VZCZCXYZ0011
PP RUEHWEB
DE RUEHJB #0295 1551543
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 031543Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0989
UNCLAS BUJUMBURA 000295
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EWWT EAID ECIN ECON EFIS MARR MASS MCAP MOPS
PHSA, PINS, PREL, SMIG, SENV, SNAR, ASEC, XX, BY
SUBJECT: GLOBAL MARITIME PARTNERSHIPS - BURUNDI
REF: STATE 50488
1. (U) In a meeting June 3 with EmbOff, Chief of the
Burundian Maritime Police Colonel Leonce Musavyi said that he
appreciated the potential benefits of Global Maritime
Partnerships (reftel) and was eager to explore cooperation in
this area. Colonel Musavyi noted that the Marine Police have
no boats and therefore no ability to patrol Lake Tanganyika
and the Port of Bujumbura. He also reported high levels of
piracy and smuggling, including cases of Burundian fishermen
being harassed on a regular basis by bandits from the
Democratic Republic of Congo. He had already prepared a
project proposal requesting training and equipment to
professionalize the Marine Police.
2. (U) Post has also been in contact with Mr. Bashigwa
Fidele, Director of the Department of Fishing and Fish
Farming Activities, who said that he would welcome assistance
in training fishermen, establishing fish processing
facilities and increasing the capacity of his department,s
staff to enforce fishing laws ) which were last updated in
1937. In discussions with both Colonel Musavyi and Mr.
Fidele, EmbOff emphasized the need to form public-private
alliances and cooperative frameworks that would reflect the
principles behind Global Maritime Partnerships. Post will
continue these conversations and hopes to identify a number
of areas for collaboration.
MOLLER