VZCZCXRO4677
PP RUEHDE RUEHDIR
DE RUEHMK #0169/01 0531330
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 221330Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY MANAMA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6454
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN PRIORITY 1300
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 000169 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
EB/CBA FOR DENNIS WINSTEAD, NEA/ARPI 
COMMERCE FOR TYLER HOFFMAN AND TOM SAMS 
ABU DHABI FOR FCS CHRISTIAN REED 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: BEXP ABUD AMGT BTIO ECON EINV ETRD BA
SUBJECT: BAHRAIN: BFIF FY07 PROPOSAL 
 
REF: 06 STATE 189849 
 
------------------- 
Commercial Strategy 
------------------- 
 
¶1.  Embassy Manama welcomes EB's offer to provide BFIF 
funding to enhance commercial advocacy efforts.  In view of 
the August 2006 implementation of the U.S. - Bahrain Free 
Trade Agreement (FTA), Post emphasizes the importance of 
commercial training, providing commercial services to 
businesses seeking to capitalize on trade opportunities 
presented by the FTA, outreach to businesses on FTA 
opportunities, increasing U.S. investor awareness and 
confidence, and supporting the enhanced effectiveness of the 
AmCham.  As a non-CS post, Embassy Manama would utilize FY07 
Business Facilitation Incentive Funds in a "shadow" training 
project with Embassy Amman colleagues, production of an 
informational Free Trade Agreement booklet, and office 
equipment to support the fledgling local AmCham.  The 
estimated BFIF expenditures for FY07 are $7,250. 
 
------------------- 
Commercial Training 
------------------- 
 
¶2. The Econ/Commercial Officer would travel to Jordan to 
shadow Embassy Amman FCS staff over a three-day period. The 
objective of such training is for the Econ/Commercial Officer 
to study the best practices of Commercial personnel 
experienced in administering Free Trade Agreement-related 
commercial services, with the goal of replicating these 
practices at Embassy Manama.  This project would also tend to 
strengthen coordination with regional colleagues, and 
generally enhance commercial plans and strategies for Bahrain 
in FY07-08. 
 
¶3. The benefits of this proposal would likely accrue to other 
regional posts as well.  Embassy Manama already serves as an 
informational and advisory resource for other Posts in the 
Gulf whose host nations are at varying stages of negotiating 
or implementing Free Trade Agreements with the U.S.  As the 
USG proceeds toward the attainment of a Middle East Free 
Trade Area by 2013, the need for the USG foreign affairs 
community to develop and refine FTA implementation practices 
will grow.  This project will support the development of 
effective FTA implementation practices.  Post point of 
contact is Steve Simpson, Economic/Commercial Officer, tel. 
973 1724-2986, fax.  973 1727-3011, and email: 
simpsonsc@state.gov.  Total estimated cost for travel, 
lodging and MI&E is $2500. 
 
------------------------- 
Production of FTA Booklet 
------------------------- 
 
¶4. Post Econ/Commercial office would commission the 
production of a booklet on the FTA.  It would be available 
for electronic distribution as well.  Both American and 
Bahraini business officials agree there is a continuing lack 
of understanding when it comes to the benefits of the FTA and 
how to best capitalize on the opportunities it presents. 
With Department of Commerce input on the content, Post would 
like to produce a booklet to bridge this knowledge gap.  Post 
point of contact is Steve Simpson, Economic/Commercial 
Officer, tel. 973 1724-2986, fax. 973 1727-3011, and email: 
simpsonsc@state.gov.  The total estimated production cost for 
1500 copies is $2000. 
 
------------------------------------------ 
Computer Equipment and Software for AmCham 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶5.  Post donated a laptop and printer under a previous BFIF 
grant and AmCham staff report that they are putting it to 
good use, relying on it heavily for off-site events. 
However, AmCham personnel have recently noted that the 
performance of the existing laptop has declined.  In 
addition, the AmCham has recently hired an Assistant 
Administrator who could make productive use of additional 
computer equipment.  The local AmCham is a growing 
organization and is also a natural recipient of increasing 
attention due to the recently-implemented FTA.  Post seeks to 
improve the AmCham's office computing resources and requests 
allocation of $2,000 for a new laptop computer and an 
additional $750 for appropriate business software and a 
firewall/antivirus security suite.  Post point of contact is 
 
MANAMA 00000169  002 OF 002 
 
 
Steve Simpson, Economic/Commercial Officer, tel. 973 
1724-2986, fax. 973 1727-3011, and email: 
simpsonsc@state.gov.  Total estimated cost is $2,750. 
 
 
********************************************* ******** 
Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/manama/ 
********************************************* ******** 
MONROE