VZCZCXRO9046
OO RUEHDE RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHNR #0588/01 0840757
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 250757Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8936
INFO RUCNSOM/SOMALIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 3148
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 2127
RUEHMV/AMEMBASSY MONROVIA 0365
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHMFIUU/CJTF HOA
RUZEFAA/CDR USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUZEFAA/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NAIROBI 000588 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR AF/E AND ACTING A/S CARTER 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM EAID SO
 
SUBJECT:  SOMALIA - Engaging the Diaspora 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1.  (SBU) On March 13 participants at a United Nations Development 
Program (UNDP)-sponsored workshop in Nairobi explored ways to engage 
the Somali Diaspora in making a greater contribution to peace and 
the development of the country.  Intellectuals, civil society 
representatives and others from the Somali diaspora shared ideas 
with representatives from Nairobi-based embassies and development 
agencies.  The workshop featured a UNDP study showing the diaspora's 
significant economic, humanitarian and development contributions. 
Through private investments in key sectors such as 
telecommunications, money transfer, airline, education and general 
merchandise, representatives of the Somali diaspora fuel economic 
growth in a high-risk and unstable environment.  During the 
workshop, working groups on business, humanitarian, peace building 
and development discussed challenges and opportunities for 
diaspora/donor engagement and how the UNDP can work best with all 
stakeholders for enhanced impact.  End Summary. 
 
Clan-Based Diaspora Organizations 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) On March 13, a UNDP-sponsored workshop brought together 
Somali diaspora organizations to discuss opportunities for enhanced 
donor-Diaspora engagement.  According to data presented at the 
workshop, the diaspora annually remit an estimated $1.6 billion and 
$700 million to Somalia and Somaliland, respectively.  Reportedly 40 
percent of Somali households receive remittances.  Those remittances 
make up an average of 23 percent of household income.  Participants 
in the workshop included Minnesota-based Somali Family Service, 
UK-based Nomad International, the Puntland Diaspora Network, Somali 
Women Diaspora, and the Moora Gaabey Association (named for its 
members' home district in Bay region, Somalia).  All of these 
organizations are successfully operating in various regions in 
Somalia.  While most of the Somali diaspora associations are ad hoc, 
some are permanent organizations with formal structures.  Like many 
Somali initiatives, many of the diaspora associations are regional 
or clan/subclan specific.  However, a growing number transcend 
regional/clan divides to launch need-based projects. 
 
Harnessing Contributions: 
Vital to the Peace Process 
-------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) The diaspora community is making significant contributions 
in Somalia through remittances to family members, humanitarian and 
emergency assistance, peace building, and development through 
charity, trade and investments.  Several participants noted frankly 
that the diaspora was both fueling the conflict and helping to solve 
it.  UK-based Maryan Sheikh Osman is a member of an informal 
international Somali diaspora network that has contributed to the 
success of the Djibouti process.  During the peace negotiations' 
most intense periods, Osman said its members held weekly conference 
calls and meetings to discuss ways to encourage compromise.  The 
group lobbied political actors and negotiators in Djibouti and 
Somalia encouraging them to be flexible and consider the general 
good.  At one critical point, Osman said, when the talks seemed to 
be stalling, diaspora network members hired two neutral Somali 
mediators to help bring the sides together. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) In addition to paying salaries in some of Somaliland's 
schools and hospitals, Nomad International provided vital medical 
support to Hargeisa Hospital's emergency room after the October 2008 
terrorist attacks.  Similarly, Moora Gaabey supports education in 
Bay and Bakool regions and made a significant contribution to the 
reopening of Banadir Hospital.  Conference participants cited their 
support for numerous other projects bringing education, health, 
reconciliation, roads and water to Somalia's various regions. 
 
Donor-Diaspora Collaboration 
---------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Participants lamented that Somalia's instability and a 
lack of coordination among diaspora communities have prevented them 
from maximizing their influence. 
Some of the recommendations for UNDP-diaspora coordination included 
 
NAIROBI 00000588  002 OF 002 
 
 
strengthening Somalis' traditional capacity to resolve conflicts, 
supporting the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of clan 
militia, and funding governance and human rights education. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Participants also noted that there are thousands of highly 
skilled diaspora who could contribute to Somalia's development.  The 
UNDP highlighted its Qualified Expatriate Somali Technical Support 
(QUEST) initiative to recruit Somali diaspora with expertise in the 
development and governance sectors to serve their country.  In 2008, 
the initiative successfully placed 82 diaspora in Somali-based 
institutions. UNDP has brought in the International Organization for 
Migration (IOM) to remodel the QUEST program. The participants 
pledged to further support QUEST and other initiatives to reverse 
Somalia's brain drain. 
 
Influencing 
Government 
----------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU) The diaspora influence government institutions across 
Somalia.  A large number of diaspora professionals have joined the 
political process via the newly expanded transitional parliament. A 
workshop presenter estimated that 40 percent of the Somaliland 
parliament is from the diaspora. He noted as well that TFG Prime 
Minister Omar Sharmarke is from the diaspora and the newly appointed 
TFG cabinet features several highly-educated professionals returning 
to Somalia for the first time in years, in addition to numerous 
diaspora advisers whom President Sharif and Prime Minister Sharmarke 
have recruited from abroad. In the previous TFG cabinet under former 
Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein, ten of fifteen ministers were 
from the diaspora. In Puntland, recently-elected President Farole 
hails from the diaspora, as well. 
 
¶8. (SBU) During a March 17 meeting (septel), President Sharif told 
the Ambassador that the Somali Diaspora is critical to the success 
of the peace process.  Sharif said he had asked the PM to appoint a 
Minister of Diaspora Outreach (Abdullahi Ahmed Abdulle Azari) to 
explore new ways for the diaspora to contribute to the 
reconciliation process.  Sharif asked us for programs that would 
enable his government to better engage the diaspora.  Sharif cited a 
retired Somali IMF officer who is working closely with the 
government to establish new fiscal policies and more transparent 
financial management mechanisms.  We encouraged this initiative and 
promised to explore innovative ways to tap into U.S. academic 
institutions, libraries, and other organizations to build personal 
bi-lateral exchanges. 
 
RANNEBERGER