however, and needs to start 
strategically focusing its attention on targeted operational 
training, drafting a trade control law and adopting a control 
list that meets international standards.  Moroccan Customs 
and Ministry of Foreign Trade (MFT) officials have conveyed 
to the Mission official requests for specific assistance, 
including equipment, operational support, technical exchanges 
and training.  Post priorities for EXBS funding of GOM 
requests include assisting in the development of a national 
control list, providing expertise to implement export control 
regulations, organizing an exchange to the U.S. for working 
level export control experts, additional licensing training 
and border security equipment.  Post also recommends more 
comprehensive coordination of EXBS assistance with other USG 
and other donor programs to align more closely with Moroccan 
needs.  End Summary. 
 
--------------------------------- 
A VALUED PROGRAM, READY TO EVOLVE 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The Department  of State's Export Control and 
Related Border Security (EXBS) Program has been leading 
interagency efforts to improve Morocco's export control and 
border security system since 2007.  In 2009 EXBS provided 
assistance in commodity identification, regional security and 
small arms/portable anti-aircraft missiles (MANPADS), EU 
control list conversion, and the development of export 
control regulations.  EXBS also donated personal radiation 
detectors and sponsored a delegation of Moroccans to attend 
and present at the Tenth International Export Control 
Conference in Istanbul, Turkey.  The Government of Morocco 
(GOM) appreciates and values EXBS assistance.  The GOM 
assesses that the assistance provided thus far has increased 
its capabilities to enforce existing export controls. 
However, the GOM recognizes that its current export control 
framework is inadequate and seeks further USG assistance to 
replace the current regime with updated laws and regulations 
that meet international standards. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) MFT Director of Foreign Trade Policy Zahra Maafiri 
told EconOff that the EXBS programs in Morocco have laid the 
foundation for Morocco to develop a legal framework for 
export controls.  "We have reached a turning point in the 
development of the Moroccan export controls system," she 
emphasized, which requires more targeted assistance.  A few 
existing laws and decrees control military items, 
radiological sources and materials related to health and 
environmental safety, but Morocco does not have a strategic 
trade control law or control list consistent with 
international standards.  The GOM would like to develop a 
completely new legal and regulatory framework to govern 
exports.  In order to implement this new system, the MFT 
delivered to the Embassy an official request for technical 
assistance to help Morocco "contribute efficiently to the 
international efforts being undertaken to combat the 
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction."   The MFT 
seeks USG assistance in targeted operational training, 
drafting a trade control law and adopting a control list that 
meets international standards. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The seven areas for technical assistance that the 
MFT identified in its request include: 
 
-- Providing Morocco with hands-on expert assistance for 
putting in place a legal framework governing exports control 
of dual use items; 
 
-- Assisting the Ministry to put in place an agency that will 
be in charge of the export control of dual use items, 
particularly licensing (Note:  In accordance with provisions 
of Law 13/89 related to foreign trade and its governing laws 
and regulations, MFT is in charge of licensing products 
submitted to the exports approval regime.  End Note.); 
 
-- Helping Morocco to identify the components of a national 
list of dual use items; 
 
-- Assisting the Ministry in developing a mechanism to 
control the export of dual use items; 
-- Assisting with capacity building for licensing officials; 
 
-- Organizing study and information tours to U.S. ports and 
other U.S. authorities in charge of controlling the export of 
dual use items to allow experts from Morocco, particularly 
the MFT, Customs, and Ministry for the Administration of 
National Defense, to learn from relevant U.S. entities' 
related experience; and, 
 
-- Assisting the MFT in raising industrial sector awareness 
of the importance of export control of dual use items. 
 
