VZCZCXRO9139
OO RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHCO #0657/01 2360746
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 240746Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY COTONOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9799
RUCOCGA/COMLANTAREA COGARD PORTSMOUTH VA IMMEDIATE
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHLMC/MILLENIUM CHALLENGE CORP WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCOWCA/COGARD MIO EUROPE ROTTERDAM NL PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1148

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 COTONOU 000657 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/W/DBANKS AND AF/RSA 
LOME FOR DCM J.A. DIFFILY 
COGARD MIO EUROPE ROTTERDAM NL FOR CDR SHAW AND LCDR KEITH 
PARIS FOR D'ELIA 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EAID EINV ETRD EWWT PGOV KHLS PTER PINR BN
SUBJECT: PORT OF COTONOU: UPDATE ON DEMARCHE CONCERNING ISPS CODE 
COMPLIANCE - USCG TEAM RECOMMENDS CLEARANCE 
 
REF: A) Cotonou 617; B) Cotonou 561; C) Cotonou 552; D) Cotonou 389; 
E) State 59359 
 
COTONOU 00000657  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Based on an August 21, 2007 inspection of the Port 
of Cotonou, U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Commander Adam Shaw and Lt. 
Commander Robert Keith, presented to the Government of Benin (GOB) 
on August 22 a USCG Headquarters cleared-document stating their 
recommendation for a USCG determination that the Port of Cotonou has 
met the minimum International Ship and Port Facility (ISPS) 
requirements set forth in the May 21 demarche delivered to the GOB 
by the Ambassador (Ref D).  Assuming USCG headquarters concurrence, 
this would mean that the Port of Cotonou will not/not be placed on 
the ISPS security watch list.   Details and text of the document 
follow below.  END SUMMARY. 
 
 
 
¶2. (U) BACKGROUND.  On May 21, 2007, Ambassador Gayleatha B. Brown 
delivered a demarche, which described in detail deficiencies noted 
at the Port of Cotonou during an August 2006 USCG inspection and 
gave the GOB ninety days to address the deficiencies and meet the 
minimum requirements of the International Ship and Port Facility 
(ISPS) Code (Refs D and E).  These deficiencies also had been noted 
during an official visit by United States Navy (USN) Vice-Admiral 
John D. Stufflebeem and USCG Vice-Admiral David Peterman in May (Ref 
C).  A follow-up visit by USCG Lieutenant Commander Robert Keith on 
July 24 noted that little progress toward ISPS compliance had been 
achieved up to that point (Ref B).  A follow-up visit by then-CDA 
Steven Lauterbach on August 10, made at the request of new GOB 
Minister of Transportation Armand Zinzindohoue, noted that some 
progress had been made, but that much remained to be done. 
Lauterbach affirmed that it would be the USCG, not the Embassy, 
which would make the final determination regarding ISPS compliance 
(Reftel A). END BACKGROUND. 
 
¶3. (U) USCG Commander Shaw and Lieutenant Commander Keith visited 
Benin August 20-22, 2007.  The purpose of their visit was to 
determine if the Port of Cotonou had met the minimum requirements 
under the ISPS Code outlined in the May 21, 2007 demarche, and to 
report these findings, as well as a recommendation, to USCG 
headquarters.  On August 21, the American delegation (USDEL), which 
consisted of Commander Shaw, Lieutenant Commander Keith, Acting 
Political-Economic Officer Steven Lauterbach, Millennium Challenge 
Corporation Benin Acting Resident Country Director Randall Wood, and 
Economic Assistant Marius Lotus, visited the Port of Cotonou. 
Minister of Transportation Zinzindohoue led the 40-50 person GOB 
delegation that included Ms. Rahanaou Anki Dosso, Director of the 
Department of Merchant Marine and ISPS Compliance Designated 
Authority, Christophe Aguessy, General Director of the Port of 
Cotonou and others. 
 
¶4. (U) After a brief meeting of the principals and an exchange of 
formalities, the August 21 working meeting began with a plenary 
session in the Port of Cotonou conference room.  Commander Shaw 
explained that while Lieutenant Commander Keith had visited the port 
several times, this was his first visit, and asked that the GOB 
delegation explain in detail what steps had been taken to correct 
the deficiencies, broken down into six categories that had been 
noted in the demarche.  These categories include: access control 
enforcement, lighting, completion of perimeter fencing, 
communications, division of the port into zones of access, and 
training of personnel. A long discussion followed, with Commander 
Shaw and Lieutenant Commander Keith posing many questions and 
receiving detailed answers from the GOB delegation. The GOB 
delegation then took the USDEL to several classrooms, where Canadian 
instructors from the contract firm Sea Quest were conducting 
training classes for Port of Cotonou personnel.  This training had 
begun within the last few weeks. 
 
¶5. (U) A long tour of the entire port followed.  USDEL was in two 
vehicles, with at least ten GOB vehicles leading and following.  It 
was immediately apparent to USDEL that an enormous amount of 
improvements had been made, many since Mr. Lauterbach's August 10 
visit to the port, and almost all of which had been achieved since 
Lieutenant Commander Keith's July 24 visit.  Commander Shaw and 
Lieutenant Commander Keith frequently exited the vehicles to closely 
examine improvements and, with the aid of Mr. Lotsu who served as 
interpreter, question workers and port personnel.  They made several 
random checks of paperwork and identification, which in every case 
were found to be in proper order.  At a plenary meeting following 
 
COTONOU 00000657  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
the tour, Commander Shaw and Lieutenant Commander Keith noted that 
much had been accomplished, but said that they would have to make a 
point-by-point analysis to determine if the Port of Cotonou had met 
minimum ISPS requirements, and that they would report their findings 
the following day; i.e., August 22. 
 
