VZCZCXRO6771
OO RUEHDE RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHNR #1504/01 1951207
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 141207Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0359
INFO RUCNSOM/SOMALIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI 0206
RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI 0141
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHMFIUU/CJTF HOA
RUZEFAA/CDR USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUZEFAA/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RHMCSUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NAIROBI 001504 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/E AND AF/PD 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: KPAO KDEM PREL SOCI SO KE
SUBJECT: Somalis and Kenyans React Positively to President's Speech 
 
NAIROBI 00001504  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
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Summary 
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¶1. The Somalia Unit and Kenya Public Affairs Section co-hosted an 
event in Nairobi on July 11 at which Somali and Kenyan guests viewed 
President Obama's speech to the Ghanaian Parliament.  We followed 
the President's speech with a panel discussion chaired by the Acting 
DCM/Consul General, the Economic Counselor, and two Kenyan Fulbright 
alumni.  The 75 invited guests reacted very positively to the 
speech.  Our Somali contacts saw the President's reference to 
Somalia as a sign that their country will play a more prominent role 
in the foreign policy of the United States.  Our Kenyan contacts 
welcomed the "tough love" approach to their corrupt leaders, poor 
governance, and reliance on outside aid.  End summary. 
 
 
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Successful Viewing 
Event 
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¶2. The Somalia Unit and Kenya Public Affairs Section co-hosted a 
July 11 event at which approximately 75 Somali and Kenyan guests 
viewed President Obama's speech live.  Following the speech, the 
Acting DCM/Consul General and Economic Counselor, along with two 
Kenyan Fulbright alumni, chaired a panel discussion about the 
speech.  A diverse audience of Kenyan and Somali academics, civil 
society representatives, youth activists, and journalists listened 
keenly to both the speech and the four panelists' reactions to it. 
A lively discussion ensued, with more comments than questions and an 
overall positive take on the President's message. 
 
---------------------- 
Single Reference Means 
New Focus on Somalia 
---------------------- 
 
¶3. Comments from our Somali guests were uniformly positive.  Several 
comments focused on the President's single reference to Somalia, 
which they hoped meant that the new administration had resolved to 
dedicate an increased amount of attention to their country.  A 
journalist praised the speech for having covered most of the 
problems affecting Africa, including Somalia.  He noted that the 
President's mention of Somalia indicated a realization that 
Somalia's situation required international attention.  A retired 
journalist said that President Obama's mention of Darfur and Somalia 
indicated a focus on countries requiring security efforts, in a 
different vein from those suffering from disease and famine.  A 
civil society activist mentioned her delight at the President's 
mention of Somalia, but said she hoped that the President's focus on 
stable African countries did not indicate a fatigue with unstable 
countries, particularly those in the Horn of Africa.  Separately, 
Somali President Sharif reportedly welcomed the speech, noting that 
the Somali crisis affects the regions of the world far beyond 
Somalia.  Somali media did not appear to focus strongly on the 
speech, likely owing to a weekend of intense fighting in Mogadishu 
that dominated headlines. 
 
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Obama "Understands Africa;" 
Offers "Tough Love" 
--------------------------- 
 
¶4. Many references to Kenya peppered throughout the speech did not 
go unnoticed.  Kenyan panelists and audience alike noted Obama's 
"tough love" approach to Kenya and other faltering African 
democracies, and all appeared to appreciate his recognition that 
Africans need to take responsibility for their own problems.  One 
panelist mentioned the difference between Obama's message and that 
of his envoys (particularly A/S Johnnie Carson and then-Deputy 
Commander to AFRICOM Ambassador Mary Yates), noting that Obama went 
beyond the "nuanced" differences in Africa policy to a clear change. 
 A local news op-ed repeated the sentiment the following day.  It 
seems to speak to another oft-repeated notion following Obama's 
speech that his African roots allow him to say things other 
Presidents could not.  Indeed, as our two Embassy panelists pointed 
out, it may be that Obama is heard differently saying exactly the 
same things.  But, as a young student noted, "Change is a slogan, 
not an ideology, and till now we've only taken it as a slogan." 
 
 
NAIROBI 00001504  002.4 OF 002 
 
 
ABELL