VZCZCXRO0027
PP RUEHDH
DE RUEHJI #0004/01 0040926
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 040926Z JAN 10
FM AMCONSUL JEDDAH
TO RUEHC/SECSATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1682
INFO RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RYADH PRIORITY 8661
RUHDH/AMCONSUL DHAHRAN PRIORIY 0212
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHEHAA/NSC WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREAURY WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JEDDAH 000004 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/ARP, EEB/FO, R, CA/EX, ECA/A/E/NEA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO ECON PREL EMIN EFIN EIND EINV SA
SUBJECT: JEDDAH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE:  A GATEWAY THROUGH 
COOPERATION TO A MORE OPEN SOCIETY 
 
REF: A. 09 JEDDAH 473 
     ¶B. 09 JEDDAH 488 AND PREVIOUS 
     ¶C. 09 JEDDAH 50 
 
JEDDAH 00000004  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
 ¶1.  (SBU)  Summary:  Ambassador Smith's December 28 visit to 
the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) revealed 
an active organization on the front line of social change in 
Saudi Arabia.  Ambassador met with Deputy Chair Dr. Lama 
Sulaiman, the first woman to be elected to this position (ref 
A), and other members of the JCCI board of directors.  The 
meeting covered U.S. trade delegations, visa issues, JCCI's 
relief efforts following the devastating November 25 flood 
(ref B), and the Chamber's desire to participate in 
professional exchanges and disaster relief training for 
volunteers.  In view of a more forward-leaning and 
cooperative attitude struck by JCCI during the meeting, under 
its new leadership, Consulate Jeddah intends to pursue 
openings on several fronts.  End summary. 
 
 
MORE TIME FOR U.S. TRADE DELEGATIONS, MORE VISAS FOR SAUDI 
BUSINESSMEN 
 
¶2. (SBU) JCCI Deputy Chairpersons Dr. Lama Sulaiman and Mazen 
Batterjee, with board members Abdul Khaliq Saeed and Ziad 
Bassam Al-Bassam, expressed an interest in receiving more 
U.S. trade delegations in Jeddah.  Dr. Sulaiman noted, 
however, that the U.S. delegates' schedules were usually "too 
busy" to allow for sufficient meeting time to exchange 
information and forge long-term relationships necessary to do 
business in Saudi Arabia.  Sulaiman suggested a schedule for 
future visits that allotted more time for JCCI members, with 
much earlier advance notice of delegations, so JCCI could 
help ensure the visits would be successful.  (Note: JCCI 
employees have also expressed frustration with the 
last-minute scheduling of SAG-organized delegations, such as 
recent visits by U.S. mayors and state legislators.  End 
note.)  FCS Officer mentioned an upcoming delegation led by 
the US-Saudi Arabian Business Council, scheduled to visit 
Jeddah February 12-16 during the Jeddah Economic Forum (JEF). 
 JCCI offered to arrange a meeting room for the delegation to 
use during its visit, and to assist with arranging meetings 
and visits to companies and factories. (Note:  Some U.S. 
trade delegations last year had perceived a lack of JCCI 
interest, so this meeting marks a change of direction. 
JCCI's seeming lack of interest may have been due -- at least 
in part -- to turmoil within the organization following the 
removal of its chairman (ref C).  End note.) 
 
¶3. (U) Discussion about U.S. trade delegations coming to 
Saudi Arabia prompted the JCCI leaders to express an interest 
in participating in trade shows in the United States, which 
evolved into a conversation about visas, and an inquiry 
regarding when full visa operations will be restored in 
Jeddah.  Consul General noted that Consulate Jeddah already 
facilitates visa issuance for specific business-oriented 
travel, and he described interim plans to process a higher 
number of visa applications in the coming months, and to 
resume full visa services in Jeddah when the New Consulate 
Compound opens. 
 
