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O 180549Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY COTONOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9526
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/COMUSNAVEUR NAPLES IT
RUCOCGA/COMLANTAREA COGARD PORTSMOUTH VA//AE//
RUCOWCA/COGARD MIO EUROPE ROTTERDAM NL
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHLC/AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE 0510
RUEHLI/AMEMBASSY LISBON 0057
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHLMC/MILLENIUM CHALLENGE CORP WASHDC
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1095

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 COTONOU 000366 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/W AND AF/RSA 
DAKAR AND TOGO, PLEASE PASS TO USN/USCG PARTY 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: MASS MARR PREL PINR EWWT BN
SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR BENIN VISIT OF USN VICE ADMIRAL 
STUFFLEBEAM/USCG VICE ADMIRAL PETERMAN 
 
REF: (A) COMLANTAREA 161845Z APR 07; (B) BONE-ANKI DOSSO LETTER AND 
ATTACHED REPORT (delivered May 10, 2007); (C) STATE 59359; (D) 06 
STATE 201852 
 
COTONOU 00000366  001.2 OF 004 
 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY:  Your visit to Benin on May 22 to discuss 
International Port Security and maritime cooperation and safety 
issues (REF A) will help emphasize to Beninese authorities the 
importance that the US government places on these two subjects in 
the Gulf of Guinea region.  You will find your Beninese 
interlocutors eager and willing to cooperate with us in both 
regards, but plagued by a lack of capacity as regards meeting the 
necessary standards.  END SUMMARY. 
 
INTERNATIONAL PORT SECURITY 
--------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) On port security, the Autonomous Port of Cotonou (PAC) has 
been aware since the out-briefing by the USCG evaluation team at the 
end of their August 28-30, 2006 visit to Cotonou of the significant 
deficiencies of the PAC as regards meeting the minimum requirements 
of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code. 
Key deficiencies described were, most importantly, in the areas of 
access control, perimeter barriers and training of stakeholders on 
the PAC's security plan.  Over the past eight months, however, we 
have seen little success at addressing these areas.  Some work has 
been done on extending the perimeter wall, but it remains 
incomplete.  Various decrees have been issued to tighten up 
personnel access to the Port, and there is some evidence that guards 
at the gates are now more rigorous about demanding identification, 
but the port is still congested and teeming with people who do not 
appear to have any legitimate need to be there. 
 
¶3. (U) We hope that delivery of the complete report by the USCG team 
(REF B) to the PAC's Designated Authority on ISPS at the Merchant 
Marine on May 10, and to the Director General of the PAC on May 14, 
will energize them.  We are currently trying to schedule 
appointments at the Foreign Ministry and with the Minister of 
Transportation to deliver the formal demarche (REF C) that will 
begin the 90-day period after which conditions of entry will be 
imposed on vessels coming to the U.S. from Benin.  Both the DG of 
the Merchant Marine and the DG of the Port are aware the demarche is 
coming.  We hope that we will be able to deliver this demarche prior 
to your May 22 meeting with the Transport Minister and Port 
officials.  We will update you on this during your in-brief that 
morning. 
 
¶4. (U) In our discussions with the Port officials on ISPS, we have 
repeatedly stressed that the measures necessary to meet ISPS Code 
standards are not costly.  They require only the administrative 
capacity to elaborate them and the will to implement them.  We have 
also stressed, however, that failure to achieve them would have 
serious consequences, as the conditions of entry that the US Coast 
Guard would be required to apply could well discourage shippers from 
using the Port of Cotonou. 
 
¶5. (U) Related to, but separate from, these efforts to meet minimum 
ISPS standards, the Millennium Challenge Corporation is in the first 
year of implementation of a $307 million Compact with Benin.  The 
single largest area of MCC activity is in improving the Port of 
Cotonou.  Some of the MCC projects will help the PAC to adhere to 
ISPS standards, including possible projects such as video 
surveillance equipment.  These improvements, however, are unlikely 
to be completed for another two to three years.  Our message to the 
Port officials is that the MCC-funded improvements, while they would 
contribute to port security and are important to the efficient 
functioning of the port, are not needed to meet the minimum 
standards required by the US Coast Guard.  The Port officials have 
understood this message, but still note that some measures, such as 
radios or other communications equipment for security personnel, do 
cost money. 
 
