VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHFN #0459/01 2111833
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 301833Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY FREETOWN
TO RUEHMV/AMEMBASSY MONROVIA 0644
RUEHAB/AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN 0489
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1241

UNCLAS FREETOWN 000459 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OTRA LI IV SL
SUBJECT: FREETOWN GRANTS COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR RACHEL M. 
CONWAY, CHERYL O. IGIRI AND LESLIE A. PAYNE 
 
REF: SECSTATE 104237 
 
¶1.  Freetown welcomes the visit and grants country clearance 
for political officers, Rachel M. Conway, Cheryl O. Igiri, 
and Leslie A. Payne to travel from August 09 through August 
13, 2007 for consultations with embassy officials.  Visitors 
are urged to read the entire contents of this telegram, as it 
provides useful information intended to ensure the success of 
your visit to Freetown. 
 
¶2.  Control officer for the visit:  Martin Dale, 
Political/Economic Officer 
Contact numbers: 232-22-515-120 or 232-76-515-120 
CELL PHONE: 232-76-616-609. 
E-Mail: DaleMA@state.gov 
Embassy Freetown Switchboard: 232-22-515-000 or 
232-76-515-000 X 5120. 
 
¶3.  All visiting USG personnel are required to receive a 
security briefing from the Regional Security Officer (RSO) 
upon arrival. (See Paragraph 10.) 
 
¶4.  Visitors should consult the State Department Intranet 
(Opennet: HTTP://Freetown.State.Gov/) or Internet 
(HTTP://Freetown.Usembassy.Gov) sites for further information 
on the post and country. 
 
¶5.  Accommodations: No hotel reservations required. 
 
¶6.  Visa Information: A passport and visa are required for 
entry and visitors should obtain a visa in advance. The 
latest information can be obtained from the Embassy of Sierra 
Leone, 1701 19th Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20009, Tel: 
(202) 939-9261 or the nearest overseas Sierra Leonean 
Embassy. There is no charge for diplomatic or official 
passport holders. There is a charge of 100.00 USD for tourist 
passport holders. 
 
Airport visas may be obtained only in extreme circumstances, 
as they are very difficult to arrange and are not encouraged. 
 Therefore, visitors coming from countries without a Sierra 
Leonean Embassy should contact their Control Officer at 
Embassy Freetown and fax a copy of their passports well in 
advance of travel. 
 
¶7.  Health/Medical: Medical facilities in Sierra Leone fall 
critically short of U.S. standards. Presently, the only 
reliable medical facility is located 45 minutes outside of 
Freetown. Official visitors who do not possess a Class I 
medical clearance or have serious health concerns, e.g., 
diabetes, heart disease, asthma, or who are on blood thinners 
(with the exception of aspirin) are discouraged from 
traveling to Sierra Leone. The Embassy Health Unit stocks 
only limited medical supplies and is not equipped to handle 
serious illnesses.  All visitors and permanently assigned 
employees traveling to Sierra Leone must have their 
vaccinations current to include, but not limited to, tetanus, 
yellow fever, polio, meningitis, and rabies (for those 
staying longer than 30 days).  The cholera vaccine is not 
required.  Visitors should begin taking malaria prophylaxis 
two weeks prior to arrival. It is mandatory that visitors 
bring their own supply of medications, as local pharmacies in 
Freetown are usually unable to fill prescriptions.  The 
International Certificate of Vaccinations yellow card should 
be hand carried as proof of current yellow fever inoculation. 
Avoid eating uncooked vegetables and salads at restaurants 
and hotels. 
 
¶8.  Medical Insurance: Non-Department of State personnel or 
contractors are required to have medical evacuation insurance 
prior to traveling to Sierra Leone. 
 
¶9. Travel to/from Freetown: Arriving passengers should 
proceed through immigration, baggage claim, and customs. An 
Embassy-contracted expediter (Lungi Hotel) will meet all 
official passengers after they clear immigration and arrange 
for transportation to Freetown since Lungi International 
Airport is located across the harbor from Freetown. The cost 
of this service is $12.00 each way ($24.00 round trip) and 
should be paid to the Embassy cashier. If the visitor(s) 
arrive(s) and depart(s) during a weekend, please provide 
fiscal data or give the funds to the control officer. 
 
