FY2006 US Speaker Request - Dr. Gerard Fenin

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 WELLINGTON 000582 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR IIP/G/EA - TVOSE & RFHOLDEN; EAP/PD - AGRIMES AND TSKIPPER; EAP/ANP - DRICCI; CANBERRA FOR PAO SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP NZ SUBJECT: FY2006 US Speaker Request - Dr. Gerard Fenin ¶1. Program Description: Post requests a U.S. speaker visit by Dr. Gerard Fenin, Deputy Director of the East-West Center's Pacific Island Development Program in support of MPP Goal 07-01 Active Anti-Terrorist Coalitions (Counter Terrorism) & Regional Stability and Goal 07-03 Mutual Understanding. Dr. Fenin would be asked to address Democracy, Security, Good Governance, and the Political Stability of the Southwest Pacific. Allowing for a rest day and Embassy briefings in Wellington, Post would like Fenin to arrive in Wellington no later than Sunday, September 24, and depart Auckland for Honolulu on Sunday, October 1. This would allow for a maximum of five official program days and two rest days. ¶2. Date, Fiscal Year, and Quarter: Dates: September 24 - October 1, ¶2006. Fiscal Year 2006; Fourth Quarter. ¶3. Justification and Objective: New Zealand plays a leading role in promoting political stability (the assistance recently given to the Solomons, Bougainville, and Fiji being cases in point),good governance, and economic growth among the countries in the Southwest Pacific. Dr. Fenin's specific expertise relating to New Zealand in the Asia-Pacific region at a time of increased terrorism and insecurity would be invaluable. A speaker of his caliber would attract a broad range of official, academic, and media interest throughout the country. We would welcome the opportunity to discuss with our contacts such issues as foreign aid strategies; economic/development issues facing the Pacific Islands; good governance; the new Pacific era in which terrorism, money-laundering and people-smuggling are an issue; how New Zealand initiatives in the region relate to US interests; how they compare to and contrast with US Pacific Island programs; how New Zealand's interests in the region and its programs are beneficial to US interests; and how we can advance the demands of security in the region and help promote stability in small countries showing the potential to become failed states. Dr. Fenin's knowledge of the Pacific and his popularity as a speaker would provide Post with an opportunity for discussion of these issues which are of serious concern to Post. ¶4. Fenin's Pacific research and writings, which include: Small is Viable: The Global Ebbs and Flows of a Pacific Atoll Nation, East-West Center Working Papers, April 2002; Coups, Conflicts, and Crises: The New Pacific Way? East-West Center Working Papers, June 2000; and his research on Islands of Globalization: policy analysis and sustainable development in the Pacific Islands and Reinventing Government in the Pacific Islands also reinforce the fact that he would be a US Speaker particularly well-suited to this program. ¶5. Please note: Program contact Christine Vivian has already approached Dr. Fenin, who has confirmed his serious, enthusiastic interest in traveling to New Zealand. He has indicated his availability to visit New Zealand on the given dates, subject to IIP approval. ¶6. Audience: It is anticipated that this program will include members of parliament and their staffs, NZ AID, academics, Pacific Island representatives in NZ, the media, and local branches of the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs in at least three of the main NZ city centers. It is expected also that Dr. Fenin will visit the Pacific Island Studies Departments at universities in at least three cities around the country. ¶7. Topics and Types of Events: Fenin will be asked to attend Embassy briefings in Wellington. Speech topics are to be decided in consultation with him and host institutions. It is envisaged that a presentation will be given to Embassy contacts in Wellington, and other events will include meetings with political leaders, the media, academia, and representational events at centers around New Zealand, as will as presentations to NZIIA (New Zealand Institute of International Affairs) members. ¶8. Dr. Fenin's Contact Details: Email: feninj@EastWestCenter Telephone: 808 944-7751 Fax: 808 944-7670 Address: Pacific Island Development Program East-West Center 1601 East-West Road Honolulu, Hawaii 96848 ¶9. Post Project Officer/Control Officer: Christine Vivian. Office Phone: 644-462-6112; Fax: 644-499-04890 Email: cvivian@actrix.gen.nz or Vivianc@state.gov ¶10. Funding Source: Ref: Email 6/1 from Victor Sidabras to Roy Glover re funding of the speaker's international and domestic travel, per diem, and honoraria. This is the third of the three Special Speaker's requests which were offered to New Zealand. WELLINGTON 00000582 002 OF 002 ¶11. Please advise soonest. Many thanks. MCCORMICK