Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07COTONOU657
2007-08-24 07:46:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Cotonou
Cable title:  

PORT OF COTONOU: UPDATE ON DEMARCHE CONCERNING ISPS CODE

Tags:  ECON EAID EINV ETRD EWWT PGOV KHLS PTER PINR BN 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO9139
OO RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHCO #0657/01 2360746
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 240746Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY COTONOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9799
RUCOCGA/COMLANTAREA COGARD PORTSMOUTH VA IMMEDIATE
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHLMC/MILLENIUM CHALLENGE CORP WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCOWCA/COGARD MIO EUROPE ROTTERDAM NL PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1148
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 COTONOU 000657 

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/W/DBANKS AND AF/RSA
LOME FOR DCM J.A. DIFFILY
COGARD MIO EUROPE ROTTERDAM NL FOR CDR SHAW AND LCDR KEITH
PARIS FOR D'ELIA

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EAID EINV ETRD EWWT PGOV KHLS PTER PINR BN
SUBJECT: PORT OF COTONOU: UPDATE ON DEMARCHE CONCERNING ISPS CODE
COMPLIANCE - USCG TEAM RECOMMENDS CLEARANCE

REF: A) Cotonou 617; B) Cotonou 561; C) Cotonou 552; D) Cotonou 389;
E) State 59359

COTONOU 00000657 001.2 OF 003


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 COTONOU 000657

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/W/DBANKS AND AF/RSA
LOME FOR DCM J.A. DIFFILY
COGARD MIO EUROPE ROTTERDAM NL FOR CDR SHAW AND LCDR KEITH
PARIS FOR D'ELIA

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EAID EINV ETRD EWWT PGOV KHLS PTER PINR BN
SUBJECT: PORT OF COTONOU: UPDATE ON DEMARCHE CONCERNING ISPS CODE
COMPLIANCE - USCG TEAM RECOMMENDS CLEARANCE

REF: A) Cotonou 617; B) Cotonou 561; C) Cotonou 552; D) Cotonou 389;
E) State 59359

COTONOU 00000657 001.2 OF 003



1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Based on an August 21, 2007 inspection of the Port
of Cotonou, U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Commander Adam Shaw and Lt.
Commander Robert Keith, presented to the Government of Benin (GOB)
on August 22 a USCG Headquarters cleared-document stating their
recommendation for a USCG determination that the Port of Cotonou has
met the minimum International Ship and Port Facility (ISPS)
requirements set forth in the May 21 demarche delivered to the GOB
by the Ambassador (Ref D). Assuming USCG headquarters concurrence,
this would mean that the Port of Cotonou will not/not be placed on
the ISPS security watch list. Details and text of the document
follow below. END SUMMARY.




2. (U) BACKGROUND. On May 21, 2007, Ambassador Gayleatha B. Brown
delivered a demarche, which described in detail deficiencies noted
at the Port of Cotonou during an August 2006 USCG inspection and
gave the GOB ninety days to address the deficiencies and meet the
minimum requirements of the International Ship and Port Facility
(ISPS) Code (Refs D and E). These deficiencies also had been noted
during an official visit by United States Navy (USN) Vice-Admiral
John D. Stufflebeem and USCG Vice-Admiral David Peterman in May (Ref
C). A follow-up visit by USCG Lieutenant Commander Robert Keith on
July 24 noted that little progress toward ISPS compliance had been
achieved up to that point (Ref B). A follow-up visit by then-CDA
Steven Lauterbach on August 10, made at the request of new GOB
Minister of Transportation Armand Zinzindohoue, noted that some

progress had been made, but that much remained to be done.
Lauterbach affirmed that it would be the USCG, not the Embassy,
which would make the final determination regarding ISPS compliance
(Reftel A). END BACKGROUND.


3. (U) USCG Commander Shaw and Lieutenant Commander Keith visited
Benin August 20-22, 2007. The purpose of their visit was to
determine if the Port of Cotonou had met the minimum requirements
under the ISPS Code outlined in the May 21, 2007 demarche, and to
report these findings, as well as a recommendation, to USCG
headquarters. On August 21, the American delegation (USDEL),which
consisted of Commander Shaw, Lieutenant Commander Keith, Acting
Political-Economic Officer Steven Lauterbach, Millennium Challenge
Corporation Benin Acting Resident Country Director Randall Wood, and
Economic Assistant Marius Lotus, visited the Port of Cotonou.
Minister of Transportation Zinzindohoue led the 40-50 person GOB
delegation that included Ms. Rahanaou Anki Dosso, Director of the
Department of Merchant Marine and ISPS Compliance Designated
Authority, Christophe Aguessy, General Director of the Port of
Cotonou and others.


4. (U) After a brief meeting of the principals and an exchange of
formalities, the August 21 working meeting began with a plenary
session in the Port of Cotonou conference room. Commander Shaw
explained that while Lieutenant Commander Keith had visited the port
several times, this was his first visit, and asked that the GOB
delegation explain in detail what steps had been taken to correct
the deficiencies, broken down into six categories that had been
noted in the demarche. These categories include: access control
enforcement, lighting, completion of perimeter fencing,
communications, division of the port into zones of access, and
training of personnel. A long discussion followed, with Commander
Shaw and Lieutenant Commander Keith posing many questions and
receiving detailed answers from the GOB delegation. The GOB
delegation then took the USDEL to several classrooms, where Canadian
instructors from the contract firm Sea Quest were conducting
training classes for Port of Cotonou personnel. This training had
begun within the last few weeks.


