This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

061030Z Jan 06

UNCLAS  KINSHASA 000025 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
PARIS FOR ARS 
DEPT FOR AF/PDPA AJohnson 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP KPAO ABUD CG
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR ARS D/DIRECTOR JOAN MCKNIFF 
 
REF: PARIS 008611 
 
¶1. Post grants country clearance and welcomes the arrival of 
ARS Deputy Director Joan MCKNIFF to the Democratic Republic 
of Congo (DROC) from February 09 to 14, 2006.  It is 
expected that Ms. McKniff will also visit Embassy 
Brazzaville during this period, the subject of septel 
country clearance. 
 
¶2.  Control Officer is APAO Katya THOMAS: 
 
Office phone: 011-243-081-225-5872 
Cell phone:   011-243-081-715-0061 
IVG:          8-934-2188 
 
PAO is Christopher DAVIS: 
 
Office and IVG telephone numbers same as above. 
Cell phone:  011-243-081-715-0062 
 
¶3. VISA REQUIREMENTS: 
 
A valid Congolese visa is required of all American passport 
holders, whether diplomatic, official or tourist. 
 
¶4. FISCAL DATA REQUIREMENTS 
 
Fiscal data or credit card info must be provided in advance 
to the control officer listed above for any assistance 
required, including meet and assist at the airport, hotel 
reservations, cell phone, airport expeditors, 
translators/interpreters, etc.  The Embassy is unable to 
make hotel reservations or rental arrangements without 
financial information. 
 
¶5. ALL VISITS MUST COMMENCE IN KINSHASA 
 
At the Ambassador's request, all visits to the Democratic 
Republic of Congo that require country clearance are to 
commence in Kinshasa, the country's capital.  Travel to 
other regions of the country including the Kivus, Orientale 
and Maniema provinces, is to be undertaken from Kinshasa. 
Embassy Kinshasa will provide assistance with these travel 
arrangements.  As travel in the Congo can be complicated, 
visitors should consult with their Embassy control officer 
early in the planning process. 
 
¶6. AIRPORT ADVICE FOR ARRIVING PASSENGERS 
 
Procedures at Ndjili Airport have changed such Embassy 
expeditors are no longer allowed in the Arrivals Hall and 
can provide assistance only after travelers pass through 
Immigration control and have retrieved their luggage. 
After deplaning and entering the Arrivals Hall, travelers 
should proceed to the "Official VIP/Diplomat" line with 
passports and health certificates ready for presentation to 
the Immigration officials.  After clearing Immigration, 
travelers should go to the luggage claim area to retrieve 
their luggage.  When exiting the luggage claim area, 
travelers will be met by the Embassy expeditor holding a 
placard with the names of travelers. 
The expeditor will then take travelers outside to the 
Embassy vehicle.  Once outside the terminal, local porters 
will carry your bags to the Embassy vehicle.  Please be 
prepared to give the expeditor one USD per bag to pay the 
porters. 
 
While at the airport, travelers are warned not, repeat not, 
to pay money or give their documents to anyone other than 
the Embassy expeditor.  This also applies to individuals in 
uniform who may offer their services.  Be polite, but do not 
accept their assistance. 
 
¶7. CUSTOMS AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT 
 
If you will be carrying tools, heavy cases, or any 
electronic equipment other than personal devices, contact 
your control officer with specific information that can be 
passed to the expeditor for assistance with customs 
clearance. 
 
¶8. ACCOMMODATION 
 
One single room has been booked at the Grand Hotel, tel: 011- 
243-89-46-660, FOR TWO NIGHTS: Thursday the 9th and Monday 
the 13th of February 06. The room price is within per diem 
and includes breakfast.  Accommodation for THREE NIGHTS, 
Friday 10th, Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th, will be in 
Brazzaville, Republic of Congo.  One single room has been 
booked at Hotel Meridien Brazzaville, tel: 00-242-81-0302 or 
00-242-53-90535, with room price within the per diem and 
breakfast included. 
 
¶9. SECURITY 
 
Kinshasa is a critical threat crime post.  Although there is 
no specific threat targeting Americans, all visitors should 
remain vigilant and cautious during their stay in Kinshasa. 
Because of political instability in parts of the country, 
all travel outside of Kinshasa must be approved by the RSO. 
Your control officer will make reservations for you at one 
of the hotels the Regional Security Office has approved for 
visitors.  The RSO advises that you exercise caution in the 
area around these hotels, and that you not travel after 
nightfall unless accompanied by someone familiar with the 
security situation in Kinshasa.  TDY personnel should not 
use any form of local transportation and should refrain from 
displaying/using cameras in public. 
 
