SUPPORTING KUWAITI CANDIDATE FOR UNDP ADMINISTRATOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 001077

SIPDIS

FOR KIM HOLMES AND DAVID SATTERFIELD FROM AMBASSADOR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2015
TAGS: PREL KU UNDP
SUBJECT: SUPPORTING KUWAITI CANDIDATE FOR UNDP ADMINISTRATOR

Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) I strongly recommend that the U.S. endorse Kuwait's
candidate for UNDP Administrator, Fawzi Sultan. A former
long-time President of the U.N. International Fund for
Agricultural Development and Executive Director of the World
Bank, Sultan is an eminently qualifed candidate for this
position.


2. (C) More importantly, supporting Mr. Sultan's candidacy
would serve to further strengthen the bilateral relationship.
An indispensable ally in our efforts to rebuild Iraq, Kuwait
has provided over $2 billion in assistance in kind for OIF,
including allowing coalition forces free use of its territory
for their operations and basing, providing millions of
dollars of AIK fuel and waiving customs fees for military
cargo. GOK officials have been persistent in expressing
their discontent with what they feel is a lack of U.S.
recognition of these efforts. Support of Mr. Fawzi's
candidacy would be a small step to indicate that the U.S.
considers Kuwait a valuable partner and ally.


3. (C) While I realize that we may not normally endorse
candidates for such positions, I believe this would be a low
cost way to to show to the GOK that we take them seriously as
an ally in our regional efforts.
LEBARON