NICARAGUA: AMERICA'S COMPETITIVENESS FORUM

UNCLAS MANAGUA 000494

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR WHA/EPSC/DSILVERMAN,RSCHWARTZ
COMMERCE FOR ITA/MAC/AWILSON,MSIEGELMAN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD ELAB SOCI OAS KSUM NU
SUBJECT: NICARAGUA: AMERICA'S COMPETITIVENESS FORUM

REF: A. SECSTATE 198999

B. MANAGUA 0355


1. (U) At the earliest opportunity after the inauguration of
the new president and the seating of a new cabinet, the
Ambassador met the new Minister of Trade, Industry and
Development Horacio Brenes Icabalceta about attending the
Americas Competitiveness Forum in Atlanta on June 11-13 (refs
A and B). In follow-up to this meeting, the Ambassador
supplied additional information to Minister Brenes about the
forum and asked for his suggestions as to who might attend
from his government. Econoff also contacted his staff, but
have not yet received a response.


2. (SBU) We believe the situation is complicated by the fact
that the Ministry of Finance has requested that all
ministries and government agencies pass budgeted funding for
travel and public relations to a central account to be
managed by the Presidency, specifically the person of the
Coordinator for Public Communications and Citizenship, First
Lady Rosario Murillo. These funds appear destined for
Peoples, Councils, an experiment in direct democracy.
Brenes, office has inquired as to whether funding to attend
the conference from the USG. We are examining whether post
funds might be available.


3. (SBU) Post apologizes for taking longer than the time
allotted, and would like to suggest that invitations be sent
to the following GON officials (Note: mailing addresses in
Spanish follow names and titles in English).

Ministers:

-- Horacio Brenes Icabalceta
Minister of Trade, Industry and Development

Horacio Brenes Icabalceta
Ministro de Fomento, Industria y Comercio
Km 6 Carretera a Masaya
Managua, Nicaragua

-- Jeannette Chavez
Minister of Labor

Jeannette Chavez
Ministra del Trabajo
Estado Nacional 2c Norte

Alternate or Additional Minister:

-- Fernando Martinez Espinoza
Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure

Fernando Martinez Espinoza
Ministro de Transportacion e Infraestructura
Frente al Estado Nacional

Other GON Officials:

-- Roberto Bendana McEwan
Executive Secretary
Presidential Competitiveness Commission

Roberto Bendana McEwan
Secretario Ejecutivo
Comision Presidencial de Competitividad
Edificio Zoila, Esquina Sur
Edificio Delta 1c Este, 1/2c Norte

-- Julio Cesar Bendana J.
Director General, Market Competition and Transparency
Ministry of Trade, Industry and Development

Lic. Julio Cesar Bendana J.
Director General
Direccion General Competencia y Transparencia
de Mercados
Ministerio de Fomento, Industria, y Comercio
Km 6 Carretera Masaya (Edificio MIFIC)


4. (U) Invitations may also be sent to the following
individuals who represent important organizations in the
private sector.

-- Cesar Zamora
President
American Chamber of Commerce of Nicaragua
Cesar Zamora
Presidente
Camara de Comercio American de Nicaragua
Bancentro Carretera a Masaya 1 cuadra abajo
P.O. Box 2720, Managua Nicaragua

-- Erwin J. Kruger
President
Superior Council for Private Enterprise

Erwin J. Kruger
Presidente
Consejo Superior de la Empresa Privada
Clinica Las Palmas 1c Oeste

-- Jose Adan Aguerri Ch.
President
Chamber of Commerce of Nicaragua

Jose Adan Aguerri Ch.
Presidente
Camara de Comercio de Nicaragua
Apartado Postal 135
Edificio Aval Caro Bolonia

-- Alejandro Martinez Cuenca
President
International Foundation for the Global Economic
Challenge

Alejandro Martinez Cuenca
Presidente
Fundacion Internacional para el Desafio
Economico Global
Bolonia Hospital Retiro 2 c al lago
BRENNAN