VZCZCXRO9504
OO RUEHDE RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHNR #1790 2361011
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 241011Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0765
INFO RUCNSOM/SOMALIA COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RHMFIUU/CJTF HOA  IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHMCSUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS NAIROBI 001790 
 
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 21 
 
REF: A. NAIROBI 1699 
     ¶B. 07 STATE 116686 
 
 ------- 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. (SBU) Per ref B, Post submits the following update for the 
third week of August 2009.  End summary. 
 
------------- 
PD Activities 
------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) The Somalia Unit, including the Military Information 
Support Team (MIST) dedicated to Somalia, performed para. 3-5 
activities since the last report: 
 
¶3. (SBU) Somalia Unit coordinated the joint press conference 
following the meeting between President Sharif and Secretary 
Clinton.  Reaction from Somali, international, and Kenyan 
media was tremendously positive (ref A). 
 
¶4. (SBU) Somalia Unit worked with AF in facilitating an 
interview by PDAS Carter with Somaliland's Horn Cable TV on 
August 18.  The interview, part of our public diplomacy 
strategy to address Somaliland's ongoing political crisis, 
had a significant impact, even prompting the Somaliland 
Foreign Minister to approach HCTV for a rebuttal interview. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Post coordinated the travel of the newly-designated 
American Corner coordinator from Mogadishu to Addis Ababa for 
training with his Ethiopian counterparts.  The coordinator 
will travel to Nairobi on August 21 for consultations with 
the Somalia Unit before a scheduled return to Mogadishu on 
August 23. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Somalia Unit received the final draft of assessment 
report from the two Somali journalists who returned from 
Mogadishu on August 3.  Post forwarded the draft to AF on 
August 21 and will finalize the report in the coming week. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Counselor for Somalia Affairs did an interview with 
BBC's "The World" program on August 13, with a focus on 
Secretary Clinton's meeting with TFG President Sharif.  The 
interview allowed us to emphasize the positive outcomes of 
the meeting. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Ambassador Ranneberger did an on-the-record 
interview with the New Yorker magazine on August 21.  The 
Ambassador's remarks will be included in an article on 
Somalia slated for the September 21 edition of the magazine, 
immediately before President Sharif's planned trip to UNGA. 
 
¶9. (SBU) MIST activity:  MIST  Somalia continues to receive 
feedback from Waayaha Cusub,s trip to Somalia that 
incorporated messages and products intended for use by the 
MIST in Somalia and NE province.  The MIST also continues to 
finalize contracts for the programs covering Puntland, 
Banadir, and the Kenya/Somalia border area scheduled to begin 
next week.  The team also continues planning for programs in 
the NE province focused on refugees and the reception of USG 
information, specifically counter-recruitment efforts.  The 
team is coordinating with civic groups in the area to 
organize the program.  MIST is currently waiting on contract 
support. 
RANNEBERGER