COLOMBIA: INPUT FOR CONGRESSIONAL REPORT ON ENERGY

UNCLAS BOGOTA 000482 SIPDIS SIPDIS EEB/ESC/IEC FOR GGRIFFIN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ENRG SENC APER ABUD CO SUBJECT: COLOMBIA: INPUT FOR CONGRESSIONAL REPORT ON ENERGY REF: STATE 10743 ¶1. The following responses are keyed to requests in reftel. ¶A. A number of agencies at post handle energy issues. The State Department Economic Section primarily handles energy reporting and cooperation matters. Insofar as issues may directly involve U.S. companies, the Economic Section and the Commerce Department Foreign Commercial Service (FCS) coordinate to assist U.S. firms. The total number of staff in the Economic Section is six officers, one Office Management Specialist, and two locally engaged staff (LES) economic specialists. The total number of staff in the Foreign Commercial Service is two officers, seven LES commercial specialists, two administrative staff, and two contractors. The Economic Unit in USAID, comprised of one officer and three LES staff, is in charge of technical assistance to the Colombian government for policy reform in the energy sector. ¶B. 1 Deputy Economic Counselor: 25 percent of time. 1 LES Economic Specialist: 25 percent of time. 1 Commercial Counselor: 10 percent of time. 1 Commercial Deputy Counselor: 10 percent of time. 1 LES Commercial Specialist: 25 percent of time. 1 LES Commercial Specialist: 10 percent of time. 1 USAID LES economist: 5 percent of time. ¶C. The Deputy Economic Counselor's portfolio include monitoring and reporting on developments in Colombia's energy sector, developing contacts in the Colombian government agencies related to energy (e.g. Ministry of Mines and Energy, National Hydrocarbons Agency, the state-owned oil company Ecopetrol) as well as international hydrocarbons companies operating in Colombia, and responding to energy-related action requests from Washington. The LES Economic Specialist assists the Deputy Economic Counselor in these efforts. The FCS Commercial Counselor and Deputy Commercial Counselor also monitor sector developments as well as develop contacts in the government and private sector. Likewise, they respond to requests from the Trade Development Agency and Department of Energy regarding trade promotion activities in the energy sector. The FCS Commercial Specialists assist the Commercial Counselor and Deputy with any U.S. firms interested in doing business with Colombia's energy sector, including advocacy on any disputes that may arise. The USAID LES economist participates in planning, developing and implementing programs related to energy pricing regulations and anti-monopolistic policies in the energy sector. ¶D. State-funded Personnel: 25 percent of FS-02 Deputy Economic Counselor position salary. 25 percent of LES Economic Specialist position salary (FSN-11 grade). State-funded Programs: Post hosted an energy speaker in FY07 funded by EEB at a cost of $3,300. Brownfield