5. (U) A long tour of the entire port followed. USDEL was in two
vehicles, with at least ten GOB vehicles leading and following. It
was immediately apparent to USDEL that an enormous amount of
improvements had been made, many since Mr. Lauterbach's August 10
visit to the port, and almost all of which had been achieved since
Lieutenant Commander Keith's July 24 visit. Commander Shaw and
Lieutenant Commander Keith frequently exited the vehicles to closely
examine improvements and, with the aid of Mr. Lotsu who served as
interpreter, question workers and port personnel. They made several
random checks of paperwork and identification, which in every case
were found to be in proper order. At a plenary meeting following

COTONOU 00000657 002.2 OF 003


the tour, Commander Shaw and Lieutenant Commander Keith noted that
much had been accomplished, but said that they would have to make a
point-by-point analysis to determine if the Port of Cotonou had met
minimum ISPS requirements, and that they would report their findings
the following day; i.e., August 22.


6. (U) After a close analysis, Commander Shaw and Lieutenant
Commander Keith decided to recommend that the USCG make the
determination that the Port of Cotonou had met the minimum
requirements set forth in the May 21 demarche. A full text of their
determination follows.

BEGIN TEXT.
U.S. Coast Guard Out-Brief August 21 2007 Benin

Following a visit to the Port of Cotonou on August 21 07 by
Commander Adam Shaw and Lieutenant Commander Robert Keith, the US
Delegation noted that the Port has made substantial improvements and
will recommend that the United States Coast Guard make the
determination that the country of Benin has met the minimum
requirements set forth in the demarche delivered to the Government
of Benin by Ambassador Gayleatha B. Brown on May 21, 2007.

While the minimum requirements of the ISPS code have been met, the
following recommended areas of improvement are provided to make the
Autonomous Port of Cotonou more competitive:

Access control
- Color code badges to identify access to specific zones
- Enforce zone access
- Use shuttle buses to move workers between zones

Cargo Logistics and Customs Inspections
- Move the containers off-site to conduct customs inspections and to
facilitate the stripping and stuffing of containers

Off-Site Parking
- Complete secure off-site truck parking to stimulate hinterland
traffic from Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali
- Complete off-site parking for port personnel

Continue Enforcement of the 48-hour time limit for trucks in the
port and strive to further reduce the time trucks are required to
remain in the port

Continue the "train the trainer" courses and develop a drill and
exercise plan

Encourage more direct involvement of the designated authority to
effectively oversee implementation of the ISPS Code

Commander Adam Shaw
U.S. Coast Guard

Lieutenant Commander Robert Keith
U.S. Coast Guard

END TEXT OF DOCUMENT


7. (U) On August 22, the American delegation, led by the Ambassador,
conducted an out-briefing for the GOB. She informed the GOB
representatives that the USCG officers would recommend to USCG
headquarters that a determination be made that the GOB has met the
minimum requirements set forth in the May 21 demarche. Commander
Shaw and Lieutenant Commander Keith provided details, careful to
note that while substantial progress had been made, much remains to
be done, and that the GOB must not become complacent. Lieutenant
Commander Keith pointed out that if the Port of Cotonou could make
so many improvements in three weeks, even more could be done in the
next three months or the next three years.


8. (U) In a striking illustration of the enormous importance of this
issue to the GOB, President Boni Yayi held a 45 minute evening
meeting on August 22 with the entire USDEL. The Ambassador
reaffirmed USG commitment to its partnership for development with
Benin. Minister Zinzindohoue, accompanied by several Port
officials, committed his staff to continued improvement of the Port.
President Yayi expressed appreciation for on-going USG support,
notably with the Port, and thanked the USCG officers for their
visit, inviting them back both to assist the Port and to verify that

COTONOU 00000657 003.2 OF 003


additional progress was being made. He even suggested an
unannounced USCG visit. President Yayi emphasized the great
importance of the Port of Cotonou, describing it as the "engine of
the nation's economy."


9. (U) The President stated that he was by no means satisfied with
"minimum" ISPS compliance and wanted the Port of Cotonou to improve
to the point such that it would be the most important and modern
port in the region. He linked the port to his efforts to increase
Benin's rate of economic growth and to reduce poverty. He also
discussed the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) at length,
emphasizing its key role in improving the Port of Cotonou and
expressing the wish that these efforts be increased and accelerated.
Commander Shaw thanked the President for the warm hospitality he
had enjoyed in Benin and described to the President the reciprocal
visit to the United States, which he hopes to organize for GOB
officials, in an effort to continue Port improvements and
modernization.


10. (SBU) COMMENT: After almost two months of lackadaisical efforts
to meet ISPS standards, the GOB seemingly went into full-scale panic
mode after Lieutenant Commander Keith's July 24 visit and made huge
improvements to the Port of Cotonou in a very short time. It is
abundantly clear that the highest levels of the GOB took this
demarche very seriously and that the GOB regards the Port as
enormously important to the country's economy. It is also
noteworthy that in recent weeks a number of personnel changes have
been made at the Port of Cotonou, including the firing of both the
Harbor Master and the Head of Customs at the port. These firings
reflect the seriousness of the GOB's efforts to improve the Port of
Cotonou as well as President Yayi's ongoing campaign against
corruption. As we look to the future, it is vitally important that
the GOB not become complacent with regard to improvements at the
Port of Cotonou but continue with efforts to make improvements. The
American delegation made this point repeatedly, and the Embassy will
continue to do so. Postscript: President Yayi personally visited
the Port of Cotonou on August 23 to emphasize the need for further
improvements and obtained an ID badge in compliance with the USCG
recommendation. END COMMENT.

BROWN