DJIBOUTI -- SUMMARY OF DJIBOUTI PRESS 12/28/08

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DJIBOUTI 001035 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E, AF/PD, AND INR/AA LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA WATCHER AFRICOM AND CJTF-HOA FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KPAO KMDR PREL PGOV DJ XA SUBJECT: DJIBOUTI -- SUMMARY OF DJIBOUTI PRESS 12/28/08 REF: STATE 120090 INDEX ¶1. Djibouti-United States: Barring the Route to the Traffic of Nuclear Materials (La Nation) ¶2. University of Djibouti: English Books Donation (La Nation) ¶3. Senator Feingold in Djibouti (La Nation) ¶4. Diplomatic Ballet in Djibouti (La Nation) ¶1. Djibouti-United States: Barring the Route to the Traffic of Nuclear Materials La Nation Monday, December 15, 2008 Contributing to the struggle against nuclear proliferation, the Republic of Djibouti signed a major agreement with the United States on the prevention and repression of the traffic of nuclear and radioactive materials. The Republic of Djibouti and the United States of America signed a memorandum of understanding whose goal is to prevent, crack down, and combat illegal trafficking of nuclear and radioactive materials on Friday, December 12. This signature ceremony at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs brought together the Djiboutian Foreign Minister, Mahamoud Ali, the Minister of Transport, Ali Hassan, and the Ambassador of the United States to Djibouti, representing the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA),James Swan. This agreement is part of the Megaports Initiative (MPI) by the NNSA of the US Energy Department. The goal of this initiative launched in 2003 is to support the Container Security Initiative meant to prevent the smuggling of nuclear and radioactive devices. Five years after it has been launched, the Megaports Initiative is operational in 19 countries and is being negotiated with 20 other countries around the world. The Port of Djibouti located between Asia, Europe, the Arabic Peninsula and Africa has the capacity to handle 10 million tons of cargo and 400,000 containers a year. The new containers terminal of Doraleh is to handle 1.5 million containers a year, making the port of Djibouti the highest performing port in East Africa. The 18th Council of Ministers led by President Guelleh on November 22 approved a draft law to ratify the convention of chemical weapons adopted in January 1993 by the General assembly of the United Nations. This convention is aimed at prohibiting the fabrication, stocking, and use of chemical weapons. The signatories are committed to destroy all the chemical weapons and all chemical weapons plants. The government of Djibouti showed once again his goodwill to participate in the international efforts in promoting peace and stability around the world. ¶2. University of Djibouti: English Books Donation La Nation Thursday, December 22, 2008 The Cultural attach of the US embassy to Djibouti, Niles Cole, handed books over to the President of the University of Djibouti, Dr. Abdillahi Omar. These books will help the students improve their English language skills as well as their knowledge in subjects such as accounting, management, marketing and so on. The President of the University of Djibouti thanked the young diplomat on behalf of the Minister of Education and Higher Learning, the professors and the students for this gesture from the US Diplomatic mission. The Ministry and the Embassy are planning to enhance their partnership. Djiboutian students could obtain scholarships to pursue their studies in the United States. ¶3. Senator Feingold in Djibouti La Nation Thursday, December 22, 2008 The US Senator, Russ Feingold, who arrived in Djibouti last DJIBOUTI 00001035 002 OF 002 Saturday, was received by President Ismael Omar Guelleh with whom he discussed about the latest developments of the crisis in Somalia. The Democrat senator stated that the United States was supporting the Djibouti peace process. As he was received by President Guelleh, Senator Feingold told him that the United States was supporting the Djibouti peace process. The American Senator and the President also discussed about the cooperation between their two countries. Mr. Feingold met separately with Prime Minister Nour Addeh, the leader of the ARS, Sheikh Shariff Sheikh Ahmed. Born in 1953 in Janesville, Wisconsin, Russ Dana Feingold is a member of the Democrat Party and Senator of the Wisconsin since ¶1993. He is a specialist of the African Affairs and is in favor of withdrawing US troops from Iraq. ¶4. Diplomatic Ballet in Djibouti La Nation Thursday, December 22, 2008 The US Democrat Senator, Russ Feingold, Chairman of the Africa Committee at the Senate, held meeting successively with the President of the self-declared Republic of Somliland, Daher Rayaleh, the Special Envoy, Ould Abdallah, the Somali Prime Minister, Nour Hassan Houssein, and the leader of the ARS, Sheikh Sharif inside the American Embassy. After meeting with these various Somali leaders, the Senator stated in a press conference that his country was supporting the Djibouti peace process as he hailed the agreements signed by ARS and the Somali TFG. Mr. Russ Feingold also highlighted that his country was planning to contain fundamentalist groups such as Al Shabab. He called the group a "dangerous" organization that represents a major risk for the security of the countries in the region. According to the Senator, the international community is working on an action plan to curb piracy in the Gulf of Aden. SWAN