Passengers are required to pay for the cost of travel from 
Lungi to Freetown. Transport to Freetown is either by ferry 
or hovercraft. The traveler is requested to contact their 
control officer in advance as to their preference so that the 
necessary arrangements can be made. If travel is by 
hovercraft, the cost of the hovercraft from Lungi to Freetown 
is $50.00 each way, payable in U.S. currency.  The hovercraft 
landing site is located approximately 10 minutes from the 
airport. Passengers are shuttled to the site in a bus. A 
driver will meet passengers at the hovercraft site in 
Freetown. 
 
If travel is by ferry, it will only be from 0800 to 1900.  If 
the flight arrives after 1800, passengers will spend the 
night at Lungi and travel to Freetown the following day. 
Travelers are advised to carry sufficient cash to pay for the 
cost of accommodations in Lungi, which is approximately Le 
225,000 or USD 75.00/night. Credit cards are not accepted. 
In order to cross the ferry, the Embassy will arrange for a 
contracted car-hire service with CAMServ Salone.  The 
contractor will pick-up the visitor(s)at Lungi and then take 
them across on the ferry to their final destination in 
Freetown.   The cost of this service is $150.00 per vehicle. 
The cost may be shared among passengers if traveling in a 
group, but we can not guarantee that this will always be 
possible.  This fee is payable to the US Embassy cashier. If 
the visitor(s) arrive(s) and depart(s) during a weekend, 
please provide fiscal data or give the funds to the control 
officer. 
 
Regional air service into Freetown is sporadic, thus be 
prepared to handle alternate ticketing and/or increased food 
and lodging expenses. 
 
Passengers departing Freetown with certain airlines should 
expect to pay an Airport Tax of $40.00 (payable in U.S. 
Dollars) at the airport. 
 
¶10. Threat Assessment - Security Advice: All visiting USG 
personnel will be required to receive a security briefing 
from the Regional Security Officer (RSO) upon arrival. 
Sierra Leone is rated high for crime. Visitors will be 
provided a two-way radio and instructions on how to summon 
assistance in the event of an emergency. All travel outside 
of Freetown must have the approval of the Control Officer and 
the RSO. The following guidance is provided to ensure your 
visit to Sierra Leone is safe and uneventful: 
 
-Do not use credit cards and personal checks in the local 
economy; 
-Do not carry or wear any items that may attract attention by 
thieves. Carry needed items deep in your pockets; 
-Do not walk around the city alone, especially at night; 
-Do not use taxis or public transportation; 
-Do not accept the assistance of strangers; 
-Do not take photographs of people without first asking as 
they can easily become offended. Do not photograph government 
or military facilities, including the airport; 
-If confronted by criminals, do not make threatening 
movements, comments, or gestures. Immediately give the 
criminals what they want. 
 
¶11.  Computer Systems Access:  If you are a DOS employee and 
would like to access OpenNet during your visit (without 
taking the 30-60 minute systems security briefing), please 
bring confirmation that you have attended within the last 
year, the "Security Awareness Briefing on OpenNet Plus." 
This must a copy of the certificate you received when you 
completed the briefing.  Ask your systems administrator if 
you need any help locating the DS Security Awareness Briefing 
certificate. 
 
¶12.  Post Policy on Laptops and Thumb Drives: The RSO must 
approve the use of any laptop computer in the Embassy. Thumb 
drives are not authorized for use on Embassy computers unless 
officially issued with a Dept. of State classification label 
on it or approved by the IMO.  Thumb drives are absolutely 
not/not allowed on the CLASSNET.  Thumb Drives brought into 
the Embassy must be cleared by the RSO Office. 
 
¶13.  General Information: Travelers with TDY orders and 
fiscal data may cash checks at the Embassy cashier.  The 
approximate exchange rate is 3000 Leones to one USD. 
HULL