Nomination for Political LES/FSN Training October

UNCLAS MAPUTO 000895 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR SPAS/POL: Haitham Al-Mussawi E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AFSI AFSN PGOV MZ SUBJECT: Nomination for Political LES/FSN Training October 16 - 27, 2006 REF: STATE 119253 ¶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) Previous Training in US: Political Training for FSNS, May 15-28, 2000 f) Supervisor at post: John Wysham, Econ/Pol Section Chief, WyshamJA@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 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 number of official visits. 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. 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. It is worth noting that the course which he attended in 2000 was given after he had only served one year here. Now, with six more years of experience, he is likely to benefit more fully from political training coursework offered at FSI. The Mission enjoys increasingly close access with the Guebuza administration (which came into office in February 2005), and we want to make the most of Mr. Antonio's contacts in the government. Moreover, 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 working with the Mozambican administration. Dudley