VZCZCXYZ0050
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #1993 2212318
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O P 092311Z AUG 07
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHDR/AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE
INFO RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 0000
RUEHYN/AMEMBASSY SANAA PRIORITY 0000

UNCLAS STATE 111993 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
AMEMB ADDIS PLEASE PASS TO USAU 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV SO
SUBJECT: SECURING PERMANENT OBSERVER STATUS FOR CANADA AND 
YEMEN IN THE INTERNATIONAL CONTACT GROUP ON SOMALIA 
 
¶1. (U) This is an action request, please see paragraph 2. 
 
OBJECTIVES 
---------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Posts are asked to approach host governments and 
regional organizations to pursue the following objective: 
 
-- Seek agreement for Canada and Yemen to be granted 
Permanent Observer status in the International Contact Group 
on Somalia (ICG) prior to the next meeting, currently 
scheduled for September 10 or 11 in Rome. 
 
¶3. (SBU) For Nairobi, please seek agreement from the 
Government of Kenya on behalf of the Intergovernmental 
Authority on Development (IGAD).  For Cairo, please seek 
agreement from the Arab League. 
 
¶4. (U) For additional information and background regarding 
U.S. support for Canadian and Yemeni participation as a 
permanent observer to the ICG, please see paragraphs 8-10. 
 
BACKGROUND 
---------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) The International Contact Group on Somalia (ICG) was 
established in June 2006 for members to share views on the 
current situation and future prospects in Somalia, engage 
with the Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs) on progress 
in Somalia, and agree to a set of key actions for ICG 
partners to deliver or promote which are designed to help 
stabilize Somalia and advance the political process and 
transitional period.  The ICG is committed to help bring 
about a safe and stable environment for the political 
transition and reconciliation process.  The United States is 
a founding member (with Norway) of the ICG and sees it as a 
key mechanism to ensure coordinated efforts to advance the 
political process and stabilize the security situation in 
Somalia. 
 
¶6.  (U) Current member states in the ICG are the United 
States, the European Union (Presidency and Commission), 
Italy, Kenya, Norway, Sweden, Tanzania, and the United 
Kingdom.  The African Union, Intergovernmental Authority on 
Development (IGAD, represented by the Government of Kenya), 
League of Arab States, and the United Nations participate as 
permanent observers in the ICG.  Canada recently participated 
as an observer at the ICG meeting on June 5-6, 2007 in 
London, while Yemen has participated as an observer since 
February.  Both Canada and Yemen have expressed a strong 
interest in becoming a permanent member of the ICG. 
 
¶7. (SBU) In May, the Canadian Foreign Minister wrote to 
Secretary Rice requesting U.S. support for Canada's 
 
SIPDIS 
membership in the ICG.  Due to our strong bilateral 
partnership, Secretary Rice has personally endorsed Canadian 
membership in the ICG.  The ICG discussed the possibility of 
admitting new members at the London meeting in June.  While 
the U.S. was prepared to open the membership to allow Canada, 
Yemen, and other interested parties to join, the UK surprised 
most members of the ICG by insisting that the group not admit 
any new members in order to prevent compromising its 
effectiveness with additional members.  However, we believe 
that Canada and Yemen are uniquely placed to make significant 
contributions to the ICG and help advance ICG objectives. 
 
IF ASKED ) JUSTIFICATION FOR PERMANENT OBSERVERSHIP 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶8.  (SBU) CANADA: Canada was a positive and constructive 
participant in the London ICG meeting in June and recently 
joined the International Advisory Committee (IAC) for the 
National Reconciliation Congress based in Nairobi, Kenya, and 
is an active member of the Somalia Donor Group.  Since April 
2005, Canada has provided approximately $23.5 million to the 
UN, Red Cross and Canadian NGOs in support of humanitarian 
assistance initiatives in Somalia and the region, responding 
to drought, flooding and increased insecurity due to 
conflict.  This includes Somalia assistance in response to 
the 2007 appeals from humanitarian partner organizations. 
Canada has also increased its support for small-scale, local, 
development-oriented projects for Somalia and is exploring 
funding for counterterrorism capacity-building initiatives. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Canada also has important diplomatic ties to the 
region, including strong bilateral relations with Kenya and 
Ethiopia.  Canada's contributions to the stabilization and 
peace processes in the region, including Sudan and Uganda, 
provide Canada with valuable experience and insight that 
could be applied to the situation in Somalia. Canada also has 
strong linkages to its Somali diaspora community, estimated 
at up to 200,000.  Many Somali-Canadians maintain strong 
links to Somalia and occupy positions in the TFIs or are 
prominent members of the business community, media 
representatives, or civil society in Somalia.  Canada is also 
seen as neutral by all regional players and thus could play 
an important role in facilitating dialogue and advancing ICG 
initiatives. 
 
¶10. (SBU) YEMEN: Located directly across the Gulf of Aden 
from Somalia, Yemen has strong economic, political, and 
cultural ties to Somalia, as well as strong bilateral ties 
with other countries in the Horn of Africa sub-region, 
including Djibouti and Ethiopia.  In addition to several 
thousand Somali refugees, Yemen is host to a large Somali 
diaspora population, many of whom have business ties to 
Somalia.  Due to its strong bilateral relationship with the 
TFIs and its status as a member of the League of Arab States, 
Yemen is uniquely placed to help mediate between Somali 
factions, as evinced by Yemen's successful mediation between 
Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf and former Speaker of 
Parliament Shariff Hassan Sheikh Adan in January 2006.  Yemen 
is an active member of the IAC based in Nairobi and has 
constructively participated as an observer in previous ICG 
meetings, including Tanzania in February, Cairo in April, and 
London in June.  Yemen's unique perspective and ability to 
engage with a wide range of Somali interlocutors would help 
facilitate dialogue and advance ICG initiatives. 
 
REPORTING DEADLINE 
------------------ 
 
¶11. (U) Please report results of this effort via 
front-channel cable to AF/E Nole Garey by August 31.  Please 
include Embassy Nairobi as info addressee. 
 
POINT OF CONTACT 
---------------- 
 
¶12.  (U) Please contact AF/E Nole Garey at (202) 647-8284 or 
via e-mail for any further background information or 
argumentation to meet our objectives.  For USAU, John Kelley 
has cleared this cable. 
RICE