BENIN'S NAVY PRESENTS NO DETERRENT TO ILLEGITIMATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L COTONOU 000001

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

AF/W FOR BANKS, INL/AAE FOR STEFFENS, ACCRA FOR FORWOOD AND
VANG, NAVEUR FOR LCDR CNE-C6F DAVID MORALES, LAGOS FOR SAM
GAYE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/02/2018
TAGS: MCAP SNAR BN
SUBJECT: BENIN'S NAVY PRESENTS NO DETERRENT TO ILLEGITIMATE
SEA TRAFFIC

REF: A. COTONOU 768

B. COTONOU 648

C. COTONOU 459

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

1.(U) This is an action message. Please see paragraph 6.

2.(C) Benin's navy, an already precarious creation consisting
of two old Chinese vessels and a collection of small
motorboats, no longer presents any deterrent to those who
illegally use Benin's coastal maritime space. Maxime Ahoyo,
Benin's naval commander, told PolOff in a December 18 meeting
that neither of the Navy's two Chinese donated vessels, which
at their high point could only reach 10 knots per hour, can
go to sea. According to Ahoyo the vessels break down "every"
time the Beninese navy attempts to take them to sea and, even
if the vessels could be made functional, the vessels do not
move fast enough to interdict illegal traffic in Benin's
waters.

3.(C) The lack of a functioning Navy hits Benin at a
particularly hard time as the Navy's Automatic Identification
System (AIS) recently became operational. The AIS, coupled
with a radar in Cotonou, permits the Navy to identify
illegitimate and legitimate maritime traffic from Benin's
border with Nigeria in the east to a point half-way between
Ouidah and Grand Popo in the west. While the Navy can now
develop information regarding illegitimate incursions into
Benin's waters, it lacks any capacity to interdict or inspect
suspicious vessels.

4.(C) This lack of capacity is concerning, particularly in
light of another piece of information Ahoyo shared with
PolOff. According to Ahoyo, drug running vessels regularly
disembark narcotics onto small jet scooters offshore near
Ouidah for transport to drug smugglers waiting on land.
Note. This is corroborated by the July 2007 capsizing of a
boat carrying 360 kilograms of cocaine near Ouidah (Ref B).
End Note. Ahoyo opined that with increased funding he could
build a naval station near Ouidah with AIS and radar
capabilities which would allow the navy to monitor the
entirety of Benin's coastline and act as a deterrent to
traffickers in the region.

5.(C) Comment: Benin lack of a functioning Navy makes its
coast an opportune target for traffickers of narcotics and
other goods who may be deterred by the navies of Benin's
neighbors. Post will work with Ahoyo and the GOB to ensure
that previously approved 1206 and Coastal Border Security
funds are well used to strengthen Benin's surveillance and
defense capabilities.

6.(SBU) Action Requested: Post reiterates its request (Ref A
and C) for 1.94 million dollars in additional 1206 funding to
provide Benin with the vessels its Navy needs to secure its
coastline and interdict illegal traffic.
BROWN