VZCZCXRO4978
OO RUEHDE RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHNR #1679 2170748
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 050748Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0607
INFO RUCNSOM/SOMALIA COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RHMFIUU/CJTF HOA  IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHMCSUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS NAIROBI 001679 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/RSA 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, AUGUST 4 
 
REF: 07 STATE 116686 
 
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Summary 
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¶1. (SBU) Per reftel, Post submits the following update for 
the first week of August 2009.  End summary. 
 
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PD Activities 
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¶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) The two Somali journalists who traveled to Mogadishu 
to assess the Transitional Federal Government's (TFG) public 
diplomacy operations returned to Nairobi on August 3.  During 
the visit, the team met with TFG President Sharif, Prime 
Minister Sharmarke, and other ranking members of the TFG. 
The assessors were in daily phone contact with PAO and had 
already provided useful feedback to the Somalia Unit.  We 
expect a written report of their findings in approximately a 
week. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Post continued publicly advocating for a free and 
fair election process in Somaliland.  Contacts in Somaliland 
reported that the Counselor's interview with Horn Cable TV on 
July 21 had significant impact.  On August 3, Post published 
a press release registering our concern with the Somaliland 
authorities' decision to discard a voter registration list. 
Somaliland contacts have expressed gratitude for our public 
statements on the situation in that region. 
 
¶5. (SBU) PAO met on July 28 with Mogadishu University 
representatives in Nairobi regarding the recently-opened 
American Corner.  The representatives reported that the 
American Corner is functioning, though it is operating from 
an administrative building rather than the more vulnerable 
main campus.  PAO will invite the coordinator to Nairobi for 
an introductory visit with the Somalia Unit, and possibly 
include a visit to an American Corner in Kenya.  Post will 
also procure additional equipment and supplies for the 
American Corner. 
 
¶6. (SBU) MIST activity: The MIST continued to receive 
feedback on the Puntland performance tour by music group 
Waayaha Cusub, recordings of which MIST will rebroadcast 
throughout Somalia and Kenya's Northeast Province.  The MIST 
also continued finalizing contracts for new programs in 
Puntland, Banadir, and the Kenya/Somalia border.  Finally, 
the team began planning for procurement of materials to 
support community groups in the Dadaab refugee camps aimed at 
enhancing delivery of U.S. messages, especially countering 
extremists' recruitment efforts in the camps. 
RANNEBERGER