VZCZCXRO4107
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHAR #1916/01 2541439
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 111439Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY ACCRA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5268
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
INFO RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 0879
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1493
RUEHMT/AMCONSUL MONTREAL 0029

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ACCRA 001916 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
USICAO/MONTREAL FOR LAURA FAUX-GABLE, IO/T FOR LAURA LUFTIG, 
EB/TRA/OTP FOR MEGAN WALKLET-TIGJE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAIR ECON ETRD GH SENV
SUBJECT: GHANA - ICAO CANDIDACY DEMARCHE DELIVERED; RECAP OF CIVIL 
AVIATION ACTIVITIES 
 
Ref:  A) SECSTATE 83246; B) ACCRA 1333; C) SECSTATE 77572;  D) ACCRA 
1558; E) SECSTATE 115443; F) ACCRA 1802 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  EconOff delivered the third ICAO Assembly 
demarche requesting support for U.S. candidacy to the ICAO Council. 
Ghana's Minister of Aviation indicated support would be based on 
reciprocity as Ghana also seeks re-election.  The Ghana Civil 
Aviation Authority (GCAA) inquired about the status of requests for 
assistance from the FAA and expressed disappointment about lack of 
funding for Ghana from Safe Skies for Africa.  During a recent 
briefing by U.S. Air Force Europe (USAFE) on the "Gulf of Guinea 
Airspace Security and Capacity Building" initiative, Ghana offered 
to host a regional conference but was hesitant to commit to the 
initiative before technical and financial reports were delivered. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
---- 
ICAO 
---- 
 
¶2. (U) EconOff and Dakar-based FAA Representative for Sub-Saharan 
Africa Moira Keane met with the following officials to seek support 
for U.S. re-election to Part I of the ICAO Council per ref E: 
Minister of Aviation, Gloria Akuffo; Ministry of Aviation Technical 
Director, Twumasi-Ankra Selby; Acting Director General of the GCAA, 
Simon Allotey; and Deputy Director of the GCAA, Willie Orhin.  The 
Minister said she has received several such requests for support and 
will be passing them all on to colleagues within the Government of 
Ghana (GoG).  She explained that Ghana generally expects reciprocal 
support for its candidacy for Part III of the ICAO Council, but 
would be guided by the common African positions determined by the 
African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC).  She added that Ghana 
would not likely veer from U.S. positions provided they are 
practical for Ghana. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The Minister could not confirm the list of delegates to the 
Assembly provided in ref D by Mr. Allotey, noting the President had 
not yet vetted it. 
 
¶3. (U) Regarding ref C, Mr. Allotey indicated the common African 
position taken in Nairobi in August during the African Civil 
Aviation Commission meeting supported the U.S. position regarding 
the European Union's Emissions Trading Scheme.  African states will 
wait for the results of the ICAO study group before making further 
decisions.  Ms. Keane provided materials to the GCAA to assist with 
working papers to be presented in Montreal. 
 
---------------------- 
GHANA SEEKS ASSISTANCE 
---------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) The GCAA requested information about the status of its GNSS 
(Global Navigation Satellite System) proposal to FAA which Mr. 
Allotey said has not been supported for over five years and about 
which he has "basically given up."  Ms. Keane suggested that Ghana 
resubmit the proposal soon to the air traffic services department 
while the department is revising its African strategy. 
Realistically, she said, that process will take one year. 
 
¶5. (SBU) The GCAA expressed disappointment recently to EconOff and 
DOD officials (see para 8) about the FAA's lack of assistance to 
Ghana through the Safe Skies for Africa Initiative.  Ms. Keane 
suggested the GoG delegation to ICAO meet with DOT representative 
Connie Hunter when in Montreal for further discussion. 
 
-------------------------------- 
USAFE: GULF OF GUINEA INITIATIVE 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (U) Brigadier General Roger A. Binder, Mobilization Assistant to 
the Commander, U.S. Air Force Europe Headquarters, briefed the 
Ambassador, Ghana Air Force, and members of the GCAA Friday, August 
24 about ongoing developments toward a "Gulf of Guinea Airspace 
Security and Capacity Building" program.  This was the second visit 
in 2007 regarding the 10-20 year plan for regional radar coverage. 
It was followed immediately by a technical team assessing Ghana's 
current radar and other technical capacities.  USAFE will provide 
the GoG with a cost estimate for equipment (i.e. what will be 
required to reach full radar capacity for this initiative) and a 
timeline for strategic planning purposes.  Post suggested USAFE 
approach ECOWAS to coordinate efforts. 
 
¶7. (U) Ghana offered, in principle, to host the first regional 
conference on this initiative but requested logistical support. 
 
ACCRA 00001916  002 OF 002 
 
 
Post awaits further instruction from USAFE. 
 
¶8. (SBU) As noted in para 5, GCAA officials expressed discontent 
with lack of benefit from U.S. initiatives such as Safe Skies. 
These comments, repeated in private discussions with the visiting 
technical team, help to explain the GoG's hesitance to commit 
upfront to the Gulf of Guinea project which does not come with a 
guarantee for funding for equipment.  The Minister emphasized that 
she could not make an informed decision without the pending 
technical and financial reports, but that she would present them to 
all GoG representatives involved with issues of national security. 
She supported the GCAA request for technicians to visit an exemplary 
radar system in Poland to see first-hand how the radar system might 
work in Ghana. 
 
----------------------- 
MISSING PILOT FOLLOW UP 
----------------------- 
 
¶9. (U) EconOff passed commendation to the Minister based on para 6 
of ref F for the support Post has received from the GCAA regarding 
the still-missing pilot.  The Minister said she authorized creation 
of an investigation committee and has been very pleased with the 
work of her colleagues who acted swiftly and accurately in her 
physical absence during this event.  She assured her continued 
support to the U.S. mission and expressed her regret about the 
situation. 
 
PERGL