ETHIOPIAN DELEGATION TO AGOA FORUM

UNCLAS ADDIS ABABA 002107

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E AND AF/EPS:T.HASTINGS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD EAGR PREL ET
SUBJECT: ETHIOPIAN DELEGATION TO AGOA FORUM

REF: A. STATE 91543


B. STATE 58394

C. STATE 70565


1. According to July 2 information from the Ethiopian EMBASSY
in Washington, the GOE's delegation to the July AGOA forum in
Ghana will be comprised of:
-- Minister of Trade and Industry Girma Biru;
-- Mr. Geremeew Ayalew, head of the ministry's Foreign Trade
Relations Department;
-- Mr. Sileshi Lemma, Head of the ministry's Textile and
Leather Development Department;
-- private-sector representatives (to be determined) from the
Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce.


2. Post expects to meet with Trade Minister Girma later this
week, and will confirm his availability to
chair the July 18 lunch session with Agriculture Secretary
Johanns on "Facilitating Agricultural Trade and Development
under AGOA."


3. COMMENT. Trade Minister Girma led the GOE delegation to
the 2006 AGOA ministerial. Both Mr. Geremeew and Mr. Sileshi
have been actively engaged with Post: Geremeew is working
with USAID to promote Ethiopia's accession to WTO; Sileshi is
working with USAID agribusiness experts on enhancing leather
exports. END COMMENT.
YAMAMOTO