GUINEA'S PORTS PASS US COAST GUARD REVIEW

UNCLAS CONAKRY 000774 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV ETRD EWWT BEXP PINS PTER GV SUBJECT: GUINEA'S PORTS PASS US COAST GUARD REVIEW REF: CONAKRY 666 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. A team from the U.S. Coast Guard's International Port Security Program recently completed a security inspection of Guinea's two international ports. The team evaluated Guinea's implementation of the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS). The Coast Guard team determined that Guinea has substantially implemented the ISPS Code. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) From June 26-29, a team from the U.S. Coast Guard's International Port Security Program visited Guinea to perform a security inspection of Guinea's two international ports, Conakry and Kamsar. The four member Coast Guard team met with government ministries on the first day, and then spent the following two days in Conakry and Kamsar performing the port facility inspections. Following their inspections, the team gave a positive out-briefing to the Guinean Ministry of Transport. ¶3. (SBU) The team evaluated Guinea's implementation of the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code. The evaluation concluded that Guinea has substantially implemented the ISPS Code. Substantial implementation means that ships entering U.S. ports which have stopped in Guinea prior to coming to the U.S. will not be subject to elevated, and more costly, inspection requirements. ¶4. (SBU) While finding substantial compliance with the ISPS Code, the team did note some areas for improvement. These areas include: for Port Conakry, installing appropriate security signage at key entry points, and conducting more training and security exercises; for Port Kamsar, repairing damaged fencing, and improving access identification cards. ¶5. (SBU) Overall the Coast Guard team found that Guinea continues to make noteworthy improvement on implementation of the ISPS Code for port security, and that both ports have made significant improvements since the previous U.S. Coast Guard visit in 2006. The Coast Guard team will prepare a formal report of its findings and submit it in the near future (provided septel). KAEUPER