SOMALIA - PD ACTIVITIES UPDATE, DECEMBER 9

UNCLAS NAIROBI 002510 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/RSA, AF/PD, 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, DECEMBER 9 REF: 07 STATE 116686 -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (SBU) Per reftel, Post submits the following update for the third week of November 2009. End Summary. -------------- PD Activities -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The Somalia Unit, including the Military Information Support Team (MIST) dedicated to Somalia, performed para. 3-6 activities since the last report: ¶3. (SBU) Somalia Unit conducted extensive media outreach in the wake of the December 3 suicide bombing in Mogadishu. Post helped draft and signed onto a joint statement co-signed by the EU, UN, AMSIOM, IGAD, League of Arab States and Norway. Somalia Unit personnel conducted multiple radio and TV interviews in the wake of the bombing, expressing condolences to the Somali people and reiterating our support for the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and Somalia. Post forwarded the Department's December 4 press statement to Somali media outlets. Ambassador Ranneberger visited victims who been evacuated to Nairobi's Aga Khan University Hospital on December 7, and made remarks to Somali and Kenyan press after the visit. ¶4. (SBU) PAO completed a grant for $25,000 to the Ministry of Information for six months of satellite and Internet service, focused particularly on expanding the reach of the newly-revamped Radio Mogadishu. These funds will be disbursed via the Price Waterhouse Coopers mechanism, which allows an increased level of coordination and accountability for donor funds. The Minister of Information has expressed gratitude to the USG for this demonstration of direct support to his operation, the first of its kind among the international community. We remain engaged with an international group focused on coordinating our assistance to the TFG's outreach efforts as well as Somali media. Post thanks AF/PDPA for enabling us to provide this crucial assistance to the TFG. ¶5. (SBU) MIST activity: Received the initial prototype for the first of three issues in a comic book series. The series will convey messages of peace and support to the TFG while condemning extremists. Began coordination with Star FM and Sheikh Bundid to resume the Islamic lecture series broadcasting into Kenya's North Eastern Province and Nairobi's Eastleigh neighborhood. ¶6. (SBU) MIST activity (cont.): A new MIST arrived on November 30 and has completed the transition between teams. RANNEBERGER