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
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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
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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"
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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

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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
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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