COLOMBIA: INVITATION TO IDB 50TH ANNUAL MEETING IN

UNCLAS BOGOTA 000418

SIPDIS

TREASURY FOR ARUSHING AND AJEWELL; STATE FOR EEB/IFD/OMA
MSIEMER; WHA/AND AND WHA/EPSC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EFIN OVIP PGOV ECON OTRA EAID CO
SUBJECT: COLOMBIA: INVITATION TO IDB 50TH ANNUAL MEETING IN
MEDELLIN, MARCH 27-31, 2009

REF: 07 BOGOTA 4632


1. On February 6, Post received a diplomatic note from the
Colombian Minister of Ministry of Foreign Affairs extending
an invitation to Treasury Secretary Geithner to attend the
50th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the
Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the 24th Annual
meeting of the Board of Governors of the Inter-American
Investment Corporation in Medellin on March 27-31, 2009.
Paragraph 3 includes an informal translation of the
diplomatic note.


2. Post transmitted copies of the diplomatic note and
informal translation by unclassified email February 9 to the
Treasury IDB Desk, the State Department Colombia Desk.
EEB/IFD/OMA and WHA/EPSC. Post stands by to assist with
arrangements for U.S. delegation attendance to the March
27-31, 2009 meetings. Point of Contact is Deputy Economic
Counselor William Popp: poppww@state.gov; 011-571-383-2780
(tel); 011-571-383-2053 (fax).


3. BEGIN INFORMAL TRANSLATION.

Dear Ambassador

I am pleased to address your Excellency in reference to the
Fiftieth Annual Meeting of the Assembly of Governors of the
Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Twenty-fourth
Annual Meeting of the Assembly of Governors of the
Inter-American Corporation of Investments (IIC) taking place
March 27-31, 2009 in the city of Medellin, Colombia.

For Colombia it is an honor to host the Assembly
commemorating fifty years of the IDB and its commitment to
the social and economic development of Latin AMERICA and the
Caribbean. Its work during this period has gained
international recognition for one of the most solid
multilateral financial institutions in the world.

The current economic global conditions make this gathering
between top officials responsible for facing current
challenges and preparing our economies for future obstacles
even more relevant.

In this regard, the Government of Colombia is grateful for
the cooperation of your Embassy in ensuring the participation
of the Governor designated by your illustrious Government to
the IDB and to inform us about the official delegation.

For this purpose, I would like to deliver to you the
invitation sent in December by Minister of Finance and Public
Credit of Colombia, Oscar Ivan Zuluaga, to the IDB Governor
for the United States of America.

Additionally, on the margins of this General Assembly a
dialogue of Chiefs of State and Government about the future
of Latin American and the Caribbean has been scheduled for
March 31. During the next few days, we will send the
invitation from President of the Republic of Colombia Alvaro
Uribe Velez for this important event.

Complimentary closing.

Adriana Mejia Hernandez
Vice Minister of Mulitlateral Affairs
BROWNFIELD