DEPARTMENT REQUESTS POSTS CONSIDER SUPPORTING

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 STATE 005835

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
FOR AMBASSADORS AND DCMS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ENRG EPET KGHG KPAO KSCA OPDC SENV SOCI TRGY XA
XB, XG, XF, XI, XD
SUBJECT: DEPARTMENT REQUESTS POSTS CONSIDER SUPPORTING
HOST COUNTRY ATTENDANCE AT WASHINGTON INTERNATIONAL
RENEWABLE ENERGY CONFERENCE (WIREC)


WHITE HOUSE FOR NSC AND CEQ
ROME - PLEASE PASS TO EMBASSY VATICAN
PORT LOUIS: CABLE IS FOR BOTH MADAGASCAR AND THE COMOROS
PORT LOUIS: CABLE IS FOR BOTH MAURITIUS AND THE SEYCHELLES
PORT MORESBY: CABLE IS FOR PAPUA NEW GUINEA - VANATU - AND THE
SOLOMON ISLANDS

REF: A. STATE 563, B. STATE 559, C. STATE 521,

D. 07 STATE 138428, E. 07 STATE 80334

Note: Because of the large number of action addressees for
this cable, Department is sending two duplicate cables, one
to WHA posts (septel),and the other to posts outside of WHA
(this cable).

Action Request
--------------

1. Department requests that country team determine whether
post has program or discretionary funds which may be used to
help defray travel costs, including per diem, for appropriate
member(s) of host country,s official delegation, sub
national government representatives, or civil society whose
participation would benefit the Washington International
Renewable Energy Conference (WIREC),March 4-6, 2008,
Washington D.C. Posts are asked to consider supporting
delegations from all the countries to which they are
accredited. Agencies with regional coverage are requested to
consider support for all the posts they serve.

Background:
--------------

2. Per reftels,WIREC 2008, a Presidential initiative, is the
third global ministerial-level event on renewable energy
after Bonn in 2004 and Beijing in 2005. WIREC will serve as
a global platform for ministers and senior leaders from the
private sector, sub-national governments, and civil society
to discuss and share information about the benefits of
renewable energy, identify best practices and barriers, and
consider policy options and measures needed to encourage the
rapid development of renewable energy in their countries.
The participation of all relevant stakeholders, including
government officials, civil society delegates, and private
sector representatives in WIREC 2008 is essential to
furthering USG objectives (i.e., promoting the uptake of
renewable energy as part of the President's climate change



3. While it is the Department,s hope that most countries
interested in attending WIREC will be able to bear the full
cost of their delegations, participation, we realize that
this may not be possible. Official delegates will not/not be
asked to cover the conference registration fee, but in
anticipation of receiving requests for travel support from
some delegations, we request that posts determine whether
they have funds available to support small official
delegations of one or two representatives. We welcome post
support for civil society delegates if funding is available,
but ask that priority be given to official delegations.


4. USAID shares the Department,s commitment to a successful
WIREC and contacted USAID officers located in countries which
have been invited to the Ministerial via e-mail on 14 January
to inform them of this need and to provide them a copy of
Acting Administrator Fore,s October 4 letter to U/S
Dobriansky agreeing to ask USAID missions to support.. Text
of the letter is in paragraph 7.


5. For some delegations, travel support will make a decisive
difference in determining whether they will be able to attend
WIREC. Department has had some success in soliciting support
funds from other countries, such as Germany, Canada, and
Italy, that share our desire for a conference that is as
broad and representative as possible. We will continue with
these efforts. Unfortunately, the projected need currently
exceeds the level of funding at our disposal. It is in our
collective interest to secure the broadest possible
participation in WIREC 2008. Department appreciates posts
efforts to help make WIREC 2008 a success.

Deadline
--------------

6. Department requests that Posts respond by return cable by
COB January 21 with details on whether and to what extent
they will be able to help provide support. Responses should
be slugged for OES WIREC Action Group Deputy Tracy Hall and
OES Special Assistant Camille Hill.

Text of Fore-Dobriansky Letter
--------------


7. Text of letter follows:

Begin text:

Dear Under Secretary Dobriansky:

Thank you for your letter dated September 12, 2007, regarding
the Washington International Renewable Energy Conference
(WIRREC 2008). I am sure that the conference will be a
success under your capable leadership, and will help advance
the Administration,s efforts to respond to the challenges of
sustainable economic growth and climate change.

As you know, under the ongoing foreign assistance reforms
virtually all U.S. Agency for International Development
(USAID) funding has been allocated to field missions for the
attainment of specific development objectives, such as
preventing conflict and the spread of disease. To this end,
our pillar bureaus are focused on providing field support,
and do not have budgets to support U.S.-based activities.
Therefore, USAID will not be in a position to provide
financial support to WIREC 2008. However, our
Washington-based staff will coordinate with USAID field
missions in the Tier 1 countries to help them identify
relevant government officials and to encourage the field
missions to sponsor the officials, attendance at WIREC. In
addition, USAID will make technical staff from the Bureau of
Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade available to provide
substantive support to the WIREC planning process, as well as
logistical support via the inter-agency working group
process. Specifically, our energy team staff will be able to
share ideas for meeting topics, speakers, and other issues
via participation in the WIREC rural development,
commercialization, and financing agenda committees. They can
also provide suggestions for foreign country participants and
success stories, as needed.

Please rest assured that USAID will continue to contribute to
the inter-agency process on WIREC and other energy and
environment initiatives, including the Global Village
Enterprise Partnership, part of the Clean Energy Initiative,
the Commission on Sustainable Development, and the
Asia-Pacific Partnership. We look forward to continued
collaboration on these critical issues.

Cordially,
Henrietta H. Fore
Acting Administrator

End text.


8. Tripoli minimize considered.
RICE