MARITIME SECURITY AND DOMAIN AWARENESS 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (U) Benin was an eager and active host for the November 15, 2006, 
Gulf of Guinea Maritime Security Ministerial. Beninese officials are 
aware of the content of the Communique and Action Plan adopted at 
that meeting (REF D).  Implementation of the Action Plan, however, 
has been lacking.  As far as we are informed Benin has not issued an 
 
COTONOU 00000366  002.2 OF 004 
 
 
executive directive on maritime security, conducted a public 
awareness campaign, or designated a national maritime authority. 
Nor has it established an inter-agency working group on maritime 
safety beyond that which was set up to organize the November 
Ministerial, and which we do not believe has met since the event 
concluded. 
 
¶7. (U) The one area where we are aware of some activity has been in 
acquiring and installing appropriate systems, such as AIS, to 
improve maritime domain awareness.  The French Government has 
established a project to provide Benin (along with Togo) with an AIS 
and ground-based radar capacity.  According to a conversation with 
the French DATT, LtCol Patrick Joleaud, on May 9, however, the 
project has not progressed as smoothly as he had hoped.  The French 
have the funding approved and available for the system, and are 
ready to install at least the initial station at the Port of 
Cotonou.  He reported, however, that the Beninese side has been 
unable to confirm the details for the system's operation and 
maintenance, and therefore installation is on hold.  Joleaud added 
that the French plan is currently to install just the one station at 
Cotonou.  If that goes well, he said, the French would then be 
prepared to finance installation of other stations along the coast 
to provide complete coverage.  We hope the French will be able to 
provide more details on the project's status in advance of your 
visit. 
 
OTHER MARITIME AND MILITARY COOPERATION 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶8. (U) Despite these capacity challenges, the Beninese are very 
interested in exploring additional possibilities for military 
assistance and cooperation.  Their interest in restarting IMET 
programs was a major factor in convincing them to agree to a 
"non-surrender" (Article 98) agreement with us in August 2005.  They 
have been keen to get a larger IMET allocation, in part to be able 
to send more officers to staff or war college programs.  Benin 
currently has an IMET student at the Naval Staff College, who is due 
to return to Benin next month.  Ship visits, by the FFG USS ELROD in 
September 2006 and the USCG Cutter LEGARE in March 2007, have also 
gone very well.  In particular, these visits have helped reinforce 
the November Ministerial's message of USG interest in promoting 
maritime domain awareness. 
 
¶9. (U) Benin is also on tap to receive $200,000 worth of equipment 
under FMF for border and coastal security functions.  We need to 
work with them further to define their specific needs for this 
funding.  We are also working together with the DAO and ODC in Accra 
on a possible 1206 program for Benin that would supply two 27-foot 
boats to the Navy.  (NOTE: The GoB has been notified of the FMF 
funds, but we have not formally discussed the 1206 possibility with 
them, as the availability of those funds is not yet certain.  END 
NOTE).  The patrol boats would be particularly welcome.  The 
Beninese Navy has gone long periods without any seaworthy craft, 
although CNO Ahoyo recently told the Ambassador of the 
refurbishement of two small ships so that the ships can now patrol. 
 
 
¶10. (U) The Beninese remain eager participants in other military 
cooperation areas.  US-provided (ACOTA) training for peacekeeping 
has played an important role in helping the Beninese maintain their 
peacekeeping troop deployments of one battalion each in the UN 
missions in Cote d'Ivoire and DR Congo.  So far, Benin has balked 
when asked to consider a third simultaneous large deployment to 
other possible missions in Somalia or Sudan.  It has made 
contributions of smaller contingents of military observers or civpol 
in Darfur and Haiti, respectively.  We hope that at some point in 
the future the GoB may be able to muster a third concurrent 
multilateral mission as well. 
 