¶6. (U) After a close analysis, Commander Shaw and Lieutenant 
Commander Keith decided to recommend that the USCG make the 
determination that the Port of Cotonou had met the minimum 
requirements set forth in the May 21 demarche. A full text of their 
determination follows. 
 
BEGIN TEXT. 
U.S. Coast Guard Out-Brief August 21 2007 Benin 
 
Following a visit to the Port of Cotonou on August 21 07 by 
Commander Adam Shaw and Lieutenant Commander Robert Keith, the US 
Delegation noted that the Port has made substantial improvements and 
will recommend that the United States Coast Guard make the 
determination that the country of Benin has met the minimum 
requirements set forth in the demarche delivered to the Government 
of Benin by Ambassador Gayleatha B. Brown on May 21, 2007. 
 
While the minimum requirements of the ISPS code have been met, the 
following recommended areas of improvement are provided to make the 
Autonomous Port of Cotonou more competitive: 
 
Access control 
- Color code badges to identify access to specific zones 
- Enforce zone access 
- Use shuttle buses to move workers between zones 
 
Cargo Logistics and Customs Inspections 
- Move the containers off-site to conduct customs inspections and to 
facilitate the stripping and stuffing of containers 
 
Off-Site Parking 
- Complete secure off-site truck parking to stimulate hinterland 
traffic from Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali 
- Complete off-site parking for port personnel 
 
Continue Enforcement of the 48-hour time limit for trucks in the 
port and strive to further reduce the time trucks are required to 
remain in the port 
 
Continue the "train the trainer" courses and develop a drill and 
exercise plan 
 
Encourage more direct involvement of the designated authority to 
effectively oversee implementation of the ISPS Code 
 
Commander Adam Shaw 
U.S. Coast Guard 
 
Lieutenant Commander Robert Keith 
U.S. Coast Guard 
 
END TEXT OF DOCUMENT 
 
¶7. (U) On August 22, the American delegation, led by the Ambassador, 
conducted an out-briefing for the GOB.  She informed the GOB 
representatives that the USCG officers would recommend to USCG 
headquarters that a determination be made that the GOB has met the 
minimum requirements set forth in the May 21 demarche.  Commander 
Shaw and Lieutenant Commander Keith provided details, careful to 
note that while substantial progress had been made, much remains to 
be done, and that the GOB must not become complacent.  Lieutenant 
Commander Keith pointed out that if the Port of Cotonou could make 
so many improvements in three weeks, even more could be done in the 
next three months or the next three years. 
 
¶8. (U) In a striking illustration of the enormous importance of this 
issue to the GOB, President Boni Yayi held a 45 minute evening 
meeting on August 22 with the entire USDEL. The Ambassador 
reaffirmed USG commitment to its partnership for development with 
Benin.  Minister Zinzindohoue, accompanied by several Port 
officials, committed his staff to continued improvement of the Port. 
 President Yayi expressed appreciation for on-going USG support, 
notably with the Port, and thanked the USCG officers for their 
visit, inviting them back both to assist the Port and to verify that 
 
COTONOU 00000657  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
additional progress was being made.  He even suggested an 
unannounced USCG visit.  President Yayi emphasized the great 
importance of the Port of Cotonou, describing it as the "engine of 
the nation's economy." 
 
¶9. (U) The President stated that he was by no means satisfied with 
"minimum" ISPS compliance and wanted the Port of Cotonou to improve 
to the point such that it would be the most important and modern 
port in the region.  He linked the port to his efforts to increase 
Benin's rate of economic growth and to reduce poverty.  He also 
discussed the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) at length, 
emphasizing its key role in improving the Port of Cotonou and 
expressing the wish that these efforts be increased and accelerated. 
 Commander Shaw thanked the President for the warm hospitality he 
had enjoyed in Benin and described to the President the reciprocal 
visit to the United States, which he hopes to organize for GOB 
officials, in an effort to continue Port improvements and 
modernization. 
 
¶10. (SBU) COMMENT: After almost two months of lackadaisical efforts 
to meet ISPS standards, the GOB seemingly went into full-scale panic 
mode after Lieutenant Commander Keith's July 24 visit and made huge 
improvements to the Port of Cotonou in a very short time.  It is 
abundantly clear that the highest levels of the GOB took this 
demarche very seriously and that the GOB regards the Port as 
enormously important to the country's economy.  It is also 
noteworthy that in recent weeks a number of personnel changes have 
been made at the Port of Cotonou, including the firing of both the 
Harbor Master and the Head of Customs at the port. These firings 
reflect the seriousness of the GOB's efforts to improve the Port of 
Cotonou as well as President Yayi's ongoing campaign against 
corruption.  As we look to the future, it is vitally important that 
the GOB not become complacent with regard to improvements at the 
Port of Cotonou but continue with efforts to make improvements.  The 
American delegation made this point repeatedly, and the Embassy will 
continue to do so.  Postscript:  President Yayi personally visited 
the Port of Cotonou on August 23 to emphasize the need for further 
improvements and obtained an ID badge in compliance with the USCG 
recommendation.  END COMMENT. 
 
BROWN