COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR HHS/CSC PATRICIA

UNCLAS CAIRO 000110 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/WE AND NEA/ELA STATE ALSO PASS HHS FOR STEIGER OGHA ATD #4430 E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KSCA OTRA US EG CDC SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR HHS/CSC PATRICIA SIMONE REF: CDC ATLANTA GA 4797 ¶1. Post warmly welcomes and grants country clearance for the visit of HHS/SCS Medical Officer, Patricia Simone, to Cairo, Egypt January 23-26 to discuss and finalize plans for 2007 activities and to be introduced to the strategic partners at the Ministry of Health, NAMRU-3 and the WHO regional office. ¶2. Post understands that no assistance is required for this visit. ¶3. Science & Technology Officer Kimberly Harrington will be the point of contact for the visit and can be reached at: Work: (20)(2) 797-2646 Cell: (20)(12) 176-8101 Home: (20)(2) 735-9786 If Embassy contact is needed after hours, call the Embassy operator at (20)(2) 797-3300. The workweek is Sunday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. ¶4. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: A passport and visa are required. For travelers arriving by air, a renewable 30-day tourist visa may be obtained at airport points of entry for $15, payable in U.S. dollars. Post recommends obtaining a visa in advance. Please advise if you are unable to obtain a visa before arrival. Visitors who have had trouble with their visa status in Egypt must obtain a visa before arrival. ¶5. ARRIVAL IN EGYPT: Please send special requests for assistance due to physical handicap, heavy professional equipment, or other unusual circumstances to the control officer; post will gladly consider these requests on a case-by-case basis. ¶6. ACCESS TO USG FACILITIES IN EGYPT AND SENDING OF CLEARANCES: The Department of State issued Global Identification (GLID) badge is used for access to USG facilities in Egypt. Visitors holding valid GLID badges should bring their badges with them. Doing so will facilitate their entry into the Embassy, and other USG facilities. Visitors, including TDY personnel, who do not have a GLID badge, will be issued temporary ID cards as needed. Security clearances, however, need to be included in all requests for country clearance in order to ensure that only authorized personnel have access to classified information. ¶7. MEDICAL/HEALTH PRECAUTIONS: Travelers to Egypt are cautioned to avoid poultry farms, contact with animals in live food markets, and any surfaces that appear to be contaminated with feces from poultry or other animals. See more information about avian flu at . Tetanus/diphtheria immunizations should be current -- a booster is required every 10 years. Rabies vaccinations are recommended. Yellow fever vaccine is not required for entry into Egypt unless you are arriving from an infected area. However, the Department of State requires Foreign Service personnel to have an up-to-date (every 10 years) yellow fever vaccination for worldwide availability. Travelers' diarrhea is a common problem. Only bottled or boiled (3 minutes) water should be used for drinking and making ice. Avoid fruits that have already been peeled, fruit without peels, uncooked vegetables, and salads, which can transmit pathogenic bacteria or parasites. Do not consume unpasteurized local milk and cheese products. Except for State Foreign and Civil Service staff, visitors should bring a copy of their medical clearance and proof of medical evacuation insurance. Standard health insurance does not include air ambulance medical evacuation, which can typically cost more than $50,000. ¶8. SECURITY CONCERNS: Egypt suffered a series of deadly terrorist attacks in or near tourist sites in late 2004, 2005, and 2006 ) often coinciding with major local holidays. Americans should be especially vigilant in crowded tourist areas in the Sinai, practice good personal security measures, and be alert to their surroundings. A heavy security presence is apparent to travelers throughout the country. Since October 2004, three major, coordinated terrorist bombings targeting the Sinai Peninsula,s tourist infrastructure caused many deaths and hundreds of injuries, mostly to Egyptian nationals. U.S. citizens do not appear to have been targeted in any of these incidents, but many non-Egyptian tourists, including Americans, have been killed or injured in these attacks. Most recently, three explosions in the town of Dahab on April 24, 2006, killed over 20 people and wounded at least another 80 people, including five U.S. citizens. In July 2005, massive explosions in Sharm el Sheikh killed over 60 people, including one American. In October 2004, three bombs detonated in Taba and two nearby tourist camps, killing 34 people, including one American. Evidence of instability in the Sinai has also been reflected in random attacks on vehicles transiting the interior and two bomb attacks on Multinational Force Observers near the Rafah border crossing in August 2005 and April 2006. ¶9. In addition to