Ryan E Bowles  09/08/2009 12:10:15 PM  From  DB/Inbox:  Ryan E Bowles

Cable 
Text:                                                                      
                                                                           
      
UNCLASSIFIED
TELEGRAM                                       September 04, 2009


To:       AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN - IMMEDIATE

Origin:   AF

From:     SECSTATE WASHDC (STATE 92202 - IMMEDIATE)

TAGS:     PREL, UNGA, AF

Captions: None

Subject:  INVITATION: POTUS LUNCH WITH SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN HEADS 
          OF STATE

Ref:      None
_________________________________________________________________

Additional Addressees:
AMEMBASSY ABUJA
AMEMBASSY ACCRA
AMEMBASSY BAMAKO
AMEMBASSY BANJUL
AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA
AMEMBASSY DAKAR
AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI
AMEMBASSY GABORONE
AMEMBASSY MALABO
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
AMEMBASSY LUANDA
AMEMBASSY LOME
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE
AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
AMEMBASSY KIGALI
AMEMBASSY KAMPALA
AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
AMEMBASSY PRAIA
AMEMBASSY PORT LOUIS
AMEMBASSY OUAGADOUGOU
AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT
AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
AMEMBASSY MONROVIA
AMEMBASSY MBABANE
AMEMBASSY MASERU
AMEMBASSY MAPUTO
AMEMBASSY FREETOWN
AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM
AMEMBASSY COTONOU
AMEMBASSY BRAZZAVILLE
AMEMBASSY BANGUI
AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA

cc:
ALL AFRICAN DIPLOMATIC POSTS

Distribution:

TED7972
ORIGIN AF-00    

INFO  LOG-00   AGRE-00  AID-00   A-00     CIAE-00  C-00     DODE-00  
      DS-00    EAP-00   DHSE-00  EUR-00   UTED-00  VCI-00   H-00     
      TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    L-00     MMP-00   MOFM-00  MOF-00   
      M-00     CDC-00   VCIE-00  NEA-00   NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OIC-00   
      OIG-00   EPAU-00  MCC-00   PER-00   GIWI-00  P-00     DOHS-00  
      SP-00    SSO-00   SS-00    T-00     FMP-00   EPAE-00  SCRS-00  
      DSCC-00  PRM-00   G-00     SAS-00   FA-00    SWCI-00  PESU-00  
      (GIWI-00  DOHS-00  )  /000R

092202
SOURCE: DISKETTE.065057
DRAFTED BY: AF/RSA:RBOWLES:JMG -- 09/03/09 7-7373
APPROVED BY: AF:JCARSON
USUN:SRICE, D(S):JSTEINBERG, P:JRLITTLEJOHN
S/P:BPHELPS, USUN/W:ABAKSHI, IO/UNP:DSUN,
C:MPLOWDEN, AF/RSA:LMAZEL, NEA/MAG:MNARDI,
NSC:TDONILON, S/ES:SSSULLIVAN, S/ES-O:DLBANKS
DESIRED DISTRIBUTION:
A, AF, D, IO, OFM, P, S
                  ------------------AAD730  040139Z /38    
O 040121Z SEP 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY LUANDA IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY COTONOU IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY OUAGADOUGOU IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY PRAIA IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY KINSHASA IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY ACCRA IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY PORT LOUIS IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY MAPUTO IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY ABUJA IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY BRAZZAVILLE IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY KIGALI IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY DAKAR IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY LOME IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY KAMPALA IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY GABORONE IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY BANGUI IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY MALABO IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY BANJUL IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY MASERU IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY MONROVIA IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY BAMAKO IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY FREETOWN IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY MBABANE IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE IMMEDIATE 
USMISSION USAU ADDIS ABABA IMMEDIATE 
INFO ALL AFRICAN DIPLOMATIC POSTS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS STATE 092202 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL UNGA AF
SUBJECT: INVITATION:  POTUS LUNCH WITH SUB-SAHARAN 
AFRICAN HEADS OF STATE 
 
¶1.  (U) This is an action request.  See paragraph 3. 
 
¶2.  (U) President Obama will host a lunch for sub- 
Saharan African heads of state or government on the 
margins of the 2009 UN General Assembly (UNGA).  The 
lunch is scheduled for Tuesday, September 22, from 1:00 
p.m. to 2:30 p.m., venue TBD.  The theme is ?Building a 
21st Century Partnership for African Economic and Social 
Development.?  Instructions for invitations are in 
paragraph 3.  Additional action for Addis Ababa, Praia, 
Maseru, Mbabane, USAU, and Nairobi are in paragraphs 4- 
¶7.  The text of the invitation is in paragraph 8. 
Additional information to share with host countries is 
in paragraph 9. 
 
