COTE D'IVOIRE: ASECNA AVIATION FEES

UNCLAS ABIDJAN 000606 SIPDIS SIPDIS PM/ISO FOR PEGGY POPE AND COL. JIM DETEMPLE USAF WASHINGTON DC (USAF/A3SPI) FOR DALE CHENEY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KREC MARR MOPS PREL IV SUBJECT: COTE D'IVOIRE: ASECNA AVIATION FEES REF: SECSTATE 43720 ¶1. (U) This cable answers questions 1, 2 and 4 of reftel, and provides a partial answer to question 3. Septel will provide the balance of the responses once they are received from host government officials. ¶2. (U) Questions and Answers: Question 1) Are the airports (DIAP in Abidjan, DIYO in Yamossoukrou and DIBK in Bouake) operated by the national government or a national government agency? ASECNA's branch office in Cote d'Ivoire indicates that it has exclusive control over commercial takeoffs and landings at DIAP and DIYO (the latter only has several domestic flights to and from Abidjan per week). (note: DIBK currently has no commercial flights, and is operated by the UN in Cote d'Ivoire for its own flights and occasional flights operated by international humanitarian NGOS. End Note) Question 2) If operations are conducted by an entity which is not clearly the government or an agency of the government, how much of the entity's funding comes from the national government? N/A (see above) Question 3) If the airport operates on a for-profit basis, is a portion of the revenues (not including taxes) returned to the national government? If so, what percentage? DIAP is operated on a for-profit basis, and airport management is contracted to a large European firm, CCI Marseille Provence. However, ASECNA has not provided Post the information requested in this question. Post will continue to investigate this question. The question is N/A concerning DIBK at this time. Question 4) Is the entity operating the airport subject to day-to-day operational guidance from the national government? ASECNA at DIAP and DIYO is not subject to government operational guidance, nor is the private operator of the airport facility in Abidjan. The government does manage the DIYO facility (though not takeoffs and landings) through its parastatal company SODEXAM. The question is N/A concerning DIBK at this time. Question 5) What payment methods are currently allowed or required by airport authorities for payment of each of the following: fuel, parking and landing fees, ground services and air navigation fees. Will the airport authorities accept a DOD air card, fund cite, or cash payment for the goods/services mentioned? ASECNA in Cote d'Ivoire accepts cash only for airport fees. Charter and other occasional visiting planes pay the fees at the ASECNA cashier at DIAP. Airlines with regularly scheduled operations (Air France, SN Brussels, etc.) pay fees in a lump sum in cash at ASECNA's office in downtown Abidjan on a monthly basis. ¶3. (U) ASECNA regulations provided to Post indicate that military aircraft of ASECNA member states (only) are exempt from ASECNA parking, airspace, garage and other fees. HOOKS