UN PREVIEWS SOMALIA PEACEKEEPING REPORT

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000364 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/01/2019 TAGS: PREL KPKO MARR MOPS UNSC SO SUBJECT: UN PREVIEWS SOMALIA PEACEKEEPING REPORT Classified By: Amb. Susan Rice, for reasons 1.4 b/d. ¶1. (U) This is a guidance request. Please see paragraph 4. ¶2. (C) Raisedon Zenenga, head of the Africa Division of the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO),told USUN on March 31 that DPKO, the Department of Political Affairs (DPA),and the Department of Field Support (DFS) had agreed on a joint approach for the Secretariat's April 15 report pursuant to resolution 1863. The key element to this approach would be continued provision of UN logistical support to the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) beyond 1863's June 1 deadline, while keeping the fixed goal of eventually rehatting the mission as a UNPKO. Zenenga said that alongside the continued assistance to AU efforts, the report would likely advocate an increased focus on the Somali security sector, including helping the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) to build workable security institutions which would eventually take responsibility for stabilizing the country. Col. Brian Norman (U.S.),Chief Military Planner for DPKO added that contingency plans for a full-scale UNPKO had been drawn up and that the report would likely be ready in time for the April 15 deadline, pending approval by the SYG. ¶3. (C) The Secretariat's agreed approach also incorporated the activities of the UN Political Office to Somalia (UNPOS) and the UN Country Team. Zenenga said that the report would support SRSG Ould-Abdallah's efforts to help bring spoilers into the political process, and would advocate regular visits by UNPOS into Mogadishu in support of national reconciliation. These regular missions would allow the UN to test the acceptability to Somalis of a UN presence, Zenenga said, and could pave the way for a light UN footprint on the ground in Mogadishu as soon as conditions allow. Ideally, this UN footprint would allow DFS to monitor directly provision of logistical support and UN Country Team members to re-establish a presence within Somalia. Comment and guidance request: -------------- ¶4. (C) USUN requests Department guidance in responding to the Secretariat's tentative recommendation for UN engagement in Somalia after June 1. Early engagement will be crucial if we are to influence the report before its mid-April release. Rice