A/S FRAZER'S SEPT 26 MEETING WITH KENYA FM WETANGULA

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 104949 E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/18/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL KE SUBJECT: A/S FRAZER'S SEPT 26 MEETING WITH KENYA FM WETANGULA Classified By: A/S Frazer for Reason 1.4 (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. Assistant Secretary Jendayi E. Frazer met with Kenyan Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula September 26 on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Wetangula requested this meeting to discuss Government of Kenya (GOK) concerns about the deteriorating situation in Somalia and urge USG consideration of a Millennium Challenge Compact (MCC) for Kenya. Wetangula invited A/S Frazer to a Summit on Somalia to be held in Nairobi October 6-8 and asked that the USG provide financial support for this summit and a GOK initiative to train Somali civil forces. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) A/S Frazer meet with FM Wetangula on September 26 on the margins of UNGA at the Kenyan's request to discuss both Somalia and ask that Kenya be considered for a Millennium Challenge Compact (MCC) as described below. -------------- SOMALIA -------------- ¶3. (C) Wetangula expressed concern over piracy off the coast of Somalia and noted shipping costs in the region had increased thirty percent as a direct result of the threat. He said the GOK wanted to help train Somalia,s civil force to help stabilize the region. The GOK had already identified a college in Kenya that would be used for the training and was capable of handling 5,000 to 10,000 trainees per year. He asked for USG assistance to help pay to establish this training center. He added that in addition to providing funding for the school itself, it is necessary to ensure those who are trained receive a reliable salary after graduation. Without reliable salary payments many graduates could, upon their return to Somalia, simply leave the civil force to join a militia. ¶4. (C) Wetangula noted further concern that the Transitional Charter establishing the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) in Somalia ended in ten months. He invited A/S Frazer to a summit-level meeting on Somalia to be held in Nairobi October 6-8, which would include several regional heads of state, AU Chairman Kikwete and the TFG. The goal of the Summit will be to push for an extension to the life of the Charter and get all parties to honor already existing agreements. He added that if Somalia becomes &totally ungovernable8 the GOK might recognize Somaliland and encourage Puntland independence. He asked that the USG offer financial assistance to this summit to help pay for travel and lodging expenses of the TFG while in Nairobi. A/S Frazer encouraged Wetangula to relay the cost estimates to the US Ambassador in Nairobi and promised to look into what funding was available. ¶5. (C) A/S Frazer agreed with Wetangula,s assessment of the piracy threat but said it was unlikely the USG would agree to take on patrol and convoy protection duties because no countries would accept any pirates arrested by USG forces. Wetangula said Kenya had already prosecuted Somali pirates and he would push the GOK to accept and prosecute any pirates arrested by the USG. Additionally, A/S Frazer said it was vital that AMISOM get blue-hatted and said African Union (AU) countries should actively push the Security Council to authorize a UN peacekeeping mission. -------------- MCC COMPACT -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Wetangula asked A/S Frazer for help convincing the USG to give Kenya a Millennium Challenge Compact. He said Kenya had received a Threshold Program, but was ranked low for consideration of a full Compact. A/S Frazer promised to review Kenya's indicators and noted MCC funds were limited. RICE