Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08STATE20672
2008-02-29 00:45:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Secretary of State
Cable title:  

DEMARCHE: ANNOUNCING THE U.S. SPECIAL ENVOY TO

Tags:  OIC PREL 
pdf how-to read a cable
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 020672 

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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIC PREL
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE: ANNOUNCING THE U.S. SPECIAL ENVOY TO
THE OIC


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 020672

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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIC PREL
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE: ANNOUNCING THE U.S. SPECIAL ENVOY TO
THE OIC



1. (U) This is an action request. See Para. 2.


2. (U) Department requests OIC posts notify host governments
that the President has appointed Sada Cumber to be the U.S.
Special Envoy to the Organization of Islamic Conference
(OIC). Post should draw from the Envoy's official biography
and the press guidance below. The Envoy,s official
biography, along with an official photograph, are posted on
State.gov (search keyword: Sada Cumber). Posts are also
encouraged to announce this appointment to the public and
local media. End action request.


3. (U) Sada Cumber Biography:

Sada Cumber will assume his duties as Special Envoy to the
Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) on March 3,

2008. As Special Envoy, Mr. Cumber will serve as our
representative to the OIC, and will seek to promote mutual
understanding and dialogue between the United States and
Muslim communities around the world.
Prior to his appointment, Mr. Cumber was an entrepreneur and
investor based in Austin, Texas. Mr. Cumber,s business
background is in senior management, marketing, and imaging
technology. As an entrepreneur, Mr. Cumber has specialized
in national and global network strategy, strategic marketing,
business planning and institution building.
Mr. Cumber has founded eleven companies in technology-based
industries, including Texas Global, an international
strategic advising firm, and CACH Capital Management, an
investment advisory and wealth management firm. Prior to
his appointment as Special Envoy, Mr. Cumber also served as
Chairman of the Board of TCMS-LLC, an intellectual property
development company, and as Chairman of Sozotek Inc., an
imaging technology company. Mr. Cumber has also served on
numerous corporate boards and served as a speaker at the
meetings of several national and international organizations,
on topics including the ethics of persuasion,
entrepreneurship and governance.

Mr. Cumber has been active in the public sphere, serving on
the boards of various Texas-based and international
organizations, including the Board of Directors of the Texas
Economic Development Board (a $300 million fund),the Texas
Emerging Technology Fund (a $200 million fund),the 15th
World Congress on Information Technology, the Texas Business
Council and the Governor,s Task Force on Higher Education.

Mr. Cumber has also been active in civic organizations,
advisory councils, and charitable foundations. Until
recently, Mr. Cumber also served as the Honorary Consul of
the Republic of Malta in Austin.

Mr. Cumber is committed to using his multicultural background
and extensive business, social, and political skills to
promote cooperation across cultures, in support of
international economic development, and to help advance
meaningful dialogue among the world,s religious communities.
He has served on the board of directors for the Texas
Foundation of Religious Studies and the Advisory Council for
the College of Fine Arts at the University of Texas.
Mr. Cumber was born in Karachi, Pakistan in 1951. He holds a
Bachelor,s Degree in Commerce and a Master,s Degree in
History, both from the University of Karachi. Mr. Cumber came
to the United States in 1978 and has been an American citizen
since 1986.
Mr. Cumber and his wife, Mumtaz, maintain their permanent
residence in Austin, Texas. They have two children.

4. (U) Press Guidance

Q: On February 27 the President announced that the
first-ever Special Envoy to the Organization of the Islamic
Conference (OIC) would be Austin, Texas-based entrepreneur
Mr. Sada Cumber. What can you tell us about this
announcement?

-- The President announced in June 2007 his intention to
appoint a Special Envoy to the OIC, as a part of his
continuing commitment to actively engage with Muslim
communities around the world. On February 27, he announced
that Mr. Sada Cumber will be that Envoy.

-- &We just had a discussion about his mission, and the
core of his mission is to explain to the Islamic world that
America is a friend -- is a friend of freedom, is a friend of
peace, that we value religion -- that, matter of fact, we
value it to the point where we believe that anybody should be
able to worship the way they see fit, and we respect that.8

STATE 00020672 002 OF 002


) President Bush, February 27, 2008

-- This marks the first time a U.S. president has made such
an appointment to the OIC.

-- As Special Envoy, Mr. Sada Cumber will serve as the
United States, representative to the OIC, and will seek to
promote mutual understanding and dialogue between the United
States and Muslim communities around the world.

-- Mr. Cumber will begin his duties as Special Envoy to the
OIC on March 3, 2008. One of his first official duties will
be to attend the Eleventh Annual OIC Summit, set to take
place in Dakar, Senegal, from March 8 to 14, 2008.

-- Mr. Cumber will also be meeting with representatives of
American Muslim communities and traveling to OIC member and
non-member states to engage Muslim communities around the
world.

-- He will also maintain formal contact with the OIC
Secretariat, the Secretary General, the chairing country, and

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other member countries on important issues. He will follow
OIC affairs and activities and seek to understand the views
of OIC members and leaders, identify ways for the U.S. and
the OIC to cooperate, and promote U.S. views on important
policy matters that may come before the OIC.

-- Mr. Cumber is looking forward to leveraging his
background to be particularly active in areas of common
interest for the United States, the OIC, and OIC member
states: cultural affairs, economic issues, youth, technology,
human rights, humanitarian assistance, peace, and security.

-- Mr. Cumber will also seek to engage states as they
advocate for moderation, and in that light we,d like to
welcome statements the OIC has made in support of moderation,
dialogue, respect, and understanding.

Q: Who is Mr. Sada Cumber? What are his qualifications for
the job?

-- Mr. Cumber is a Pakistani-American businessman from
Austin, Texas, who brings a unique skill set to the Special
Envoy position.

-- He is a proven leader in the business world, with 25
years of experience in the technology industry, as well as
active public sector involvement in business development and
entrepreneurship.

-- In addition, he has long been interested in issues
surrounding the strengthening of civil society in developing
countries and economic development.

- He has a multicultural background, and extensive business
and political skills to promote cooperation across cultures
in support of these shared areas of interest.

Q: If asked: The President announced his intent to appoint a
Special Envoy last June. Why did this appointment take so
long?

-- The President wanted to make sure he found the right
person for this important job.

Q: If asked: Does the appointment of this envoy mean that
the United States is becoming a member of the OIC?

-- No. The United States is not seeking OIC membership or
observer status, but we are seeking a more active role. We
see the Envoy position as providing another opportunity for
productive, respectful engagement.

-- The United States is home to millions of Muslims, and,
like other states with Muslim populations, we think it,s
important to engage with the OIC.

Q: If asked: Did the OIC request this appointment?

-- The appointment was not requested by the OIC.

-- It is a Presidential initiative to further demonstrate
the United States, commitment to engage with Muslim
communities around the world.

Q: If asked: To whom does the Special Envoy report?

-- The Special Envoy will be housed within the State
Department,s Bureau for International Organization Affairs.
He will report to both the Secretary of State and the
President.
RICE