DEPARTMENT REQUESTS POSTS CONSIDER SUPPORTING

UNCLAS STATE 005837 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR AMBASSADORS AND DCMS WHITE HOUSE FOR NSC AND CEQ BRIDGETOWN: CABLE IS FOR FOUR COUNTRIES -- BARBADOS/ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA/ST.KITTS AND NEVIS/ST.LUCIA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID ENRG EPET KGHG KPAO KSCA OPDC SENV SOCI TRGY XM XL, XS SUBJECT: DEPARTMENT REQUESTS POSTS CONSIDER SUPPORTING HOST COUNTRY ATTENDANCE AT WASHINGTON INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY CONFERENCE (WIREC) 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 (this cable),and the other to posts outside of WHA (septel). 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 initiative.) ¶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. RICE