GUINEA BISSAU: FORMING NATIONAL DRUG STRATEGY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DAKAR 001751 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/W, AF/RSA, INL/AAE, G/TIP PARIS FOR POL D'ELIA AND DEA HOUSTON E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/13/2017 TAGS: SNAR PREL PU SUBJECT: GUINEA BISSAU: FORMING NATIONAL DRUG STRATEGY Classified By: Charge Jay T. Smith for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) The GOGB announced its program to fight drug trafficking, which ranges from constructing a prison -- the top GOGB priority -- to a national awareness campaign. The UN Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is trying to help raise over USD 15 million in donations for the effort. Until it receives significant and steadfast support from the international community, it seems clear the GOGB will take no further concrete steps to fight drug trafficking. End Summary. GOGB ORGANIZING TO FIGHT DRUGS -------------- ¶2. (U) On August 2, Justice Minister Carmelita Pires along with Prime Minister Martinho N'Dafa Cabi presented to the press their plan to combat drug trafficking. The plan includes building a prison, shoring up the judicial system, a national education campaign, police training, and a functioning inter-ministerial/civil society coordination committee. A legislative review is already underway and on May 17 the National Popular Assembly ratified the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. ¶3. (U) Most of the Government's program is entirely dependant upon external financing. Pires told Poloff and LEGATT that the European Union had agreed to provide financing for a prison with a price tag near USD 3 million. She noted that Portugal had promised to send police inspectors specializing in counter-narcotics operations to work alongside Judicial Police but no date had yet been set for their arrival. Other components are yet to be funded. The GOGB will host a conference, tentatively scheduled for late September in Bissau, to define parameters and raise cash for its program. Partners in the region, Europe and the United States will be invited. In her press conference, Pires singled out The United States, Portugal and Cape Verde as key partners. The UNODC in cooperation with the GOGB is circulating a draft program proposal for USD 15.450 million as a base for requesting donor support. ¶4. (C) LEGATT reiterated to Min. of Justice that the U.S. DEA and FBI representatives had exchanged information and provided assistance in the past, with promises of continued assistance, but all that was halted as a result of the firing of the former PJ chief and Deputy. LEGATT expressed his desire on behalf of FBI and DEA to renew communication and cooperation with the new PJ chief. Min of Justice promised that that would be the case, and suggested USG law enforcement also coordinate advance intelligence and information regarding inbound drug shipments through the INTERPOL office. POLOFF reminded Min of Justice of DEA having offered training and drug analysis kits in the past. "NAO TEMOS MEIOS" -------------- ¶5. (C) Dr. Lucinda Gomes Barbosa Aukharie is the new head of the Judicial Police (JP),which has responsibility for fighting drug trafficking. Her husband, Calvario Aukharie, is the Director of Interpol in Bissau. In a meeting with Poloff and LEGATT, Barbosa Aukharie limited her comments to pleasantries and the typical refrain of "nao temos meios," or "we have no means" to combat crime, a sentiment also expresssed by the Justice Minister. The JP has only about 70 agents, all located in the capital. She said the JP has no communications equipment and only three vehicles of which only one is serviceable. By contrast, the Public Order Police, headed by Interior Minister Baciro Dabo (who many believe to be involved with drug trafficking),has a force of hundreds posted throughout the country and several new vehicles. Alexandre Forbes, who was fired as Deputy of the JP only to be hired back as an Inspector, estimated at least three tons of cocaine pass through the country every month. ¶6. (C) The head of the inter-ministerial coordination commission, Nelson Morreira, is a tough-talking advisor to DAKAR 00001751 002 OF 002 the Minister of Health. The seven-Ministry, fifteen-person commission was re-activated in 2005 and helped draft the Government's program. Morreira lamented that the commission was not very active, only he and one other person attended the last meeting because he says they are volunteers who receive no incentive or even transportation stipend. Morreira told Poloff and LEGATT the GOGB's traditional approach of asking for money and goods would not be enough to have an impact. He said the international community should be hitting traffickers and those that assist them where it hurts: in the passport. He hoped foreign intelligence and law enforcement agencies would coordinate to issue arrest warrants so traffickers know they are in danger of being apprehended or extradited to face trafficking charges if they travel outside Guinea-Bissau. COMMENT -------------- ¶7. (C) Poloff told Justice Minister Pires that anti-corruption measures were an important component and her response was that until GOGB receives support, it will be impossible to know who the drug barons are. In reality, a barely conscious observer can see Hummers, Jaguars, and mansions springing up around Bissau and know that is not true. It seems with this anti-narcotics program and upcoming conference, the GOGB is saying essentially, "we will allow the international community to fight drugs in Guinea-Bissau, but until we have proof of support and receive significant resources, we will take not risk our lives by taking action." Visit Embassy Dakar's classified website at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/af/dakar. SMITH