Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07KINSHASA472
2007-04-26 12:10:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Kinshasa
Cable title:  

COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR COLONEL RICHARD ORTH

Tags:  APER OTRA BY RW UG KE ET CG 
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VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKI #0472/01 1161210
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 261210Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6027
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6028
UNCLAS KINSHASA 000472 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: APER OTRA BY RW UG KE ET CG
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR COLONEL RICHARD ORTH

REF: USDAO OR RSO KINSHASA

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000472

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: APER OTRA BY RW UG KE ET CG
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR COLONEL RICHARD ORTH

REF: USDAO OR RSO KINSHASA


1. Post grants country clearance and welcomes the arrival of
Col. Richard Kevin Orth to the Democratic Republic of Congo
(DRC) from May 03 - 06, 2007 to attend the Tripartite Fusion
Cell (TFC) focal point meetings.


2. POINT OF CONTACT
Chris Brown will be the Control Officer for the visit and can
be reached at:

Office Phone: 011-243-81-556-0151
Cell phone: 011-243-81-880-4982
IVG: 8-934-2621


3. VISA REQUIREMENTS

A valid Congolese visa is required of all American passport
holders, whether diplomatic, official or tourist. Congolese
visas cannot be issued at the airport.


4. FISCAL DATA REQUIREMENTS

Fiscal data or credit card info must be provided in advance
to the control officer listed above for any assistance
required, including meet and assist at the airport, hotel
reservations, cell phones, airport expeditors,
translators/interpreters, etc. The Embassy is unable to make
hotel reservations or rental arrangements without financial
information.


5. ALL VISITS MUST COMMENCE IN KINSHASA

At the Ambassador's request, all visits to the Democratic
Republic of Congo, which require country clearance, are to
commence in Kinshasa, the country's capital. Travel to other
regions of the country including the Kivus, Orientale and
Maniema provinces, is to be undertaken from Kinshasa.
Embassy Kinshasa will provide assistance ith these travel
arrangements. As travel in theCongo can be complicated,
visitors should consult with their Embassy control officer
early in the lanning process.


6. AIRPORT ADVICE FOR ARRIVINGPASSENGERS

Procedures at Ndjili Airport are chaging as airport
officials try to strengthen secuity procedures. At this
time, Embassy expeditors are no longer allowed in the
Arrivals Hall and cn provide assistance only after travelers
pass trough Immigration control. After deplaning and
etering the Arrivals Hall, travelers should proceedto the
"Official VIP/Diplomat" line, with passports and health
certificaes ready for presentation to the Immigration
offcials. After clearing Immigration, travelers will be met
on the other side of the booth by the Embasy expeditor,

holding a placard with the names o travelers being met. The
expeditor will then colect baggage claim tickets and
passports, collec the bags, and then take travelers outside
to the Embassy vehicles. Once outside the terminal, loca
porters will carry your bags to the Embassy vehcle. Please
be prepared to give the expeditor oe USD per bag to pay the
porters. While at the arport, travelers ar warned to not,
repeat not, py money or give their documents to anyone other
han the Embassy expeditor. This also applies to idividuals
in uniform, who may offer their servics. Be polite but do
not accept their assistance


7. CUSTOMS AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT

If you wll be carrying tools, heavy cases, or any electronc
equipment other than personal devices, contactyour control
officer with specific information tat can be passed to the
expeditor for assistancewith customs clearance.


8. ACCOMMODATION

A sigle room has been booked at the Grand Hotel, tel:
011-243-
081-0003. The room price is within per diem and includes
breakfast.


9. SECURITY

Kinshasa is a critical threat crime post. Although there is
no specific threat targeting Americans, all visitors should
remain vigilant and cautious during their stay in Kinshasa.
The RSO advises that you exercise caution in the areas around
hotels, and that you not travel after nightfall unless
accompanied by someone familiar with the security situation
in Kinshasa. TDY personnel should not use any form of local
transportation and should refrain from displaying/using
cameras in public.