the Sinai attacks, there were three terror attacks on crowded tourist destinations in Cairo in April ¶2005. In one, a lone suicide bomber killed three foreigners, including an American, at Cairo,s Khan el-Khalili Market. Three Americans were seriously injured in this incident. Prior to the October 2004 attack, there had been no terrorist incidents involving tourists in Egypt since the mid 1990s. While the Egyptian Government took effective measures against the perpetrators of the 2004 and 2005 attacks, the April 2006 bombings reflect a persistent, indigenous threat of terror activities in the Sinai. U.S. citizens who still plan to visit the Sinai in spite of the persistent threat of terrorist attacks, should exercise great caution. As anywhere, travelers may gain a measure of safety by remaining particularly alert to their surroundings, by avoiding crowded tourist areas, and by visiting destination resorts and hotels with significant physical setback and security procedures. ¶10. The Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in September 2005 occurred without serious incident. The exact terms for crossing the border at Rafah have not yet been determined, however. Travelers seeking to cross the border are likely to encounter difficulty. ¶11. Public demonstrations, occasionally take place in public areas such as Tahrir Square in Cairo and near universities and mosques. These demonstrations are frequently accompanied by a heavy security presence. Roads in the vicinity are often closed. Americans are urged to avoid areas in which demonstrations are planned or where large crowds are gathering and to consult local sources to learn of possible demonstrations. Travelers will gain a measure of safety by remaining particularly alert to their surroundings, by avoiding crowded tourist areas and suspicious objects or individuals, and by visiting resorts and hotels with significant physical setback. U.S. citizens should make decisions based on their personal safety and security considerations and take extra precautions in crowded tourist areas throughout Egypt. In the event of an incident, Americans should first take cover, and then depart the area of commotion immediately. We urge visitors to monitor the local news and to maintain close contact with the Embassy throughout their visit. Visitors who will be in Egypt for more than 14 days must attend a Regional Security Office (RSO) security briefing. ¶12. AREAS OF INSTABILITY: From time to time there have been occurrences of instability, or public disorder, in Cairo and other areas of Egypt. Most recently, such occurrences took place in the Nile Valley governorates of Assiut and Sohag. These governorates, along with the governorates of Minya and Qena, were areas of extremist activity. Therefore, before traveling to these governorates, official visitors must first notify and seek advice from their sponsoring office. ¶13. CRIME: Even though the crime rate in Egypt is low, travelers are advised to be especially aware of their surroundings, as they would in any major city. Incidents of petty theft, such as purse snatching and pick pocketing, while not common, do occur. Travelers are strongly cautioned not to leave valuables such as cash, jewelry, and electronic items, such as laptop computers, unsecured in hotel rooms, or left unattended in public places. ¶14. PROTECTION OF INFORMATION AND SURVEILLANCE: As in many countries, all visitors to Egypt should assume that they will be the subject of technical and physical surveillance. Visitors must secure classified information and equipment in an approved container located in a controlled access area at the Embassy. Sensitive information can be stored at a USG facility in an approved container. Contact the RSO should you have any questions concerning the storage of classified and sensitive information. Any sensitive or classified materials left in hotel rooms, public places, or other unsecured locations will be considered compromised. Classified and sensitive U.S. government information may not be discussed in public places, in hotel rooms, or over unsecured telephones or e-mails. You should also use caution when communicating sensitive personal information over non-secure communication systems such as the telephone and the Internet. Sensitive personal information contained in unsecured, personally owned laptop computers is also vulnerable to unauthorized and unwanted intrusion. ¶15. CONTACTING THE RSO: You may contact the RSO during working hours at 797-2208 (ext. 2208 from the Embassy switchboard). After working hours, the duty RSO can be contacted by calling the Embassy 24-hours per day switchboard at 797-3300. Visitors should also contact the RSO for advice and information if they intend to drive a vehicle while in Egypt. ¶16. CONSULAR INFORMATION SHEET: For the most current Consular Information Sheet and the latest travel information about Egypt, we recommend that all travelers visit the State Department's website: or < cairo.usembassy.gov>. ¶17. Have a safe trip. We look forward to your visit. RICCIARDONE