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