NOMINATION FOR POLITICAL LES/FSNS TRAINING

UNCLAS MAPUTO 000230

SIPDIS
FOR SPAS/POL - BINGRAM
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AFSI AFSN MZ PGOV
SUBJECT: NOMINATION FOR POLITICAL LES/FSNS TRAINING


APRIL 3-15, 2005
REF: STATE 12397


1. Personal information for nominee:
a) Name: Naimo Vasco ANTONIO
b) Grade 9
c) Began service with DOS: March 1999
d) English language ability: fluent written/spoken
e) Pervious Training in US: Political Training for FSNS, May
15-28, 2000
f) Supervisor at post: Cynthia Brown, Econ/Pol Officer,
BrownCA@state.gov
Post will cover costs for airfare, local transportation and
M&IE.


2. Serving as the sole Political FSN at Embassy Maputo, Mr.
Antonio manages an extensive portfolio of issues including
human rights, domestic political developments, judicial sector
reform, regional and bilateral relations, religious freedom, and
corruption. Principal duties include gathering information
from media sources, government publications, and contact with
members of the government and civil society for reporting
purposes; cultivating working-level and senior-level contacts
at appropriate government ministries, political parties, municipal
governments, and non-governmental organizations; coordinating
high-level mission travel within the country; and drafting reports
on various issues within his portfolio, including contributions to
Post's annual Human Rights Report, International Religious Freedom
Report, and Trafficking in Persons Report. Mr. Antonio also
provides daily briefings for the Ambassador and DCM on political
developments and current events. In addition, Mr. Antonio
performs accounting and project oversight for the Embassy's
Democracy and Human Rights Fund (DHRF). Mr. Antonio is the
senior of two LES/FSNS in the combined Economic/Political
Section, and serves as back-up Economic/Commercial specialist
as needed.


3. Embassy Maputo receives a large number of official
visits. As one of only two official interpreters at the
Embassy, Mr. Antonio is often called upon to provide essential
interpreting services for visitors during high-level meetings.
He is also responsible for drafting and translating reports
and official correspondences from English to Portuguese.


4. On February 2, Armando Emilio Guebuza was inaugurated as
the President of the Republic of Mozambique, succeeding Joaquim
Chissano who stepped down after serving 18 years in office.
This change in leadership has brought about a significant
turnover in government officials and a restructuring of several
government institutions, with consequent increased demands
on the Political section for accurate and updated reporting on
key persons and policies. Although Mr. Antonio participated in
a class on Political Training for FSNS in 2000, Post strongly
feels that further training in interviewing, briefing, drafting,
interpreting/translating and sharing new knowledge would be
beneficial at this juncture. This course will be critical in
ensuring that Mr. Antonio has the necessary skills to assist Post
in gathering essential background information on the incoming
government and establishing productive working relationships with
wide array of new public officials and their staff. As a
well-respected, senior FSN in the embassy community, Mr.
Antonio will be able use the knowledge and skills obtained
through this training to assist others within the Embassy in
meeting the challenge of working with the new Mozambican
administration.
LA LIME