VZCZCXRO4260
OO RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHCO #1118/01 3130801
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 090801Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY COTONOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8993
INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHMFIUU/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RHMFISS/FOB EUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RHMFISS/COMUSNAVEUR NAPLES IT
RUENAAA/CNO WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/AFRICA CTR FOR STRATEGIC STUDIES WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/NAVEURLOGCOORD CENTER NAPLES IT
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 0241
RUEHAR/USDAO ACCRA GH

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 COTONOU 001118 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR AF GEN WARD, ADM ULRICH, AMB YATES, AMB CURRAN, RDML GREENE AND 
MAJ GEN REMKES 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EWWT MARR MASS PREL PGOV PINR BN
SUBJECT: BENIN: SCENE SETTER FOR EUCOM AND NAVEUR PARTICIPATION IN 
GULF OF GUINEA MINISTERIAL 
 
REF: COTONOU 972 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Post welcomes your participation in the 
NAVEUR/ACSS-sponsored Gulf of Guinea Maritime Safety and Security 
(MSS) Ministerial Conference hosted by the Government of Benin (GOB) 
in Cotonou, November 13-15, 2006.  Your visit highlights USG support 
for safety and security and initiatives in the Gulf of Guinea.  The 
conference takes place under the aegis of Benin's new pro-US 
President Boni Yayi, elected in widely acclaimed free, fair and 
transparent March 2006 presidential elections, whose success many 
here attribute to the USG role. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Your presence will reinforce existing strong bilateral 
relations as demonstrated by the new Millenium Challenge Compact 
(MCC) as well as ongoing USAID and Peace Corps programs.  The US and 
Benin also enjoy a lively set of military-to-military cooperation, 
despite the lack of any resident DAO or ODC presence.  Benin has 
been an active participant in multilateral peacekeeping missions, 
particularly in Cote d'Ivoire and DR Congo, having received 
extensive training from the US via ACOTA.  You also will meet with 
the Minister of Defense. There is little anti-American sentiment, 
and the USG is very popular with the GOB, press, and general 
population. However, addressing corruption remains a major 
challenge, and petty crime plagues the population.  END SUMMARY. 
 
REGIONAL STABILITY AND MILITARY COOPERATION 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Entry into force in 2005 of an Article 98 agreement (which 
the GOB prefers to call a "non-surrender" agreement) has permitted 
us to significantly increase the tempo of military training and 
cooperation with the Beninese forces. Our IMET program restarted in 
FY06 and is focused on English-language training in addition to 
other general courses. The GOB also has expressed interest in 
nominating candidates for attendance at one or more of the war 
colleges.   Unfortunately, it appears some in Washington plan to cut 
Benin's IMET budget in FY08 to zero.  (NOTE: We are contesting this 
plan with Washington, and have not shared this information with the 
GOB. END NOTE.) 
 
¶4. (SBU) Although a small country, Benin is a beneficiary of the 
Africa Contingency Operations Training Assistance (ACOTA) program 
and makes an important contribution to regional stability both 
through its example and commitments. Benin currently has over 1,200 
peacekeeping troops deployed in the Democratic Republic of Congo 
(MONUC) and in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI), as well as military and police 
observers in Darfur and Haiti. The Beninese Armed Forces have 
expressed a willingness to consider expanding its contribution in 
Darfur or elsewhere, but to do this the GOB would require USG 
support in terms of material, perhaps via FMF or GPOI funding. 
 
¶5. (SBU) The Beninese Naval Forces struggle to conduct operations 
and, at present, consist of two Boston Whalers, one of which is 
inoperative. Two patrol boats have not been seaworthy in recent 
years, and are moored at the Port of Cotonou.  This is another 
reason Benin would be an attractive prospect for FMF funding. The 
last U.S. vessel to call was the USS ELROD, which visited Cotonou at 
the end of September. 
 
¶6. (SBU) The French and Belgians are actively cooperating with the 
Beninese military.  The French also have approximately 20 officers 
who are seconded to the FAB and wear Beninese military uniforms. 
The French have said they actively support our maritime safety 
agenda in the Gulf of Guinea, and both the French and Beninese tell 
us that they are working to provide Benin with an AIS and 
ground-based radar system covering the entire Beninese coast.  These 
systems may be operational in early 2007.  A military delegation 
from China visited Benin in August of this year, and Chinese 
technicians are reported to be working to get one of Benin's two 
Chinese-made patrol boats back into seaworthy shape. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Your visit comes in the wake of the successful execution of 
the Benin portion of MEDFLAG '06, the USEUCOM-sponsored ECOWAS 
military exercise that was held September 4-15.  It involved the 
participation of nearly 60 U.S. military medical personnel and 
received broad press coverage (reftel). 
 
