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UNCLAS NAIROBI 001278 
 
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:  KENYA AGOA PREPARATIONS INTENSIFY 
 
REFS: (A) NAIROBI 1139 AND PREVIOUS 
 
¶1.  This cable is not/not for internet distribution. 
 
¶2.  Summary:  At the June 18 meeting of the AGOA Main Preparatory 
Committee, the Government of Kenya (GOK) confirmed there would be no 
changes to the US-Africa Ministerial Program contrary to the 
suggested changes of the African diplomatic corps.  ECON/C announced 
the USG interagency had approved the logo.  The Private Sector 
Sub-Committee requested that the United States Trade Representative 
(USTR) Ron Kirk, along with the Kenyan Minister of Trade Amos 
Kimunya, open the trade exhibition on August 4 (see action request 
para 10).  RSO stressed the importance of thorough vetting of 
registrants and insisted on direct meetings with police and 
intelligence officials to further refine the comprehensive security 
plan.  On June 23, in a joint press conference at the Ministry of 
Trade, Ambassador Ranneberger and Minister of Trade Kimunya 
announced the forum, issued the joint press statement, and unveiled 
the official logo.  The badging and registration system went live 
June 22 and is currently available through the AGOA website, 
www.agoaforumkenya.go.ke, for participants to register until July 
¶17.  End summary. 
 
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Program 
------- 
 
¶3.  At the June 18 meeting of the AGOA Main Preparatory Committee, 
the Government of Kenya (GOK) confirmed there would be no changes to 
the US-Africa Ministerial Program despite the suggested changes of 
the African diplomatic corps.  The Chair agreed that Kenyan Trade 
Minister Amos Kimunya could offer closing remarks and that reports 
of the forum session could be publicized following forum events. 
The Private Sector Sub-Committee requested the United Stated Trade 
Representative (USTR) Ron Kirk, along with the Minister of Trade 
Kimunya, open the trade exhibition on August 4.  The sub-committee 
also requested to open the trade exhibition to the public on August 
¶7.  In a separate meeting with the GOK at the KICC June 24, ECON/C 
stressed the importance of confirming details of the overall forum 
program, including room allocations, room layouts, equipment 
requirements, and program flow for plenaries, opening and closing 
events, as well as social events.  ECON/C and the full committee 
chair agreed to hold weekly core team meetings, in addition to the 
full committee meetings, between key GOK officials and embassy staff 
in order to ensure that both programmatic and logistical tasks are 
successfully completed.  The GOK requests that we come to the first 
meeting on July 1 with all of the US speakers for the various forum 
events identified (see action request para 10).  ECON/C requested 
the GOK to send invitations to Agriculture, Foreign Affairs, Finance 
and Transportation Ministers from the 38 invited AGOA-eligible 
countries. 
 
¶4.  On the margins of the full meeting, ECON/C discussed with full 
committee Chair Richard Sindiga the possibility of the US holding a 
stand-up closing reception instead of sponsoring lunch on August 5. 
The Chair said the GOK would agree to the closing reception as long 
as it includes all forum participants.  If the US decides to sponsor 
the closing reception, he said, the GOK will take responsibility for 
holding the lunch on August 5.  The GOK said that all social events 
will be held under a tent on the KICC grounds instead of in the 
Tsavo Ballroom as originally planned.  The confirmed forum social 
events are: 
 
August 3: 
 
-- Dinner/Cultural event for all participants, sponsored by civil 
society 
 
August 4: 
 
-- Lunch for all participants, sponsored by private sector 
 
-- Cocktail for all participants, sponsored by American Chamber of 
Commerce - Kenya 
 
August 5: 
 
-- Breakfast with African Ministers, sponsored by private sector 
 
-- Gala Dinner for all participants, sponsored by the GOK 
 
August 6: 
 
-- Breakfast with US delegates, sponsored by private sector 
 
-- Lunch for all participants, sponsored by Export Processing Zones 
Authority (EPZA) 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
Joint Press Conference & Media Accreditation 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  At the June 18 meeting, ECON/C announced the USG interagency had 
approved the logo.  On June 23, in a joint press conference at the 
Ministry of Trade, Ambassador Ranneberger and Minister of Trade 
Kimunya announced the forum, issued the joint press statement, and 
unveiled the official logo. 
 
¶6.  On the margins of the full meeting, econoff discussed the plans 
for media accreditation with the chair of the Publicity 
Sub-Committee in more detail.  The Publicity Sub-Committee is 
working with the Department of Information and Public Communications 
for media accreditation, and it will employ the standard media 
accreditation process for the forum.  The Ministry of Information 
and Communication, through the Department of Information, accredits 
all journalists who practice in Kenya. 
 
¶7.  The standard media accreditation requirements are: 
 
-- A letter of introduction from the organization or media house 
being represented that indicates the position one holds, e.g. 
reporter, cameraman, etc. 
 
-- For a freelance journalist, a letter from an editor of a Media 
house/Syndicate to which the journalist contributes. 
 
-- Standard media accreditation form 
 
-- Copy of current passport 
-- A fee of Ksh 4,000 payable to the Department of Information 
 
-- An applicant may be required to obtain other documents such as 
visas from other government departments and agencies. 
 
Typically, media houses are required to go to the Department of 
Information to be accredited.  We suggested that they set up an 
accreditation office at the KICC for the AGOA forum instead. 
Journalists will also need to register through the AGOA forum 
registration system in order to receive a badge.  The Publicity 
Sub-Committee plans to limit the number of representatives from each 
media house.  Plans are not final; however, forum organizers 
discussed limiting reps to three from television outlets, one from 
radio, and two from print.  Once the details of the accreditation 
process are finalized, the sub-committee plans on posting the 
information and forms on the AGOA website. 
 
-------- 
Security 
-------- 
 
¶8.  RSO stressed the importance of thorough vetting of registrants 
and insisted on direct meetings with police and intelligence 
officials to further refine the comprehensive security plan.  The 
Chair of the full committee said the Security Sub-Committee needs to 
take a lead role in the vetting process, and ECON/C requested more 
details of the vetting process from the Security Sub-Committee. 
Econ/C confirmed that there will be no public access to the Kenyatta 
International Conference Centre (KICC) during the forum events. 
(Note: resident merchants had sought permission for their clients, 
once screened, to enter the facility under escort.  End Note.)  RSO, 
through the Diplomatic Security Protective Liaison Division, has 
established contact with the heads of respective agency protection 
details that will travel with cabinet-level delegates.  During a 
June 23 meeting with RSO, police and intelligence officials vowed to 
provide a comprehensive security plan that includes the numbers of 
officers and their respective units.  RSO held a separate meeting 
with security officials from Intercontinental Hotel to discuss plans 
for securing the hotel. 
 
------------------------- 
Badging and Accreditation 
------------------------- 
 
¶9.  The badging and registration system was placed online June 22 
and is currently available through the AGOA website, 
www.agoaforumkenya.go.ke, for participant registration until July 
¶17.  Registration for nongovernmental participants will not be 
accepted after that date so that there is ample time to vet all 
participants. 
 
¶10. Action request:  Post welcomes USG interagency team reaction to 
the private sector's request for United States Trade Representative 
(USTR) Kirk, along with the Minister of Trade Kimunya, to open the 
trade exhibition on August 4.  Post would also appreciate any 
feedback regarding the identification of US speakers for the various 
forum events so that we may work with the GOK on July 1 to further 
refine the overall forum program. 
 
Ranneberger