GULF OF GUINEA COMMISSION OPENS ITS OFFICE IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L LUANDA 000475

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
KINSHASA ALSO FOR LIBREVILLE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/14/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR PHSA AO
SUBJECT: GULF OF GUINEA COMMISSION OPENS ITS OFFICE IN
LUANDA

REF: A. LIBREVILLE 00049

B. LIBREVILLE 00108

Classified By: CHARGE FRANCISCO FERNANDEZ FOR REASONS 1.4B AND D


1. (C) Summary: Embassy Luanda Charge visited the Gulf of
Guinea Commission,s new headquarters in Luanda and met with
Secretary General Carlos Gomes and staff to welcome Gomes to

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Luanda and convey USG willingness to cooperate with the
Commission. Having only recently taken possession of its
offices the Commission is still awaiting its staff,s
arrival. Commission leadership appeared not yet to have
developed a strong sense of its mission and work plan and was
clearly in sticker shock with Luanda prices for determining
its operating budget. It was also clear that the Commission
has no role in either developing or assisting in the meeting
Angola agreed to host at the last Gulf Of Guinea Maritime
Saftety and Security Minsterial in Benin. End Summary.


2. (U) Charge d,Affaires and P/E Chief met with Carlos
Gomes, the Gulf of Guinea Secretary General, in the
Commission,s new headquarters in Luanda on May 14, 2007.
One of the Commission,s Deputy Executive Secretaries, Amb.
Florentina A. Ukonga and Mr. Samuel, seconded from the staff
of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of External Relations
(MIREX) also attended the meeting. Gomes is from San Tome
and Principe; Ukonga from Nigeria.


3. (SBU) Background: At the November 2006 summit, the GRA
offered to host the newly ratified Gulf of Guinea commission,
covering its start up costs as well as its operational costs
for the first year. The GRA enacted the legislation to set
up the commission in late March 2007. The GRA has outfitted
an office suite as headquarters for the Commission with
individual offices, meeting rooms, and a small auditorium.
In addition, the GRA has provided houses for five employees
in South Luanda. End Background.

Still Finding its Mission
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4. (SBU) Gomes explained that the Commission had only
recently moved into the facilities and expected to be in this
location for about a year while it searched for a permanent
home. Current staff includes computer technicians and
secretarial support on loan from MIREX. Other senior staff,

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including another deputy executive secretary (from Cotonou)
and two directors (Gabon and Congo ) not specified) is
expected to arrive shortly. The Commission,s direct contact
to the GRA is through the Minister of External Relations.


5. (C) Gomes welcomed our visit and said that the Commission
would be happy to cooperate with the USG. The Charge
d,Affaires responded that the USG is open to cooperate with
the Commission and asked about plans for the upcoming
ministerial. Gomes said that the May summit date was based
on the November start date, but given the amount of time it
has taken to set up the office, this was no longer a
realistic plan. However, he was unable to elaborate any new
plans for a ministerial. Gomes told us several times that he
was waiting for the directives from the heads of state of the
Commission countries to define his work plan. It appears
that the commission structure and budget have not yet been
approved, nor has it received any authorization for
disbursing funds.


6. (C) Gomes was also not able to elaborate the Commission,s
mission, other than to speak generally of the themes of
defense and security, protection of hydrocarbon resources,
harmonization of economic policy towards these resources, and
pooling resources for technology to improve the standard of
living in member countries. He said he was open to any
suggestions we might have on the Commission,s scope of work.
He also mentioned that he didn,t have a copy of the minutes
from the Maritime Safety and Security Ministerial Meeting
which we promised to send to him.

Comment:
--------------

7. (C) The Commission clearly is in its gestation stage and
there is nothing to indicate that it will turn into a fully
formed entity in the near future. Gomes indicated that there
was nothing nudging the Commission,s member states to
instruct the body nor did he seem ready to develop a plan of
action and present it to the Heads of States. However, there
was a genuine show of good will and openness to work with the
USG. Gomes and his staff are still in sticker shock with
Luanda prices for finding permanent quarters and with the
slowness in getting things done in Angola. Gomes and staff
also asked if the USG could provide the Commission with any
type of assistance, buthe did not elaborate further. Embassy
Luanda will continue to follow and report on the Commission's
progress.
FERNANDEZ