VZCZCXYZ0018
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHNR #1056/01 1481352
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 281352Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9643
INFO RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY 3220
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC PRIORITY 1812
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 0551
RUEHJB/AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA 0591
RUEHDR/AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM 6556
RUEHDJ/AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI 0150
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 3275
RUEHLGB/AMEMBASSY KIGALI 5347

UNCLAS NAIROBI 001056 
 
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 SONJA WRAY-BROWN 
 
AF/PD FOR CLAUDIA ANYASO AND TIJEN AYBAR 
 
STATE ALSO FOR EEB/TPP/BTA AMY HOLMAN 
 
STATE PLEASE PASS USAID/EA AND USAID/AFR/SD BRUNO CORNELIO AND JEFF 
MALICK 
 
TREASURY FOR DAN PETERS AND REBECCA KLEIN 
 
COMMERCE FOR KEVIN BOYD, ALICIA ROBINSON, AND BECKY ERKUL 
 
AGRICULTURE FOR DON EVANS AND CATHY MCKINNELL 
 
LABOR FOR SUDHA HALEY AND MAUREEN PETTIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: ASEC AMGT ECON ETRD AGOA PGOV PREL KE
SUBJECT:  US-GOK PROGRESS ON AGOA FORUM PREPARATIONS 
 
REFS: (A) NAIROBI 988 AND PREVIOUS 
 
¶1.  This cable is not/not for internet distribution. 
 
¶2.  Summary:  At the May 21 meeting of the AGOA Main Preparatory 
Committee, the Government of Kenya (GOK) accepted the changes to the 
US-Africa Ministerial Program as approved by Bureau of African 
Affairs Assistant Secretary Johnnie Carson, and it has posted the 
modified program to the AGOA website.  The GOK does not support any 
further changes to the program including those proposed by the 
African diplomatic corps in Washington.  The GOK has allocated rooms 
at the Kenyatta International Conference Center (KICC) to all forum 
events and emphasized that any changes to the program must be 
coordinated with the Conferencing Sub-Committee.  Econoff announced 
that the US has offered to host lunch for forum participants on 
August 6.  The GOK requested that the US consider hosting lunch on 
August 5 instead, as the Economic Processing Zones Authority (EPZA) 
has committed to sponsor lunch on August 6.  The GOK has selected 
the logo for the forum, and the Publicity Sub-Committee will 
coordinate the joint press conference with the Embassy.  End 
summary. 
 
----------- 
Programming 
----------- 
 
¶3.  At the May 21 meeting of the AGOA Main Preparatory Committee, 
the Government of Kenya (GOK) agreed to the changes to the US-Africa 
Ministerial Program as approved by Bureau of African Affairs 
Assistant Secretary Johnnie Carson, and it has posted the modified 
program to the AGOA website.  The GOK does not support any further 
changes to the program including those proposed by the African 
diplomatic corps in Washington.  The Chair emphasized that the 
program is at a critical point because the Security and Conferencing 
Sub-Committees have already allocated rooms at the Kenyatta 
International Conference Center (KICC) for all three forum events, 
including social events.  He therefore strongly discouraged any 
further changes to the program.  (Note:  On May 27, The Chair of the 
Technical Sub-Committee said that the Commercial Officer at the 
Kenyan Embassy in Washington will meet with the US interagency team 
to discuss (and discourage) the changes proposed by the African 
diplomatic corps.  End note). 
 
¶4.  The GOK sent official letters to the sponsors of forum social 
events to confirm commitments.  The Chair highlighted the need to 
include details of social sponsors on the forum program.  Econoff 
announced the US offer to host lunch for forum participants on 
August 6.  The GOK requested that the US consider hosting lunch on 
August 5 instead, as the Economic Processing Zones Authority (EPZA) 
has already committed to sponsor lunch on August 6.  The Committee 
requested feedback from the interagency team regarding the 
possibility of the US hosting lunch on August 5. 
 
---------------------- 
Joint Press Conference 
---------------------- 
 
¶5.  The GOK selected the logo for the forum, and the Chair of the 
full committee stressed the need to move forward with the joint 
press conference.  The GOK would like to hold the press conferencing 
as soon as possible; the Publicity Sub-Committee will coordinate the 
conference with the Embassy.  The Publicity Sub-Committee said that 
the delay of the joint press conference is hampering the progress of 
the committee's work.  (Note:  As soon as we receive a copy of the 
logo, we will send it to the interagency for review.  The GOK would 
like to tie the unveiling of the logo with the upcoming joint press 
conference.  End note.) 
 
------------------------------------- 
Private Sector/Civil Society Progress 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  The Private Sector Sub-Committee sent confirmation letters to 
session speakers and continues to mobilize private sector 
participation through the USAID Regional Trade and Competitiveness 
Hubs.  The trade show event planner reported 128 stands are booked 
for the exhibit.  The Civil Society Sub-Committee reported that it 
has a draft program and is working, in partnership with the US civil 
society lead, to source speakers for its sessions. 
 
------------ 
GOK Progress 
------------ 
 
¶7.  The GOK has made the following progress on forum preparations: 
 
-- The GOK sent invitations to AGOA-eligible countries the week of 
May 13. 
 
-- The Conferencing Sub-Committee is testing the registration system 
this week to ensure there are no problems with the entire 
registration and accreditation process.  Once the system is online, 
they will convene a committee to begin vetting registrants in 
batches as they are received by the system.  The Sub-committee 
requested a written list of fees for events of the forum. 
 
-- During the meeting, the Chair confirmed that the EAC Investment 
Conference will be held either one day earlier or later than the 
AGOA Forum. 
 
Ranneberger