----------------------------------- 
CUSTOMS: LESS THEORY MORE EQUIPMENT 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Moroccan Customs officials have similarly conveyed 
appreciation for the high level of cooperation between 
Morocco and the United States, particularly on the EXBS 
Program.  They also continually stress that they would like 
training to be more practical and hands-on, with less theory. 
 Customs Director of Training Yamina Andoh told EconOff that 
Morocco needs most support at its Customs Training Academy in 
Casablanca, which provides training to all Moroccan Customs 
personnel as well as to Customs officials of other 
French-speaking African countries.  The Director of the 
training academy, Abderrazak El Mergaoui, provided EconOff 
with a list of the Academy's needs, including training 
equipment (desk-top and laptop computers, intelligent boards, 
digital video conference equipment, etc.), Customs training 
documents in French or Arabic and a request for practical 
operational training from U.S. Customs experts.  Customs 
Officials made the same request to International Narcotics 
and Law Enforcement (INL) Regional Coordinator Aaron Alton 
during a recent visit (Ref B).  As INL has already obligated 
USD 875,000 to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for 
supporting the Moroccan Customs Training Center, Post urges 
EXBS to consider giving priority to other worthwhile security 
efforts in Morocco. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) During the donation ceremony for EXBS-provided 
personal radiation monitors, Customs Head of International 
Cooperation Fatha Hajjar thanked the USG for the constant 
support but highlighted Customs' pressing need for X-ray 
scanners for ports and border posts.  The only posts with 
scanners in stock are the ports of Casablanca, Tangier, 
Tangier-Med, Nador, Agadir, and the border post of 
Guergarate, Hajjar noted.  Despite the administration's 
efforts, he stressed, &we do not yet cover all ports and 
land border posts and sometimes the scanning coverage 
available is not sufficient for the size of the port (i.e. 
Casablanca).8  In order to reduce risk and properly manage 
border security, Hajjar added, Morocco needs more scanners 
and help maintaining and operating them. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Customs subsequently provided an official request 
listing their current stock and scanning needs.  The 
inventory and request follows: 
 
Current Stock: 
 
-- 2 NUCTECH LIMITED 6 MeV moveable scanners (Casablanca and 
Guergarate) 
 
-- 4 NUCTECH LIMITED 4.5 MeV mobile scanners (Tangier, Nador 
and Agadir) 
 
-- 2 SMITH DETECTION 4.5 MeV mobile scanners (Tangier and 
Nador) 
 
-- 1 SMITH DETECTION 6 MeV moveable scanner (Tangier-Med) 
 
Request: 
 
-- 5 Z Backscatter X-Ray drive-through system for light 
vehicles 
 
-- 5 Mobile Scanning systems with a minimum power of 4.5 MeV 
 
---------------------------------------- 
MORE TARGETED AND COORDINATED ASSISTANCE 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Based on an evaluation of GOM needs and USG 
programs, Post recommends ISN/ECC review its offering of 
border enforcement assistance to avoid duplication of the 
efforts of other USG agencies in Morocco.  Ref A proposals 
for International Seaport Interdiction Training, Special 
Teams Operations Training and Targeting and Risk Management 
Training are comparable in scope and projected audience to 
trainings offered to Morocco by INL, the U.S. Coast Guard 
and/or DHS Customs and Border Patrol.  The GOM has told us 
that it is aware of its export control technical assistance 
needs and does not require further assessments to help 
identify them.  Ref B outlines Post's priorities that have 
been identified for INL programs and funding, including areas 
of INL interest that support EXBS goals.  Based on prior 
assessments and consultations with GOM officials, Post does 
not recommend further EXBS assessments of Morocco's export 
control system.  (Note:  Although the University of 
Georgia,s Center for International Trade and Security (CITS) 
has already been contracted to conduct an export control 
assessment in Morocco, Post believes this is unnecessary and 
would likely be perceived by the GOM as duplicative and 
non-responsive to current requirements.  We recommend that 
EXBS reprogram this CITS funding, if possible, to provide 
instead advisory assistance for the implementation of export 
control regulations.  End Note.) 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Post priorities for EXBS funding of GOM requests 
are as follows: 
 
-- Assisting Morocco to develop a national control list; 
 
-- Providing consulting expertise required for drawing up and 
implementing a regulatory framework for dual use commodities 
(This assistance could consist of a team of U.S. export 
control experts visiting Morocco for an exchange with MFT 
regulations officials.); 
 
-- Organizing a policy exchange visit to the U.S. for 
working-level Moroccan export control experts (including 
Customs, MFT and National Security Officials); 
 
-- Further capacity building of licensing officials; and, 
 
-- Providing customs and border security equipment including 
scanners and/or assistance operating and maintaining the 
current stock of scanning equipment. 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Comment: The GOM's efforts to prioritize needs and 
convey these requests for technical assistance are a welcome 
opportunity to evaluate and align USG offerings to ensure 
that we meet EXBS export control goals for Morocco while 
strengthening the level of cooperation with the GOM.  GOM 
officials have in the past passively accepted foreign offers 
of technical assistance without internal coordination to 
de-conflict programs offered by different donor countries. 
The result is that the same or very similar workshops have 
been provided by the U.S., the EU or other foreign donors. 
(For example, the German export control authority, Federal 
Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA), has 
facilitated EU control list training in Morocco almost 
identical to the EU Control List Conversion Seminar that EXBS 
funded in May).  End Comment. 
 
 
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Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website; 
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Moro cco 
***************************************** 
 
Jackson