Journalism workshop  at the American Cultural Center

PAO Watson delivering her speech

On January 29, PAS Cotonou hosted a well attended training workshop for twenty Beninese newspaper reporters to provide them with the opportunity to sharpen their professional skills by exchanging ideas and sharing experiences with senior counterparts in the profession.
Post held this event to meet the MSP goal of improving Press freedom in Benin by organizing training seminars for local reporters. Most Beninese journalists are young university graduates without any formal journalism training. Thus, based on the request made by the Directors and the owners of media outlets, this event was intended to promote journalism as a tool to enhance freedom of speech and to strengthen democracy.
This seminar is the first series of the bi-annual training program designed by the Public Affairs Section to assist the local journalists with learning the skills they need to perform their duty.   

Ambassador Brown launched the training session led by Georges Amlon, a senior Beninese journalist, who was assisted by Patrice Louis, a senior French journalist, based in Cotonou. The Q and A session that followed their remarks and the PowerPoint presentation enabled the trainees to comment on each item of the presentation discuss possible errors made in the past and suggest solutions for improvement.
In her opening remarks, PAO Rhonda Watson noted that democracy is strengthened through a free and professional media, and the U.S. Mission to Benin will do all it can to fulfill this objective.

Ambassador Knight emphasized the training of journalists as a key component of the U.S. Embassy’s mission and the major role played by the Public Affairs Section in achieving this goal. The Ambassador also reminded the journalists about the importance of their role in the society. According to Ambassador Knight, their role as journalists is crucial to the promotion of peace and development and the strengthening of democracy. This is particularly important during this period leading up to the March 2011 presidential election in Benin.  

The United States of America donates two defender class boats to the Beninese Naval Forces, January 17, 2010

One of the defender boats donated

In an effort to help the Beninese Naval Forces address maritime threats including terrorism, drug trafficking and piracy, the Embassy of the United States of America in Cotonou, Republic of Benin, in coordination with the Office of Security Cooperation at the US Embassy in Accra, Ghana, donated two defender class boats and a container of spare parts, during an official ceremony held on Saturday, January 17, 2010, at Naval Forces Headquarters.  The donation also included a two weeks training under the leadership of two US trainers from the Safety All Around Flotation Equipped (SAFE).

 

In his welcome introduction, Commander Fernand Maxime Ahoyo, Chief of Staff of the Navy, reminded the audience of the missions assigned to his department that are:  maritime police, prevention of accident on sea, fight against all sorts of trafficking, terrorism and piracy.  According to Commander Ahoyo, Benin has the human resources necessary to accomplish the tasks.  Only the means are lacking.  The government of Benin is then happy to receive those boats as part of the partnership between Benin and the USA. 

 

In his address, Ambassador James Knight stated that the donation of the two defender boats is to enable Beninese Naval Forces to carry out their mission of surveillance and fight against drug trafficking and piracy.  Ambassador Knight thanked the French Government for the assistance they also provided the Beninese Navy, mainly for Operation Command and the Automated Identification System (AIS) installed at the Naval Forces Command and the Naval Base.  Ambassador Knight also thank the two instructors Mr. Edouard West and Mr. Keith Francis for

 

Following Ambassador Knight’s speech, Minister of State Kogui N’Douro stated that beyond the donation, it is the population and mainly the Dantokpa market women who will be safe from criminals using Beninese maritime environment as their water way.  He said that the Government of Benin is trying to respond to the population’s concern, following the sad events that occurred in April 2008 and November 2008.

 

After the ceremony, President Yayi, Ambassador Knight, Minister of State Kogui N’Douro and Commander Ahoyo had a tour in one of the boats.

 

Among major attendees were President Boni Yayi, Head of State and Supreme Chief of the Beninese Armed Forces, several Beninese Government Ministers including, the Minister of State in charge of National Defense, Dr Issifou Kogui N’Douro;  the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Jean-Marie Ehouzou; the Minister of Economy and Finance, Mr. Idrissou Daouda; the Minister of Communications, Mr. Desire Adadja, the Minister of Relations with Institutions, Mr. Zakary Bababody; the Minister of Tourism, Mrs. Mamata Bako Djaouga; the Chiefs of Staff of both Civilian and Military Cabinet at the Presidency Palace, Chiefs of Mission of France, Germany and French, Belgian and Nigerian Defense Attaches.   The Beninese Armed Forces were represented by Brigadier General Soumanou Oke, Deputy Chief of the Defense Staff, Brigadier General Kokou Louis Sèmègan Lègba, Director General of the National Gendarmerie, Brigadier General Dominique Ahouandjinou, Chief of Staff of Ground Forces, Colonel Camille Michodjèhoun, Chief of Staff of Air Force, Commander Maxime Ahoyo, Chief of Staff of the Navy, and other high level military officers.
 

The U.S, Mission was represented by Ambassador James Knight, US Ambassador to Benin, Ms. Christina Day, Acting Deputy Chief of Mission; LTC Jason Turner, Defense and Military Attache for Ghana, Togo and Benin; Commander Gary Parker, Naval Attache, Major Joshua Zager, Marine Attache; Ms. Firmine Houemavo, Security Cooperation Program Specialist for AFRICOM; Mr. Buford Pate, Regional security Officer; Mr. Matthew Anderson, Assistant Regional Security Officer; and Mr. Etienne Guedou, Security Investigator.