US embassy cable - 04DJIBOUTI1367

C O N F I D E N T I A L DJIBOUTI 001367 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF AND AF/E 
LONDON / PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER 
NAIROBI FOR SOMALI WATCHER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/25/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, SO, DJ 
SUBJECT: COMMUNICATION WITH IGAD EXECUTIVE SECRETARY ON 
SOMALI PRESIDENT 
 
REF: STATE 223260 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR MARGUERITA D. RAGSDALE. 
REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). 
 
1. (SBU) During a U.N. Day reception October 24, Ambassador 
spoke with Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) 
Executive Secretary Dr. H. Bashir Attalla regarding the U.S. 
understanding that the newly elected President of the Somali 
Transitional Federal Government, Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, and 
Speaker of the new Somalia Transitional Federal Assembly, 
Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan, had wished to travel to the U.S. 
with a small group of advisors the preceding week. (See 
reftel)  Ambassador told Attalla the U.S. viewed such a visit 
as premature and had indicated its belief that it should be 
postponed. 
 
2. (C) Attala agreed that such a visit was premature and said 
IGAD had advised Yusuf, who was then in Ethiopia, of this. 
Attalla expressed personal disappointment that Yusuf had not 
focused on building a government in Mogadishu.  He commented 
that Yusuf preferred obviously to travel around the world, 
seek money, and perform a ceremonial presidential role. 
IGAD's advice to him, Attalla said, was to first get a 
government together in Mogadishu. 
 
3. (C) Attalla also commented that he had little personal 
confidence in Yusuf, whose purchase of his position as 
President of the Somali Transitional Federal Government is 
"an open secret."  Attalla was also concerned that Yusuf may 
not be well, physically, as he has undergone a liver 
transplant, and that he is at least 10 years older than the 
age he publicizes. (Note:  According to Attalla, Yusuf is at 
least 79 vice 69. End note).  Moreover, Attalla questioned 
whether Yusuf had the intellectual capability for long-term 
leadership and nation-building. 
 
4. (C) On the Somalia conference to be held in Sweden October 
29, Ambassador asked Attalla if he or an IGAD representative 
would attend.  Attalla responded that IGAD would not be 
represented.  He said he believed the matter of Somalia 
should now be picked up actively by donor nations.  His 
preference, Attalla said, would be to shift IGAD's long-term 
focus from conflict management and peace-seeking to broader 
matters of regional policy. 
RAGSDALE