R 101317Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY LOME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 9171
INFO AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS LOME 000274 
 
 
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU, STATE FOR AF/FO, AF/RSA, AF/W AND 
WHA, STATE ALSO FOR INL/AAE AND INL/LP, NSC FOR MGAVIN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SNAR PREL XR XY TO
SUBJECT: THE AFRICAN UNION'S INTEREST IN THE DRUG TRADE IN 
WEST AFRICA 
 
REF: ADDIS ABABA 001911 
 
¶1. Summary. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime 
(UNODC) sent its Dakar-based regional representative to Togo 
the week of August 3 to help launch the GOT's five-year plan 
to combat drugs and crime. The representative, Alexandre 
Schmidt, met with the Ambassador and discussed various 
developments in the fight against drug trafficking in West 
Africa.  He also gave her a copy of a 2009 report on 
trafficking flows in West Africa. The information in the 
report can provide much of the information that the AU is 
looking for. End Summary. 
 
¶2. Here in Togo, we have remarked on the great number of 
assessment trips made by various nationalities and agencies 
concerned with drug trafficking and other transnational 
crimes issues, including State's own INL. Unfortunately, few 
of these visits have resulted in any concrete action of 
assistance, especially in the areas where it is most needed, 
such as training for law enforcement, judicial and financial 
agencies involved in the fight against all aspects of 
transnational crime. Most recently, the UNODC regional office 
in Dakar helped the GOT develop a fairly comprehensive 
five-year Integrated National Plan to Combat Drugs and Crime. 
There is no funding- Togolese or other- to implement the 
plan, and the GOT will shortly hold another donor's 
conference to request financing. 
 
¶3. During a meeting with Schmidt, we received a copy of the 
July 2009 report, "Transnational Trafficking and the Rule of 
Law in West Africa: A Threat Assessment." This is a very 
comprehensive document that covers all types of trafficking 
flows, including: cocaine from South America to Europe; oil 
from Nigeria to the world; cigarettes from Europe and Asia to 
West and North Africa; counterfeit medicines from Asia to 
West Africa (especially malaria drugs); victims of 
trafficking for sexual exploitation from West Africa to 
Europe; small arms to West Africa; toxic waste from Europe to 
Nigeria and Ghana; and workers from West Africa to Europe. 
Each "flow" is examined in depth, and the report provides 
comprehensive statistics. All are tied to the probable impact 
on the stability of the region and the threat to the rule of 
law. 
 
¶4. Copies of the report are available from UNODC offices 
worldwide and from the Policy Analysis and Research Branch, 
UNODC, Vienna, Austria. Since the report contains even more 
information than the AU is requesting, it would be of value 
as a reference document for their interest in developing a 
plan. Additionally, we have heard that the Economic Community 
of West African States (ECOWAS) is also looking to develop a 
regional plan to combat drugs and crime, but we have no 
further details. 
 
 
Hawkins