When 28 Heads of the Sahelo-Saharan states met in Cotonou in the Republic of Benin, they were there to discuss the food crisis, the development of local and national initiatives to increase agricultural performance and productivity in member countries and the affect of the crisis on the most vulnerable rural populations, women and children.
With so many Heads of State and Prime Ministers attending, security from the threat of dissident groups was of the highest importance for the Benin Government. Following an initial meeting in late 2007 at the Milipol exhibition in Paris, Winkelmann UK, the UK-based manufacturer of counter-surveillance and anti-terrorist equipment, supplied a number of HAWK XDi Electronic Device Detectors for use by the security forces.
The HAWK XDi detects mines and improvised explosive devices in explosive ordnance disposal 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.