A recent scam involves individuals in civilian clothes
claiming to be Congolese police/security officials who
approach unsuspecting expatriates on the street and demand to
see their passport or other identification documents. They
try and convince the would-be victim to get in their unmarked
vehicle and accompany them to the local police precinct. If
you are on the street and approached by someone claiming to
be a police or security official, identify yourself as a
diplomat working at the U.S. Embassy, walk briskly away, and
make sure to report the incident to the RSO or Post One as
soon as you have access to a phone. Do not approach or get
in their vehicle.


10. CURRENCY

The use of dollars in the DRC is legal and acceptable for
most transactions. Travelers arriving in the DRC with more
than USD 10,000 must fill out a currency declaration.
Travelers departing the DRC are not allowed to take out more
than USD 10,000 in cash. Please note that ATMs are not
available in Congo. However, USG personnel are authorized
USD and Franc Congolais accommodation exchange at the Embassy
and/or USAID cashier; personal or travelers' checks are
acceptable. Most personnel use Franc Congolais only for
small purchases and tips.

American Express, Visa, Master Card, and Diner's Club are
accepted in payment of bills at Kinshasa's two major hotels.
However, very few other businesses in the Congo accept credit
cards and their use outside of the major hotels is
discouraged. Cashing travelers checks outside the Embassy is
generally not advised because banks charge substantial fees
for cashing them; travelers checks are rarely accepted at all
outside of Kinshasa.


11. MEDICAL

Access to the Embassy Health Unit is available for US
citizen, direct-hire USG employees and their eligible family
members. If you have been or will be posted more than 60
days overseas in a calendar year (not necessarily
consecutive),you must provide proof of a Department of State
medical clearance from M/MED to qualify for access to our
Health Unit. Official visitors who are overseas less than 60
days in a calendar year are not required to have medical
clearance and are authorized emergency, but not routine, use
of the Health Unit.

Other official visitors may receive Health Unit services if
they meet the following criteria: 1) an individual employment
relationship with the USG, 2) a MED Washington clearance, and
3) a USG agency that guarantees payment for medical expenses
and/or personal overseas health and medevac insurance.
Visitors without Health Unit access will be referred to a
local medical clinic, which provides all emergency and
non-routine medical care for Embassy employees and family
members.

MALARIA: Congo is a malaria-affected area. All travelers
should consult with medical personnel and take malaria
prophylactics as appropriate, before arriving in Kinshasa.

YELLOW FEVER: You must have a valid yellow fever vaccination
and your yellow vaccination card when you arrive. You may be
charged a fine of $50-$100 without proof of vaccination.


12. ACCESS TO CONTROLLED ACCESS AREAS

Each visitor to Kinshasa requiring unescorted access to
controlled access areas (CAA) must arrange for their
sponsoring agency or sending post to forward their security
clearance to the RSO by telegram in advance of the visit. In
accordance with regulations, a diplomatic passport or
Department of State identification card is not sufficient to
allow unescorted access to CAA'S. Kinshasa does not have the
resources to escort visitors who arrive without proper
advance security clearance.


13. Government-owned thumb/flash drives with proper
classification label can be used at Post, but only on Open
Net computers outside of the Controlled Access Area (CAA).
These devices cannot be used on any classified computers at
Post. Thumb/flash drives must be hand carried and protected
the same as a laptop. The drive(s) could be pouched in
advance to the control officer or the IMO. Upon arrival at
Post, the Control Officer will provide a thumb/flash drive
request form that should be completed and taken to the IPC or
ISC along with the flash drive before use. Questions should
be directed to Information Management Officer (IMO)
MbennaVG@state.gov or Information Systems Security Officer
(ISSO) Yeagerds@state.gov.


14. You may visit the Embassy's Intranet website at
http://kinshasa.state.gov. While still under construction,
information is being added daily that you may find useful.


15. Have a good trip. Post looks forward to seeing you in
Kinshasa.

MEECE