Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07DAKAR2140
2007-11-06 06:55:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Dakar
Cable title:
GUINEA BISSAU: UNODC STEPS UP WITH MULTI-FACETED
how-toVZCZCXRO8240 RR RUEHMA RUEHPA DE RUEHDK #2140/01 3091655 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 060655Z NOV 07 FM AMEMBASSY DAKAR TO RUEHQ/SECSTATE WAQDC 9486 INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 0264 RUEHLC/AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE 0982 RUEHLI/AMEMBASSY LISBON 0818 RUEHLU/AMEMBASSY LUANDA 0440 RUEHTO/AMEMBASSY MAPUQI 0481 RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGLS 0728 RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC RUEAWA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DAKAR 002140
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF/W, AF/RSA, INR/AA, INL/AAE
ACCRA FOR USAID/WA
PARIS OR POL D'ELI9AND DEA HOUSTN
LAGOS FOR DEA
JUSTICE VNR DEA
E.O 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR PREL EAID PU
SUBJECT: GUINEA BISSAU: UNODC STEPS UP WITH MULTI-FACETED
DRUG PROGRAM
SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST
--------------------------
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DAKAR 002140
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF/W, AF/RSA, INR/AA, INL/AAE
ACCRA FOR USAID/WA
PARIS OR POL D'ELI9AND DEA HOUSTN
LAGOS FOR DEA
JUSTICE VNR DEA
E.O 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR PREL EAID PU
SUBJECT: GUINEA BISSAU: UNODC STEPS UP WITH MULTI-FACETED
DRUG PROGRAM
SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST
--------------
1. The United Nations Office o\Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in
conjunction with the GOGB a finalizing a project proposal
for immediate and sustained assistance to Guinea-Bissau to
fight narcotics trafficking and reform the justice sector.
The progr is a responk to President Joao Bernardo fNino"
Vieira's complaint to the UN Secretary General that UNODC was
not responding quickly enough to the drug trafficking threat.
The final proposal will be distributed to donors in advance
of a planned December 1) donor's confkrence in Lisbon. GOGB
strongly supportsthe project. Action Request: Post requests
INL identify funds to increase the U.S. contribution,
preferably in time to be announced at the donor's conference;
see paragraph7. End Summary.
PHASE ONQ9 PRE-ELECTION
--------------
2. The three-year UNODC project has two phases; phase one has
already started with internal financing and the second will
begin when the new government takes office after thezwall
2008 lUgislative elections. Phase one, which is pojected to
run through June 2008, will have a price tag of approximately
USD 5.8 million. Under the objective of fighting drug
trafficking, targets include poQting a law enforcement
advisor in Bissau and improvingcapacity of the Judicial
Police, judges and prosecutors by providing training,
equipment, and a forensic center. A third target has already
been addressed: in late October UNODC appointed{Augusto
Pinheiro, former Chief of the Cape Verde National Police, as)
an interim Anti-Narcotics Consultant in Bissau.
3. Also addressed in phase one under the objective of
strengthening the judicial system will be Zhe urgent need for
a prisun. Currently, no medium or Kqgh-level secmity prison
exists in the country. In addition to refurbishing a
building to serve as a prison, phase one will establish a
legal framework for aQministration of justice, and training
for judges, guarQi and prison administration officials. A
detailed projct proposal including both phases will be
emailed to AF/W and INL/AAE.
THE PROJECT WILL BE WELL-RECEIVED
--------------
4. For the firsQ9time this year, Guinea-Bissau was mentioneQ
in a White House press release as a country of concern for
the Major's List of drug producing and transshipment
countries. The announcement was big news in Guinea-Bissau
and came as an ominous sign of what may corc if the GOGBxdoes
not make headway against traffickers. Prime Minister
Martinho N'Dafa Cabi is frank when he talks about
Guinea-Bissau's meager advances against drug traffickers and
his lack of resources but he continues to fiOht ) winning a
major victor earlier this month in removing reputed drug
kingpin Baciro Dabo as Interior Minister. Cabi continues to
express his desire for the return of the U.S. Embassy Qn
Bissau, a statement he reiterated to Poloffs on Octo2]r 24.
5. Drugs are no longer exclusively an issue of 7igh-level
concern; it has gripped the national consciousness.
