THE PRESIDENT'S MALARIA INITIATIVE: KENYA

UNCLAS NAIROBI 005126 SIPDIS AIDAC SIPDIS AID WASH FOR RGREENE, AF/EPS CJACKSON, AF/E RMEYERS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: BN ET GH KE LI MA ML ZA SUBJECT: THE PRESIDENT'S MALARIA INITIATIVE: KENYA WELCOMES INCLUSION REF: STATE 180359 ¶1. Summary. The Government of Kenya (GOK),represented by the Minister for Health, Mrs. Charity Ngilu, and Mr. Jackson Kinyanjui, External Resources Department, Ministry of Finance, are enthusiastic about the prospect of taking part in the President's Malaria Initiative (PMI). Ambassador Ranneberger, on behalf of the U.S. Mission in Kenya, concurs in Kenya becoming a PMI country and is prepared to work with Washington to commit the resources necessary to support this inter- agency program, to be led at post by USAID. ¶2. Government of Kenya response. Following reftel instructions, Mission contacted the Minister for Health, Mrs. Charity Ngilu, and Mr. Jackson Kinyanjui, External Resources Department, Ministry of Finance, and used the talking points provided in reftel. The GOK is aware of what the PMI is doing in other countries, has ideas as to how the PMI would complement and add to other malaria initiatives in Kenya, and is fully supportive of the U.S. Mission recommendation that Kenya become a PMI country. The U.S. Mission agrees with the GOK?s assessment that there is existing governmental and non- governmental capacity to implement this initiative. ¶3. Mission response. Given the positive response from the GOK, the strength of the USG team in country, and the health threat that malaria poses in Kenya, the U.S. Mission concurs in Kenya becoming a PMI country. Since Kenya is a focus country of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the Mission has several years of experience with inter-agency coordination and collaboration to implement and report on a major Presidential initiative. We are confident that the USG team here can quickly implement PMI activities and make a significant impact in a relatively short time. RANNEBERGER