BENIN'S INTERIOR MINISTER PRESSES FOR USG AID TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L COTONOU 000893

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/W DANA BANKS, INL/AAE, AF/RSA, ACCRA FOR
NORWOOD AND VANG, LAGOS FOR DEA ATTACHE, NAVEUR FOR LCDR
CNE-C6F DAVID MORALES

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/21/2017
TAGS: SNAR MASS PINR BN
SUBJECT: BENIN'S INTERIOR MINISTER PRESSES FOR USG AID TO
TRAIN POLICE AND SHARE INTEL ON ANTI-TERRORISM AND DRUG
TRAFFICKING

REF: A. COTONOU 768

B. COTONOU 648

C. COTONOU 494

Classified By: Amb. Gayleatha B. Brown for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).

1.(C) Summary. Major General Felix Hessou, the GOB's newly
appointed Interior Minister (Ref C),requested U.S.
assistance in training and equipping Benin's police force in
the fight against the illegal narcotics trade and terrorism.
Hessou also requested the U.S. share any intelligence it has
concerning suspicious vessels operating in Benin's waters.
The Ambassador reiterated that stopping the flow of illegal
drugs and combating terrorism are important priorities of the
USG and that Post would explore ways for further cooperation
between the GOB and the USG in these areas. End Summary.

2.(U) The Ambassador met with Felix Hessou, the GOB's
Minister of Interior and a former Beninese Armed Forces (BAF)
Chief of Staff, at his request on November 20. He wants U.S.
assistance in training and reforming Benin's national police
force. Hessou was proud of the work he had done at the
Ministry of Defense to support U.S. - Benin military
relations from ACRI to ACOTA and stated he knew that much of
the improvement in BAF's peacekeeping abilities was the
result of American assistance. Hessou now asks for
assistance in training the Beninese police force in illegal
drug interdiction both on land and at sea. Hessou also asked
for assistance in Benin's efforts to increase the security of
its civil documents in an effort to prevent the issuance of
passports to unqualified individuals. He stated it was not
uncommon for individuals from Burundi, Togo, Chad and Nigeria
to illegitimately aquire Beninese passports.

3.(C) Hessou stated he "knew" the American navy had the
capacity to track all the ships in Benin's coastal waters.
He specifically asked the USG to provide the GOB with
information on any suspicious activities it noticed in
Benin's waters. Note: The French government and the GOB
continue to work on installing an Automatic Identification
System (AIS) in Cotonou. An AIS will allow the GOB to know
if unauthorized vessels are in the waters off of Cotonou.
Post awaits a response on its request for 1206 funding to
augment Benin's AIS system to provide coverage of the entire
coast and purchase fast patrol boats for Benin's Navy (Ref
A). End Note.

4.(U) Comment: Hessou, from his time as a military officer,
clearly understands the capacity of American training to
improve a unit's operation. The Beninese police force is in
need of help. It lacks the capacity to investigate serious
crimes including illegal narcotics smuggling, terrorist
financing, and money laundering. It is currently wracked by
turmoil following revelations of police involvement in the
disappearance of several kilograms of cocaine after a drug
running vessel ran aground off of Ouidah (Ref B). These
revelations led to the sacking and arrest of the national
police chief and several of his subordinates. Hessou wants
U.S. assistance to improve his force. Improving Benin's
police force will enable Benin to begin to fight the flow of
illegal narcotics and assist it as it works on the front
lines to combat child-trafficking and stop money laundering.
Post will begin collaborating, with its domestic and overseas
colleagues, on a plan to assist the GOB in training its
police force. End Comment.

BROWN