Journalists continually push the envelope on reporting about
drug trafficking and receive regular`death threats as a
result. Civil society organizations place banners around the
city warning about the dangers of drug consumption. Human
Rights organizations lament increasing violent crime which
they say is gelated to drUfs. Many observers have told
Poloff they believe the country is becoming less stable and
evidence is starting to emerge which may support that view.
On October 23 press reported a "large quantity" of military
grade weapons discovered by JudicI Police in an abandoned
house in Bissau. Armed Force Chief General Batista Tagme Na
Waie said the find was worrying because they were not the
property of the Guinea-Bissau army. Three army trucks were
used to hAl it all away.
***********************
* Missing Section 002 *
***********************
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF/W, AF/RSA, INR/AA, INL/AAE
ACCRA FOR USAID/WA
PARIS OR POL D'ELI9AND DEA HOUSTN
LAGOS FOR DEA
JUSTICE VNR DEA
E.O 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR PREL EAID PU
SUBJECT: GUINEA BISSAU: UNODC STEPS UP WITH MULTI-FACETED
DRUG PROGRAM
SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST
--------------
1. The United Nations Office o\Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in
conjunction with the GOGB a finalizing a project proposal
for immediate and sustained assistance to Guinea-Bissau to
fight narcotics trafficking and reform the justice sector.
The progr is a responk to President Joao Bernardo fNino"
Vieira's complaint to the UN Secretary General that UNODC was
not responding quickly enough to the drug trafficking threat.
The final proposal will be distributed to donors in advance
of a planned December 1) donor's confkrence in Lisbon. GOGB
strongly supportsthe project. Action Request: Post requests
INL identify funds to increase the U.S. contribution,
preferably in time to be announced at the donor's conference;
see paragraph7. End Summary.
PHASE ONQ9 PRE-ELECTION
--------------
2. The three-year UNODC project has two phases; phase one has
already started with internal financing and the second will
begin when the new government takes office after thezwall
2008 lUgislative elections. Phase one, which is pojected to
run through June 2008, will have a price tag of approximately
USD 5.8 million. Under the objective of fighting drug
trafficking, targets include poQting a law enforcement
advisor in Bissau and improvingcapacity of the Judicial
Police, judges and prosecutors by providing training,
equipment, and a forensic center. A third target has already
been addressed: in late October UNODC appointed{Augusto
Pinheiro, former Chief of the Cape Verde National Police, as)
an interim Anti-Narcotics Consultant in Bissau.
3. Also addressed in phase one under the objective of
strengthening the judicial system will be Zhe urgent need for
a prisun. Currently, no medium or Kqgh-level secmity prison
exists in the country. In addition to refurbishing a
building to serve as a prison, phase one will establish a
legal framework for aQministration of justice, and training
for judges, guarQi and prison administration officials. A
detailed projct proposal including both phases will be
emailed to AF/W and INL/AAE.
THE PROJECT WILL BE WELL-RECEIVED
--------------
4. For the firsQ9time this year, Guinea-Bissau was mentioneQ
in a White House press release as a country of concern for
the Major's List of drug producing and transshipment
countries. The announcement was big news in Guinea-Bissau
and came as an ominous sign of what may corc if the GOGBxdoes
not make headway against traffickers. Prime Minister
Martinho N'Dafa Cabi is frank when he talks about
Guinea-Bissau's meager advances against drug traffickers and
his lack of resources but he continues to fiOht ) winning a
major victor earlier this month in removing reputed drug
kingpin Baciro Dabo as Interior Minister. Cabi continues to
express his desire for the return of the U.S. Embassy Qn
Bissau, a statement he reiterated to Poloffs on Octo2]r 24.
5. Drugs are no longer exclusively an issue of 7igh-level
concern; it has gripped the national consciousness.
Journalists continually push the envelope on reporting about
drug trafficking and receive regular`death threats as a
result. Civil society organizations place banners around the
city warning about the dangers of drug consumption. Human
Rights organizations lament increasing violent crime which
they say is gelated to drUfs. Many observers have told
Poloff they believe the country is becoming less stable and
evidence is starting to emerge which may support that view.
On October 23 press reported a "large quantity" of military
grade weapons discovered by JudicI Police in an abandoned
house in Bissau. Armed Force Chief General Batista Tagme Na
Waie said the find was worrying because they were not the
property of the Guinea-Bissau army. Three army trucks were
used to hAl it all away.
***********************
* Missing Section 002 *
***********************