BENIN TO HOST SAHEL-SAHARAN STATES COMMUNITY SUMMIT

UNCLAS COTONOU 000162

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/W (DBANKS)
PARIS AND LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHERS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID ETRD BN
SUBJECT: BENIN TO HOST SAHEL-SAHARAN STATES COMMUNITY SUMMIT
(CEN-SAD) IN JUNE 2008

REFERENCE: COTONOU 00161


1. (U) Summary: The Government of Benin (GOB) is preparing to host
in June 2008 the 10th Summit of the Community of Sahel-Saharan
States (CEN-SAD). To help ensure a successful summit, there is
massive road and housing construction in Cotonou to increase
accommodation capacity for the many delegates expected from the 25
member states of CEN-SAD. By hosting such a large, high profile
international event, Benin gains prestige and boost ties with Libya,
the current CEN-SAD chair, principal mover behind CEN-SAD and
presumed financier of much of the construction underway in Cotonou.
End Summary.


2. (U) Benin was selected to host the 10th CEN-SAD at the 9th Summit
that took place June 02-03, 2007 in Sirte, Libya. The GOB views this
selection as a great diplomatic success for the country, with
positive economic spin-offs from the preparations for this
unprecedented event (Note: Counting the Cotonou 6th Summit of French
Speaking Countries -Francophonie - in 1991, this is only Benin's
second ever such high profile event with the large number of heads
of state expected to attend. End note). The preparations include the
construction of 69 luxury houses to accommodate visiting presidents
and high ranking officials, which has generated significant
employment opportunities and a dire shortage in the country's cement
production (Reftel). In addition, several principal roads in Cotonou
are being repaired or totally reconstructed, causing great
inconvenience to road users and some residents.


3. (U) Significantly, a meeting of the CEN-SAD Ministers of
transportation has been scheduled for March 25-27, 2008 to review
transportation strategies for the forthcoming summit. The summit is
one of President Yayi's priorities, and he personally coordinates
the preparations, including frequent visits to the villa
construction site to check on the progress of the work.


4. (U) CEN-SAD, an international organization of 25 African states,
was set up by Colonel Mu'ammar Kadhafi on February 4, 1998 in
Tripoli following a summit that brought together the heads of state
of Libya, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Sudan and Chad. The
organization aims to establish a regional economic union based on a
strategy of joint development plans of member states, coordinating
investment in agriculture, industry, energy, as well as social and
cultural issues. CEN-SAD objectives also include the suppression of
all restrictions that hinder the smooth integration of its member
states, the promotion of external trade through an investment policy
in member states, and the increase of land, air and maritime
transportation capacity via the implementation of joint projects.


5. (U) The organization started with 6 member states in 1998 and now
has a community of 25, including Benin, which joined in 2002.
According to observers, the CEN-SAD is a major political, economical
and social movement that seeks to meet the challenges of
globalization.


6. (U) CEN-SAD objectives are attractive to African states, because
they foster regional integration and offer a lucrative mechanism for
promoting goals of economic growth and prosperity. Also, it enables
the member states that host CEN-SAD summits to shine diplomatically.
For Benin, the forthcoming summit is an element of President Yayi's
efforts to play a leading diplomatic role in West Africa.


7. (U) Benin increased its cooperation with Libya between the 1970s
and early 1980s under former President Kerekou's Marxist-Leninist
administration, which sought support from socialist countries. Since
that time, bilateral cooperation has covered the areas of defense,
health, finance, transport, building, rural development, education
and culture. Since his March election (and April inauguration) in
2006 on a democratic platform for reform and change, President Yayi
has engaged in an extensive overseas visit program to boost ties
with Benin's traditional development partners, including European
countries, Libya and China.


8. (SBU) Comment: Apart from the CEN-SAD member state contributions,
Kadhafi appears to be the primary financier of this summit and its
cheerleader. Kadhafi's efforts to channel countries into CEN-SAD may
be viewed as an alternative means to achieve his controversial
vision of a United States of Africa and influence over African
countries. Benin has received an unknown (but presumed substantial)
amount of Libyan funding for infrastructure development related to
the summit, which likely will have some positive economic spin-offs
if not off-set by the insufficient cement supply for other uses.

BROWN