USAU: AFRICAN UNION APPOINTS SPECIAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L ADDIS ABABA 003493 SIPDIS SIPDIS AF/FO, AF/RSA INR/B E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/08/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR SUBJECT: USAU: AFRICAN UNION APPOINTS SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR SOMALIA Classified By: Ambassador Cindy L. Courville for reasons 1.4 (B) & (D) ¶1. (U) This cable is from US Mission to the African Union (USAU) Ambassador Dr. Cindy L. Courville. ¶2. (U) SUMMARY: On November 28 the newly appointed African Union Special Representative for Somalia called on Ambassador Courville to introduce himself and to inform her of his vision for his mission. He expects to be proactive and to reside in Mogadishu. END SUMMARY. ¶3. (U) PARTICIPANTS: AU Special Representative Nicolas Bwakira and Ambassador Courville ¶4. (C) Nicolas Bwakira views his role as a facilitator and coordinator among African and other international partners, and expects to be active in policy formulation. He will travel to Kampala, Kenya, and Djibouti to discuss the situation in Somalia with government officials and partners. He had immediate plans for trips. He will travel with a small team to Baidoa with the express purpose of influencing the decision making process before a new cabinet is formed. He observed that the Somali president is trying to open up government by bringing opposition and civil society into the cabinet. Among his other comments, Bwakira stated that there are members of the Diaspora who infer that Somalia,s current government has &sold out8 to the Ethiopians. ¶6. (C) Bwakira articulated that he wants to understand how the US defines its Somalia policy and how the US assesses the political and military realities. He commented that Burundian troops were ready to deploy, but standing up AMISOM "has a long way to go" and needs a common approach that supported AU leadership. He also expressed the hope the UN would join the AU in Somalia. Bwakira asked if the proposed meeting of the International Contact Group (ICG) High-Level for December 12-13 was still pending. The Ambassador informed that A/S Frazer could not participate on the proposed dates and the US and the AU were looking at alternative dates. ¶7. (U) BIOGRAPHIC NOTE: Nicolas Bwakira, the newly appointed African Union Special Representative for Somalia is Burundian by birth, but holds South African citizenship. He received his Master's in International Law from the University of Paris and has thirty two years of UN Peacekeeping Operations experience in Africa. Bwakira worked for the UN High Commission for Refugees. He is also a South African diplomat who worked in the South African International Relations Directorate. Nicolas characterizes himself as a non-traditional diplomat who says what he thinks and reports what he sees on the ground ¶8. (C) AU SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE PROPOSED WAY FORWARD: -- Develop an AU comprehensive political and peacekeeping approach to Somalia -- Travel to Baidoa, Kampala, Kenya, Djibouti and Mogadishu -- Cultivate a comprehensive international and regional approach to Somalia -- Participate in the upcoming meeting of the international Somalia Contact Group -- Establish office in Mogadishu YAMAMOTO