SECURITY IN BENIN 
 
COTONOU 00001118  002 OF 003 
 
 
----------------- 
 
¶8. (U) Benin is rated HIGH for crime and MEDIUM for transnational 
terrorism.  The community in general is affected most by street 
crime in all parts of Benin.  There has been a slight increase in 
carjackings carried out by Beninese gangs over the past two years. 
There are no known terrorist organizations present in Benin, and the 
Beninese Government supports the United States in the War Against 
Terrorism.  Embassy Benin enjoys a good working relationship with 
the local Police and Gendarmes.  Nigerian-style 419 fraud is 
prevalent in Benin as well as the presence of counterfeit US 
currency and counterfeit Franc CFA. 
 
KEY ISSUES: MAKING THE DEMOCRATIC DIVIDEND PAY 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶9. (SBU) Benin President Boni Yayi assumed office with a strong 
mandate, having won 75 percent of the run-off vote. Despite Benin's 
political stability, economic growth over the past several years has 
been disappointing. The country has few natural advantages or 
resources to spur growth or endow it with geopolitical strategic 
importance. It is only Benin's democratic tradition that has 
qualified Benin to feature on almost every list of beneficiaries for 
various aid programs such as Millennium Challenge, the African 
Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), HIPC debt relief, President 
Bush's Women's Justice and Empowerment Initiative, the EU's program 
of direct budget support, and the World Bank's Education Fast-Track 
Initiative. 
 
¶10. (SBU) This "democratic dividend" is vital for Benin, but can 
only spur real economic growth if it is combined with improved 
economic governance.  Botched privatizations of Benin's cotton and 
petroleum parastatals, Benin's largest export and import items, 
respectively, combined with difficult world market conditions for 
both products, have weighed heavily on Benin's economy over the past 
three years. Endemic corruption and inefficiencies in managing 
crucial infrastructure such as the Port of Cotonou, also negatively 
affect growth. 
 
USG PROGRAMMING IN BENIN 
------------------------ 
 
¶11. (SBU) In February 2006, Benin signed a five-year, USD 307 
million MCA Compact, which entered into force on October 6. 
President Yayi presided over an October 9 ceremony to mark the 
occasion.  He underscored his Government's commitment to maintaining 
Benin's eligibility for the Compact program, notably by addressing 
the problem of endemic corruption.  The Compact includes four main 
program areas: improving access to land, justice, financial 
services, and markets (which accounts for over half of the program 
and is predominantly to improve the functioning of the Port of 
Cotonou). Such aid to the Port is a serious need, as a recent US 
Coast Guard assessment found the Port does not currently meet ISPS 
standards. 
 
¶12. (SBU) USAID and Peace Corps will continue their programs in key 
social sectors.  USAID's programs are focused on primary health care 
and basic education.  Peace Corps's programs focus on secondary 
education, health, environment, small business and information 
technology, with over 100 Volunteers are working countrywide. 
 
A BRIEF HISTORY OF BENIN 
------------------------ 
 
¶13. (U) Benin's status as one of the most peaceful and democratic 
countries in Africa is a real achievement. In fact, Benin was the 
first African country to suffer from a military coup in the 
post-colonial era, and from 1963 to 1972 Benin saw more coups and 
changes of government than any other African state. From 1972 to 
1989, under Mathieu Kerekou's "revolutionary" leadership, Benin 
lived under a Marxist regime that quickly became unsustainable with 
the end of the Cold War. 
 
¶14. (U) Benin became a trailblazer in a more positive sense in 1990 
when it was one of the first African countries to undergo a 
democratic transition. A new Constitution was adopted in December 
1990, and, in elections in February 1991, Kerekou was defeated and 
peacefully stepped aside for new President Nicephore Soglo. But in 
 
COTONOU 00001118  003 OF 003 
 
 
1996 Kerekou resumed office after defeating Soglo in democratic