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UNCLAS NAIROBI 000325 
 
STATE PASS USTR CONNIE HAMILTON, PATRICK DEAN COLEMAN, AND WILLIAM 
JACKSON 
 
STATE FOR AF/FO, AF/E, AND AF/EPS ANN BREITER, GABRIELLE MALLORY, 
MARY B. JOHNSON, AND TAWANNA DAVIDSON 
 
STATE ALSO FOR AF/EX SYLVIE MARTINEZ AND AF/PD CLAUDIA ANYASO 
 
STATE ALSO FOR EEB/TPP/BTA AMY HOLMAN 
 
STATE PLEASE PASS USAID/EA AND USAID/AFR/SD BRUNO CORNELIO 
 
TREASURY FOR DAN PETERS AND REBECCA KLEIN 
 
COMMERCE FOR KEVIN BOYD, ALICIA ROBINSON, AND BECKY ERKUL 
 
AGRICULTURE FOR DON EVANS AND CATHY MCKINNELL 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: ASEC AMGT ECON ETRD AGOA PGOV PREL KE
SUBJECT: KENYA CONSIDERS USG PREFERENCE FOR 2009 AGOA FORUM FORMAT 
 
REFS: (A) 02-11-09 AGOA INTERAGENCY TELCON WITH MISSION 
          KENYA AGOA COMMITTEE 
      (B) NAIROBI 0177 AND PREVIOUS 
 
¶1.  This cable is not/not for internet distribution. 
 
¶2.  Summary.  After informing Kenya's 2009 AGOA Forum preparatory 
committee members February 12 that the USG prefers keeping the 
forum's standing format, rather than moving private sector events to 
the opening day, August 4, ECON/C soothed disappointed feelings 
among private sector sub-committee representatives, notably Kenya 
Association of Manufacturers (KAM) CEO Betty Maina, by pointing out 
that there would be ample opportunities for business people to meet 
with USG and African officials at proposed breakfast and lunch 
gatherings.  The GOK supports the private sector proposal and there 
was no conclusion reached about the order of events over the three 
days.  Visiting State AF/EPS and AF/EX officers emphasized 
Washington's concerns that the Kenyan organizers ensure that proper 
security measures be in place and that accreditation and badging 
procedures provide for appropriate differentiation among principals, 
delegates, private and civil society participants, and journalists. 
End Summary. 
 
¶3.   At the February 12 meeting of Kenya's 2009 AGOA Forum 
preparatory committee, ECON/C announced: 
 
-- that Washington had approved the proposed draft of the joint 
press statement; he requested that the Government of Kenya (GOK) 
review the statement and, if the GOK has no objections or 
amendments, that the two sides coordinate the release of the 
statement.  He indicated that the release should not go out until 
the wbsite is operational. 
 
-- that we would proceed in arranging a joint press conference 
involving Minister of Trade Amos Kimunya and US Ambassador Michael 
Ranneberger once the joint press release is acceptable to both 
parties.  (Subsequent to the meeting, the GOK provided its approval 
to the joint press statement as approved by Washington agencies.) 
 
-- that the GOK's proposed forum theme, daily format, and agenda had 
been submitted to the USG AGOA interagency team for its prompt 
consideration and response. 
 
-- that the USG AGOA interagency team had reviewed Kenya's proposal 
that the opening day be devoted to private and civil society events, 
that the second day be the African Trade Ministers Ministerial, and 
that the third day be the U.S.-Africa Ministerial (ref B).  ECON/C 
informed the preparatory committee that the USG interagency groups 
had decided that in order to accommodate the participation of U.S. 
principals it would be best to keep the standing format, i.e., on 
Wednesday, August 4, the Africans would hold their ministerial the 
day before the actual opening of the AGOA Forum on Thursday, August 
¶5.  Friday, August 6, would be devoted to private sector and civil 
society events and a number of U.S./Africa breakout sessions running 
into the third day from day 2 (ref A). 
 
-- that the Department of Commerce and Department of State (AF/PPD) 
would be identifying U.S. counterparts to link directly with the 
Kenyan private sector lead (Kenya Association of Manufacturers) and 
the Kenyan civil society lead (Kenya Civil Society Alliance - we 
have asked for written confirmation of this from the GOK). 
 
¶4.  Betty Maina, CEO of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) 
and head of the private sector subcommittee, and other private 
sector subcommittee members were noticeably dismayed by the USG 
decision to keep the old format.  Maina said that the private sector 
has little opportunity for interaction during the forum with 
insufficient opportunity to have input and influence.  ECON/C 
emphasized there would be several opportunities for private sector 
participants to hold talks with American and African government 
leaders at the breakfasts and lunches proposed by KAM and the 
private sector subcommittee.  He also reminded attendees that there 
would likely be overlap on day 3 between U.S./Africa breakout 
sessions and the private sector/civil society day ensuring more 
interaction between business and government.  ECON/C added that the 
USG is interested in making the entire event as open as possible to 
all parties so that there would be further opportunity for 
engagement.  There was no conclusion at the close of discussions on 
this topic with the GOK clearly (although not actively) supporting 
the Kenyan private sector position. 
 
¶5.  Joining ECON/C at the February 12 meeting were MGT/C and AF/EX 
and AF/EPS TDYers.  The Washington visitors emphasized to their 
hosts the importance of proper accreditation and badging, as well as 
our expectation that adequate security arrangements be in place to 
monitor carefully who is admitted to the conference venue.  At both 
the meeting and a subsequent lunch with three key Kenyan organizers, 
they presented the colored badge system used in Washington 2008 to 
differentiate among principals, delegates, private and civil society 
participants, and journalists.  The Kenyans were clearly receptive 
to the suggestion that they adopt a similar system. 
 
Ranneberger