In the West African city of Cotonou, in the Republic of Benin, the 10th summit of the Community of Sahelo-Saharan states, known as CEN-SAD, was preceded by a food summit attended by 28 heads of state and governments.
After an initial meeting in late 2007 at the Milipol exhibition in Paris, Winkelmann UK, a UK manufacturer of counter-surveillance and anti-terrorist equipment, supplied a number of HAWK XDi electronic device detectors for use by Benin organisers.
The HAWK XDi detects mines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) and counter terrorist applications. It detects explosive devices containing electronic components such as remote control receivers, mobile phones, electronic timers, clocks, transceivers, electronic fuses and delayed-action units, whether they are powered or unpowered at the time of the sweep. The three-day event passed without a security alert.