A recent scam involves individuals in civilian clothes 
claiming to be Congolese police/security officials who 
approach unsuspecting expatriates on the street and demand 
to see their passport or other identification documents. 
They try and convince the would-be victim to get in their 
unmarked vehicle and accompany them to the local police 
precinct.  If you are on the street and approached by 
someone claiming to be a police or security official, 
identify yourself as a diplomat working at the U.S. Embassy, 
walk briskly away, and make sure to report the incident to 
the RSO or Post One as soon as you have access to a phone. 
Do not approach or get in their vehicle. 
 
¶10. CURRENCY: 
 
The use of dollars in the DRC is legal and acceptable for 
most transactions.  Travelers arriving in the DRC with more 
than USD 10,000 must fill out a currency declaration. 
Travelers departing the DRC are not allowed to take out more 
than USD 10,000 in cash. 
 
Please note that ATMs are not available in Congo.  However, 
USG personnel are authorized USD and Congolese Franc 
accommodation exchange at the Embassy and/or USAID cashier; 
personal or travelers' checks are acceptable.  Most 
personnel use Congolese Francs only for small purchases and 
tips. 
 
American Express, Visa, Master Card, and Diner's Club are 
accepted in payment of bills at Kinshasa's two major hotels. 
However, very few other businesses in the Congo accept 
credit cards and their use outside of the major hotels is 
discouraged.  Cashing travelers checks outside the Embassy 
is generally not advised because banks charge substantial 
fees for cashing them; travelers' checks are rarely accepted 
outside of Kinshasa. 
 
¶11. MEDICAL 
 
Access to the Embassy Health Unit is available for US 
citizen, direct-hire USG employees and their eligible family 
members.  If you have been or will be posted more than 60 
days overseas in a calendar year (not necessarily 
consecutive), you must provide proof of a Department of 
State medical clearance from M/MED to qualify for access to 
the our Health Unit.  Official visitors who are overseas 
less than 60 days in a calendar year are not required to 
have medical clearance and are authorized emergency, but not 
routine, use of the Health Unit. 
 
Other official visitors may receive Health Unit services if 
they meet the following criteria: 1) an individual 
employment relationship with the USG, 2) a MED Washington 
clearance, and 3) a USG agency that guarantees payment for 
medical expenses and/or personal overseas health and medevac 
insurance.  Visitors without Health Unit access will be 
referred to a local medical clinic, which provides all 
emergency and non-routine medical care for Embassy employees 
and family members. 
 
MALARIA: Congo is a malaria-affected area.  All travelers 
should consult with medical personnel and take malaria 
prophylactics as appropriate, before arriving in Kinshasa. 
 
YELLOW FEVER: You must have a valid yellow fever vaccination 
and your yellow vaccination card when you arrive.  You may 
be charged a fine of $50-$100 without proof of vaccination. 
 
¶12. ACCESS TO CONTROLLED ACCESS AREAS 
 
Each visitor to Kinshasa requiring unescorted access to 
controlled access areas (CAA) must arrange for their 
sponsoring agency or sending post to forward their security 
clearance to the RSO by telegram in advance of the visit. 
In accordance with regulations, a diplomatic passport or 
 
Department of State identification card is not sufficient to 
allow unescorted access to CAA'S.  Kinshasa does not have 
the resources to escort visitors who arrive without proper 
advance security clearance. 
 
¶13.  Government-owned thumb/flash drives with proper 
classification label can be used at Post, but only on Open 
Net computers outside of the Controlled Access Area (CAA). 
These devices cannot be used on any classified computers at 
Post. Thumb/flash drives must be hand carried and protected 
the same as a laptop.  The drive(s) could be pouched in 
advance to the control officer or the IMO. Upon arrival at 
Post, the Control Officer will provide a thumb/flash drive 
request form that should be completed and taken to the IPC 
or ISC along with the flash drive before use.  Questions 
should be directed to Information Management Officer (IMO) 
MbennaVG@state.gov or Information Systems Security 
Officer(ISSO) BakkenCA@state.gov. 
 
¶14. You may visit the Embassy's Intranet website at 
http://kinshasa.state.gov.  While still under construction, 
information is being added daily that you may find useful. 
 
¶15. Have a good trip.  Post looks forward to seeing you in 
Kinshasa.  MEECE 
 
 
NNNN