USS CARR VISIT TO FREETOWN -- FRUITFUL EXCHANGES,

C O N F I D E N T I A L FREETOWN 000341

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/FO, AF/RSA, AF/W
EUCOM FOR POLAD
LONDON FOR POL -- R. BELL
PARIS FOR POL - AFRICA WATCHER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/26/2011
TAGS: PREL MARR KPAO EWWT EFIS PINR MOPS EAID SENV
SL
SUBJECT: USS CARR VISIT TO FREETOWN -- FRUITFUL EXCHANGES,
FUTURE POSSIBILITIES

REF: A. MONROVIA 514

B. KINSHASA 499

C. 04 FREETOWN 1110

Classified By: CHARGE JAMES A. STEWART FOR REASONS 1.4 B/D.


1. (C) The USS Carr called on Freetown April 22-24 as part of
its ongoing mission to strengthen partnerships in the Gulf of
Guinea. The Navy wants to keep tabs on maritime activity
connected to trafficking in drugs, trafficking in persons,
illegal fisheries, and pollution, Task Force Commodore (Navy)
Captain Thomas Rowden explained to the Charge. Rowden added
that the Sixth Fleet, to which the ship is attached, intends
to have a ship in the Gulf of Guinea at least 10 months each
year. Also high on the agenda is Navy or Marine Corps
training which could come with the next ship visit envisioned
for September or October.


2. (U) To help monitor ship traffic off Sierra Leone's coast,
Rowden suggested installing the Automated Identification
System (AIS) at the embassy once the mission has moved into
the new facility in August. Information on the identities,
locations, characteristics, and cargoes of ships over 300
tons could easily be shared with the Government with the
installation of an unclassified laptop (ref A) . When Rowden
presented the idea during a shipboard visit, Deputy Defense
Minister Joe Blell expressed enthusiasm for having such
information to further the modernization of the maritime wing
of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces. (Note: The
maritime wing consists only of the recently donated Chinese
Shanghai patrol boat. The crew is still in training. The
three smaller 10-meter patrol boats the US is donating are
scheduled to arrive April 28, with Navy and Coast Guard
training to follow. End Note.)


3. (C) Blell was also enthusiastic about the potential for
future maritime training offered by the US (beyond what is
schedule for the patrol boats). Commodore Rowden noted that
the next ship visit which is likely in September or October
would provide such an opportunity. He foresees an amphibious
assault ship carrying Marines who could cooperate in training
for Sierra Leonean land and maritime forces. Rowden had the
occasion to discuss the training potential with UK Brigadier
Barry Le Grys, Commander of the UK-led International Military
Advisory Training Team (IMATT) and IMATT Maritime Advisor
Commander Danny Yarker (UK). They saw great potential for
cooperation in offering training. There were earlier plans
for the USS Mt. Whitney to put in at Freetown in May, but
Rowden informed CDA that she will not visit, being too large
(more than four times the tonnage of the Carr) and difficult
to maneuver for Freetown's port facilities and infrastructure.


4. (U) The PAO organized visits aboard the Carr over the
weekend for the local press and independent television.
Besides touring the ship, print and electronic journalists
interviewed Commodore Rowden and Captain Lang. The Navy
officers told the media about the three patrol boats the USG
is donating and about the Carr's observation and photos of
illegal fishing inside Sierra Leoneans exclusive economic
zone (EEZ). Several local stories covered the Carr's visit,
but there has yet to be any editorial notice of the first US
Navy ship calling at Freetown in more than three years.


5. (C) Comment: Post warmly welcomed the USS Carr to show
the flag and US commitment to Sierra Leone in its struggle to
rebuild. Visits to the ship and representational events were
highly useful for further contact building and partnership
development. In addition, there were good initial
discussions with the Deputy Minister of Defense and with the
UK IMATT commander about future Navy and Marine Corps
training. Training can help upgrade local armed forces
capacity and contribute to solving the maritime problems.
Post hopes those discussions bear fruit with the next ship
visit proffered for September or October. It seems to us
that the Navy's stated Gulf of Guinea mission identifies the
correct major concerns as ships like the Carr can gather and
relay invaluable information and thus encourage Sierra
Leoneans to enforce their own laws. In that vein, we recall
that in December 2004, a patrolling British Royal Navy ship
spotted illegal fishing (by US shrimpers) and notified Sierra
Leonean authorities who dispatched a boat to detain the
offending fishing vessels (ref C). End Comment.
STEWART