GOB ASSENTS TO PROPOSED MARITIME INFORMATION

S E C R E T COTONOU 000004 SIPDIS SIPDIS AF/W FOR BANKS, ACCRA FOR FORWOOD, NAVEUR FOR LCDR CNE-C6F DAVID MORALES, LAGOS FOR SAM GAYE E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/02/2018 TAGS: PGOV SNAR MARR BN SUBJECT: GOB ASSENTS TO PROPOSED MARITIME INFORMATION SHARING REF: A. HAHN/MORALES EMAILS ¶B. COTONOU 893 ¶C. COTONOU 648 Classified By: Amb. Gayleatha B. Brown for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 1.(S) The Ambassador met with Felix Hessou, the GOB's Minister of the Interior, and Issifou N'Douro, the Minister of State for National Defense, to seek their assent to a proposed U.S. Navy information sharing mission (Ref A) off the coast of Benin. The mission will involve the sharing of information gathered by the USS Annapolis on illegitimate maritime traffic off of Benin's coast. Both Hessou and N'Dourou responded positively to the offer. Post and GOB now await the arrival of the USN team, in late January, to arrange logistics for the information sharing (Ref A). 2.(C) The Ambassador met with Hessou on December 13 and again on December 27 to discuss the proposed information sharing mission, which was in response to his request (Ref B). Hessou indicated that he agreed with the mission and would look forward to receiving the data. He stated he was particularly interested in information concerning the illegal landing of narcotics, by sea, in the area between Ouidah and the Togolese border. This area includes the area where a smuggling vessel containing 360 kilograms of cocaine capsized in July 2007 (Ref C). 3.(C) The Ambassador met with N'Dourou on December 14 and briefed him on the proposed mission. N'Dourou stated he agreed with the mission. Following the Ambassador's meeting with N'Dourou PolOff met with Commander Ahoyo, the Commandant of the Beninese Navy, on December 18 to brief him on the mission. Commander Ahoyo indicated the information would be very useful, but it would be difficult for the Beninese Navy to act on real-time information. BROWN