 
JCCI AS POSSIBLE HOST FOR U.S. STUDENT INTERNS 
 
¶4. (U) The visa discussion prompted JCCI's manager of 
logistics Henna Al-Maimani to talk about the importance of 
student and professional exchanges and the JCCI's willingness 
to start exchange programs.  As a recent participant in an 
International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) on NGOs and 
civic participation, she reflected on how much she benefited 
from her experience, and expressed a desire to host American 
students or recent college graduates as interns at the 
Chamber, and then perhaps in private Saudi companies. 
Ambassador responded that we would very much like to pursue 
such opportunities. 
 
 
FLOOD RELIEF EFFORTS: VOLUNTEERS TO THE RESCUE 
 
¶5. (U) In demonstrating the level of activity and civic 
engagement of the JCCI, Dr. Sulaiman explained that the 
Chamber had been heavily involved in the aftermath of the 
November 25 Jeddah flood. The JCCI now houses a corporate 
 
JEDDAH 00000004  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
social responsibility department, with 7,000 registered 
volunteers. Sulaiman boasted that the JCCI's effort to 
distribute food from their warehouse to the flood victims had 
been extremely successful and that efforts were ongoing. She 
attributed this success to the clear plans that the JCCI put 
in place to guide the volunteers that showed up in the 
affected areas.  Sulaiman noted, however, that the volunteers 
have been less successful in rebuilding the 3000 homes 
damaged by the flood, and expressed interest in learning more 
about the work of the U.S. NGO Habitat for Humanity. 
Ambassador Smith recommended JCCI contact the group to 
inquire about the possibility of training volunteers in Saudi 
Arabia.  Board members present agreed that there is a great 
need for training volunteers on how to organize and assist in 
disaster relief operations in the Kingdom. (Comment: The 
recent response to the Jeddah flood has been characterized by 
an unprecedented interest in volunteerism among individuals 
and organizations in Saudi Arabia.  End comment.) 
 
¶6. (U) CG inquired about the possibility of using resources 
and capacities devoted to the Hajj for housing the displaced 
flood victims.  Sulaiman replied that the JCCI had explored 
the option of housing displaced persons in Mina (which holds 
1.3 million pilgrims during Hajj season), near Mecca, after 
the conclusion of Hajj, but JCCI and other Jeddah leaders 
could not convince the flood victims themselves to relocate 
even temporarily.  The vast majority of residents of 
southeast Jeddah affected by the flood preferred to remain in 
their homes even amid the extensive flood damage. 
 
 
COMMENT: A NEW AND MORE COOPERATIVE TONE AT JCCI 
 
¶7. (SBU) The JCCI and other chambers of commerce around the 
Kingdom remain the only organizations that allow for direct 
election of the majority of their governing board. (Note: 
The previous JCCI board included four Saudi women, two 
elected, two appointed; the current board has three women, 
one elected, two appointed.  End note.)  Dr. Sulaiman is the 
first woman to be elected to fill one of JCCI's Deputy 
Chairperson positions, and she is clearly using this historic 
achievement to set a new, more forward-leaning and 
cooperative tone at the Chamber.  Sulaiman belongs to an 
influential merchant family in Jeddah, and in her focused, 
low key, congenial, quietly insistent way, she is both 
outspoken and effective, commanding a great deal of authority 
over the male board members based on their respect for her 
experience, competence and professional manner.  It is worth 
noting that her interactions with fellow board members during 
the meeting, the first time we have seen her actually lead 
(versus merely attend) a meeting with male board members, 
were firm but warm and very collegial.  JCCI Board Chairman 
Saleh Kamel was not present, perhaps due to health issues, 
including his reported confinement to a wheelchair. 
 
¶8. (SBU)  The JCCI's new openness to U.S. trade delegations, 
professional exchanges, civic engagement (through 
volunteerism) and women's leadership are all positive 
indicators of the chamber's potential to promote gradual 
social change from within the Jeddah area's business 
community and socio-economic upper strata.  Post will pursue 
these opportunities for increased cooperation delineated 
above.  End comment. 
 
¶9. (U) Ambassador Smith has cleared this message. 
QUINN