EMBASSY NAIROBI CONCURRENCE FOR FY09 HORN OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L NAIROBI 000133 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/15/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER SO KE SUBJECT: EMBASSY NAIROBI CONCURRENCE FOR FY09 HORN OF AFRICA COUNTERINSURGENCY ENGAGEMENT 1206 PROPOSAL Classified By: Ambassador Michael E. Ranneberger, Reasons 1.4 (b) and ( d) ¶1. (U) Embassy Nairobi has reviewed and supports S/CT's proposal to provide training in Best Practices and Lessons Learned in Counterinsurgency Operations to Kenya to help the Kenyan government build its capacity to perform these operations in an effective manner that respects human rights. Mission Nairobi concurrence for this project is based on assurances from Washington that the program will be conducted in close coordination with the Mission in order to shape a program appropriate for local conditions. ¶2. (C) The threat of terrorism remains high throughout the Horn of Africa. Deteriorating security in Somalia in particular adversely impacts Kenya and Somalia's other neighbors. Al-Shabaab, a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization that has sheltered and worked alongside al-Qaeda operatives in East Africa, exercises control over large segments of southern Somalia. In recent months armed groups from Somalia have conducted attacks and kidnapped foreigners inside Kenya. While Kenya's military successfully prevented large groups of extremists from entering the country from Somalia in 2007-2008, the nation's counterinsurgency capabilities need to be enhanced to meet the continued cross-border threats posed by armed Somalia-based militants. ¶3. (C) During the past year Kenya has also conducted domestic security campaigns and border control operations against domestic armed militant groups that have generated credible allegations of human rights abuses. Kenya's military forces need to refine their counterinsurgency (COIN) strategy and tactics in order to maintain public support while targeting genuine extremists and minimizing abuses. U.S. trainers and experts have the expertise and credibility to share lessons from Iraq and Afghanistan on building relationships with local populations, extracting information from suspects and informants in an effective and humane manner, and avoiding excessive collateral damage in military operations. In addition, this proposal will provide vital equipment to the under-resourced Kenyan military forces. Improved COIN capabilities will help Kenya better address internal conflicts that can be exploited by extremists and reduce the likelihood that instability in Somalia will bleed across the border into Kenyan territory. RANNEBERGER