¶11. (U) President Yayi, Defense Minister N'Douro, and Chief of the 
General Staff General Mathieu Boni have all stressed their desire to 
increase military cooperation with the U.S.  N'Douro asked to pay an 
official visit to Washington to have such discussions at the 
Pentagon in April, but the timing did not work.  They are 
particularly keen on enhancing their communications and border 
security capabilities.  We expect he will raise his desire to visit 
Washington with you.  While we cannot promise a meeting with the 
Defense Secretary, Washington tells us that meetings with DASD 
Whelan and principals in the Africa Bureau at State would be 
 
COTONOU 00000366  003.2 OF 004 
 
 
possible, if mutually agreeable dates could be found. 
 
¶12. (U) In a meeting with the Ambassador, General Boni specifically 
requested U.S. assistance with equipment, notably items such as 
boots and parachutes, as well as trucks that could be used for 
peacekeeping deployments' transportation requirements.  He also 
requested additional training opportunities, including: i) increased 
IMET programs; ii) slots at US War College programs (he said no 
Beninese had ever attended); iii) parachute training and equipment, 
including use of a plane for training; and iv) up to a half dozen 
college or university scholarships for Beninese girls who have 
completed the Beninese military high school program (Boni noted that 
Belgium provided 6 scholarship slots each year at its military 
academy, to which Benin sends three boys and three girls). 
 
POLITICAL CONTEXT 
----------------- 
 
¶13. (U) Benin is one of the most stable and democratic countries in 
Africa.  The Yayi Administration, in office since April 2006, 
appears genuinely determined to promote a reform agenda, fight 
corruption and spend more of its resources on basic human needs. 
Its performance so far, however, has not always met its ambitions, 
in large part because of the same sorts of administrative capacity 
challenges that have hobbled military cooperation.  With just under 
four years remaining in its term, it still has great potential to 
achieve real reform and create the conditions for economic growth. 
 
¶14. (U) Legislative elections in March 2007, while not producing a 
landslide of support for Yayi, did show that he still has strong 
political appeal, and the coalition he supported has been able to 
cobble together a majority in the National Assembly.  One outcome, 
however, is that a reshuffle of government ministers is imminent, 
although it has not yet been announced as of this writing.  Both of 
the Ministers you are scheduled to meet, Transport and National 
Defense, are likely to keep their jobs, but nothing is guaranteed, 
and we will be able to update you at your in-briefing on May 22. 
 
SECURITY NOTES 
-------------- 
 
¶15. (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 over 
the past two years in carjackings carried out by gangs of criminals. 
 There are no known terrorist organizations operating in Benin, and 
the Beninese government supports the United States in the War 
Against Terrorism. 
 
BIO NOTES 
--------- 
 
¶16. (U) Defense Minister Issifou Kogui N'DOURO has been Defense 
Minister since the beginning of the Yayi Administration in April 
¶2006.  A former official of the International Organization of La 
Francophonie, he speaks only limited English, but in all of our 
meetings has been effusive in his praise of the United States, 
stressing his appreciation of American values and the American work 
ethic.  He brought only a limited background in military affairs to 
his current position, but he is among the closer confidantes of the 
President in the cabinet.  We have heard no reports that his lack of 
a military background has caused him any problems with the members 
of the Beninese Armed Forces, who have adopted a strongly apolitical 
nature since the difficult days of Benin's Marxist revolutionary era 
in the 1970's and 1980's. 
 
¶17. (U) Transport Minister Richard Senou originally served as an 
Economic Advisor to President Yayi, and was named a minister when 
Yayi dismissed his predecessor in November 2006.  This after both 
the GoG Maritime Safety Ministerial and the USCG ISPS evaluation 
visit, so Minister Senou was not directly involved in either event. 
 An outspoken public figure, Senou was a presidential candidate in 
March 2006, where he came around 20th out of 26 candidates in the 
first round and was among the first of the defeated candidates to 
endorse Yayi for the second round.  A former World Bank official, 
Senou speaks decent English, and still has a house and children in 
the U.S. 
 
¶18. (U) Director General of the Port of Cotonou Christophe Aguessy 
 
COTONOU 00000366  004.2 OF 004 
 
 
is, like many Yayi appointees and the President himself, a former 
banker.  He has been in his current position at the PAC 
approximately one year.  He says he has tried hard to institute 
reforms at the Port, but expresses some frustration that his 
decisions and policies are not always respected or implemented by 
his subordinates. 
 
BROWN