VISAS ADVISORY OPINIONS: SPECIAL IMMIGRANT VISA FOR

UNCLAS AMMAN 001845 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR STATE FOR CA/VO/L/C FROM THE AMBASSADOR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CVIS JO AL ALAMI NADIA SUBJECT: VISAS ADVISORY OPINIONS: SPECIAL IMMIGRANT VISA FOR FSN NADIA AL ALAMI ¶1. I SUBMIT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION A NOMINATION FOR A SPECIAL IMMIGRANT VISA (SIV) FOR SENIOR CULTURAL SPECIALIST NADIA AL ALAMI AND HER FAMILY. I CONCUR WHOLEHEARTEDLY WITH THE UNANIMOUS RECOMMENDATION FROM EMBASSY AMMAN'S SIV PRE- SCREENING PANEL THAT NADIA AL ALAMI DESERVES THIS STATUS IN THAT SHE HAS FAITHFULLY SERVED THE USG IN AN OUTSTANDING MANNER, ACHIEVING UNUSUAL PROMINENCE AND EXERCISING AN EXTRAORDINARY DEGREE OF RESPONSIBILITY AND DEDICATION TOWARDS USG OBJECTIVES. ¶2. NADIA HAS ACHIEVED A HIGH LEVEL OF VISIBILITY IN HER CAPACITY AS CULTURAL SPECIALIST, ONE OF THE MAIN CRITERIA FOR THE SIV. AS OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PRE-SCREENING PANEL WITH LONG EXPERIENCE AT THIS POST CONFIRMED, SHE IS A WELL- KNOWN AND RESPECTED INTERLOCUTOR TO THE JORDANIAN LEADERSHIP. FROM MINISTERS TO UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS, OUR TOP JORDANIAN CONTACTS KNOW AND ADMIRE NADIA'S OUTSTANDING CREATIVITY, ENERGY AND ORGANIZING ABILITY. HER SUPERVISORS REPORT THAT OVER THE YEARS SHE HAS OFTEN PERSUADED RELUCTANT JORDANIAN OFFICIALS TO PARTICIPATE IN OR SANCTION KEY MISSION PROGRAMS, FOR EXAMPLE IN THE AREAS OF CIVIC EDUCATION AND JUDICIAL REFORM. SHE IS WITHOUT QUESTION ONE OF THE BEST-KNOWN PRACTITIONERS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS IN AMMAN, AMONG INFORMATION AND CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS, ACADEMIA, NGO'S AND OTHER KEY INSTITUTIONS. ¶3. OVER HER CAREER, NADIA HAS RISEN TO A POSITION OF EXTENSIVE CONTROL AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE MISSION'S CULTURAL ACTIVITIES, ANOTHER CRITERION FOR SIV. FOR EXAMPLE, SHE MANAGED ALL OF THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPEAKER, CITIZEN EXCHANGE AND OTHER CULTURAL PROGRAMMING IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY AMERICAN OFFICERS IN THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTION DURING THE 1990-91 GULF WAR. RECENTLY, SHE MANAGED CULTURAL PROGRAMS IN THE ABSENCE OF A CULTURAL AFFAIRS OFFICER FROM JANUARY THROUGH AUGUST 2002. IN THIS CAPACITY, SHE NEGOTIATED MAJOR LONG-TERM AGREEMENTS WITH JORDANIAN INSTITUTIONS AND AMERICAN NGOS FUNDED BY PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND USAID FUNDS. SHE SHOWED A STRONG SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY AND DEDICATION IN THESE NEGOTIATIONS, SAVING THE USG SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF MONEY. ¶4. IN ADDITION TO CONSISTENTLY OUTSTANDING EVALUATIONS, NADIA HAS ALSO EARNED SEVERAL MERITORIOUS HONOR AWARDS AND THE RUNNER-UP POSITION TO THE USIS FSN OF THE YEAR. HER APPLICATION IS EXTREMELY WELL DOCUMENTED AND INCLUDES RECOMMENDATIONS FROM A FORMER AMBASSADOR, WHO CALLED NADIA A "COURAGEOUS" FSN WHO IS NOT AFRAID TO DELIVER "TOUGH MESSAGES" ON BEHALF OF THE UNITED STATES. ¶5. NADIA HAS INDICATED A STRONG DESIRE TO IMMIGRATE TO THE UNITED STATES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO COMMENCE A NEW CAREER THERE. HER FAMILY WOULD ACCOMPANY HER: ADNAN ODEH (SPOUSE), AUGUST 21, 1958, ZAID ODEH (SON),JANUARY 20, 1993, RAMI ODEH (SON),AUGUST 25, 1997. ALL ARE FROM JORDAN. ¶6. I BELIEVE THAT IT IS IN THE NATIONAL INTEREST TO GRANT MS. AL ALAMI AND HER FAMILY SPECIAL IMMIGRANT VISA STATUS. NADIA AL ALAMI HAS MET ALL THE CRITERIA NECESSARY UNDER THE REGULATIONS AND HAS MY PERSONAL RECOMMENDATION. I EXPECT THAT SHE AND HER FAMILY WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE POSITIVE CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR NATION IF THEY ARE ALLOWED TO LIVE WITHIN OUR COUNTRY. GNEHM