SOMALIA - PD ACTIVITIES UPDATE, AUGUST 21

UNCLAS NAIROBI 001790 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/RSA AND AF/E ALSO FOR S/CT ZROTHSCHILD ALSO FOR IIP/CTCC MAUSTEIN AND JVANDEVELDE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KPAO PTER MOPS SO SUBJECT: SOMALIA - PD ACTIVITIES UPDATE, AUGUST 21 REF: A. NAIROBI 1699 ¶B. 07 STATE 116686 -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (SBU) Per ref B, Post submits the following update for the third week of August 2009. End summary. -------------- PD Activities -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The Somalia Unit, including the Military Information Support Team (MIST) dedicated to Somalia, performed para. 3-5 activities since the last report: ¶3. (SBU) Somalia Unit coordinated the joint press conference following the meeting between President Sharif and Secretary Clinton. Reaction from Somali, international, and Kenyan media was tremendously positive (ref A). ¶4. (SBU) Somalia Unit worked with AF in facilitating an interview by PDAS Carter with Somaliland's Horn Cable TV on August 18. The interview, part of our public diplomacy strategy to address Somaliland's ongoing political crisis, had a significant impact, even prompting the Somaliland Foreign Minister to approach HCTV for a rebuttal interview. ¶5. (SBU) Post coordinated the travel of the newly-designated American Corner coordinator from Mogadishu to Addis Ababa for training with his Ethiopian counterparts. The coordinator will travel to Nairobi on August 21 for consultations with the Somalia Unit before a scheduled return to Mogadishu on August 23. ¶6. (SBU) Somalia Unit received the final draft of assessment report from the two Somali journalists who returned from Mogadishu on August 3. Post forwarded the draft to AF on August 21 and will finalize the report in the coming week. ¶7. (SBU) Counselor for Somalia Affairs did an interview with BBC's "The World" program on August 13, with a focus on Secretary Clinton's meeting with TFG President Sharif. The interview allowed us to emphasize the positive outcomes of the meeting. ¶8. (SBU) Ambassador Ranneberger did an on-the-record interview with the New Yorker magazine on August 21. The Ambassador's remarks will be included in an article on Somalia slated for the September 21 edition of the magazine, immediately before President Sharif's planned trip to UNGA. ¶9. (SBU) MIST activity: MIST Somalia continues to receive feedback from Waayaha Cusub,s trip to Somalia that incorporated messages and products intended for use by the MIST in Somalia and NE province. The MIST also continues to finalize contracts for the programs covering Puntland, Banadir, and the Kenya/Somalia border area scheduled to begin next week. The team also continues planning for programs in the NE province focused on refugees and the reception of USG information, specifically counter-recruitment efforts. The team is coordinating with civic groups in the area to organize the program. MIST is currently waiting on contract support. RANNEBERGER