¶3.  (U) Action request:  Ambassadors at addressee posts 
are instructed to deliver the invitation from President 
Obama to their host government?s head of state or 
government, and report back with the information below. 
No signed original invitation will follow this 
telegraphic invitation.  In cases where post is aware 
that it is unlikely that the invitee will attend, 
Department requests that the invitation be extended as a 
courtesy gesture of inclusion. 
 
- Posts are requested to provide host country RSVPs by 
front channel cable by Friday, September 11. 
 
- No substitutes will be allowed; this event is for 
heads of state or heads of government only. 
 
- Please confirm principal?s title, spelling of name, 
and pronunciation; 
 
- Please advise on principal?s dietary restrictions, if 
any; 
 
- Please advise on principal?s translation needs; 
 
- Please provide a point of contact at host country?s 
mission in New York for contact to the event; 
 
- Please transmit RSVPs promptly so that Washington 
staff can begin planning; and 
 
- In addition to a front channel cable, please submit 
RSVPs via unclassified email to AF staff Susie Pratt 
(PrattES2@state.gov), Nole Garey (GareyNH@state.gov), 
and Ryan Bowles (BowlesRE@state.gov). 
 
¶4.  (U) Additional action for Addis Ababa, Praia, and 
Maseru:  Because the heads of state in these posts do 
not have executive power, posts are instructed to invite 
the Prime Minister instead. 
 
¶5.  (U) Additional action for Mbabane:  Post is 
instructed to invite King Mswati III to the lunch. 
 
¶6.  (U) Additional action for USAU:  Post is instructed 
to invite Chairman Jean Ping of the Commission of the 
African Union. 
 
¶7.  (U) Additional action for Nairobi:  Post is 
instructed to also invite Sheikh Sharif of the 
Transitional Federal Government of Somalia. 
 
¶8.  (U) Text of invitation. 
 
Dear Mr./Madam President/Prime Minister, 
 
I would like to invite you to a working luncheon meeting 
with your colleagues from across Sub-Saharan Africa in 
New York on September 22, 2009, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 
p.m. 
 
I am encouraged by Africa?s progress in recent years to 
close the development gap and increase opportunity. More 
work, however, remains to be done.  I hope you will join 
this lunch meeting for a dialogue on how we can build a 
21st century partnership that will lead to increased 
economic and social development for the people of 
Africa.  This expanding partnership needs to work in 
both directions, and I am interested in hearing your 
ideas about how our mutual efforts can be more 
effective.  I would also like to hear about your work to 
create the kind of long-lasting development effects that 
we all desire. 
 
My team will be in touch with your U.N. delegation with 
details on the venue and agenda in the weeks ahead. 
 
I hope you will be able to attend, and I look forward to 
our discussions in New York. 
 
Sincerely, 
 
Barack Obama 
 
¶9.  (U) Posts may draw from the information below as 
necessary: 
 
-- This event will focus on how the United States can 
strengthen partnership with African countries to improve 
economic and social conditions on the continent.  The 
President wants to hear about leaders? efforts to create 
opportunity and introduce lasting positive change into 
their countries.  President Obama would like to discuss 
three areas in particular: job creation, especially for 
young people and entrepreneurs; how to create a 
favorable climate for trade and investment; and, how we 
can mobilize African agriculture to create jobs and feed 
the continent. 
 
-- Not all sub-Saharan African heads of state have been 
invited.  We have declined to invite the heads of state 
of Zimbabwe, Sudan, Madagascar, Eritrea, Niger, and 
Guinea.  Other sub-Saharan African heads of state will 
receive invitations, as will the Chairman of the 
Commission of the African Union, Jean Ping, and TFG 
President Sheikh Sharif. 
 
-- President Obama will make brief opening remarks, and 
ask a head of state (to be determined) to begin the 
discussion on each of the three topics.  Following the 
intervention of the designated African head of 
state/government, President Obama will moderate a 
discussion on that topic.  Invitees should not prepare 
formal interventions; we intend for discussion to be 
spontaneous and succinct. 
 
-- Unfortunately, substitutes will not be accepted for 
this unique high-level event. 
 
-- We will provide exact information on the venue, which 
will be in midtown Manhattan, at a later date. 
CLINTON