KENYA'S NOMINEES AND PUBLIC DIPLOMACY PLAN FOR THE

UNCLAS NAIROBI 002429 STATE FOR S/P GREG BEHRMAN AND R/PPR SEHREEN NOOR-ALI STATE ALSO FOR AF/E AND AF/EPS STATE PASS USAID/EA SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON EAID PREL SOCI KE SUBJECT: KENYA'S NOMINEES AND PUBLIC DIPLOMACY PLAN FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP SUMMIT REF: STATE 112468 -------------- PRESIDENTIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP SUMMIT NOMINEES -------------- In response to reftel, we submit the following nominees for the Presidential Entrepreneurship Summit: ¶1. Ms. Summaiya Athman, Legal Manager, Sitara Investment Ms. Athman holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Commercial Law from the University of Bristol United Kingdom. She is the head of the legal department of a State-owned oil corporation which is engaged in both the Petroleum upstream (exploration and production) and downstream (marketing and distribution) sectors. Ms. Athman volunteers at Al-amana women trust, a Muslim Community Based Organization (CBO) in Nairobi that focuses on Education, Health and Social Welfare, Legal, Media and Economics among the Muslim Ummah (community). She is also the owner "SITARA", a company that offers a broad and exciting variety of wear from formal wear for the office and business environment, occasional wear for special events, sports and swimming wear for the active Muslim woman and a wide range of both smart casual and everyday wear. ¶2. Mr. Nathif Jama Adam, Managing Director, First Community Bank Mr. Adam is a co-founder of First Community Bank, a Kenyan Sharia compliant banking institution. A veteran Islamic banker, Mr. Adam has more than 25 years of career banking experience covering almost all aspects of retail, commercial, investment and Islamic banking. He commenced his banking career at Kenya Commercial Bank in the early 80's before proceeding in 1985 to join Al-Rajhi (Islamic) Bank in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia where he held supervisory positions in the bank's Trade Finance and Treasury departments. In 1991, he joined Qatar Islamic Bank in Doha and worked there as an Executive Manager in-charge of the bank's huge cross-border investments in International Trade, Securities and Portfolio Management. In 2002, he joined National Bank of Sharjah in the UAE to help in the conversion of that bank to become a full-fledged Islamic Bank, thereby becoming Sharjah Islamic Bank (SIB). He initiated the formation of SIB's Investment & International Banking Division and was responsible for all structured finance activities including Debt & Equity Finance, Syndications, Mutual Funds and Islamic Bonds (Sukuk). At the time of his return to Kenya in October 2007, he was a Senior Vice President at Sharjah Islamic Bank, and was in charge of the bank's overall investment portfolio in excess of US$ 600 Million (Kes.40 billion). Mr. Adam is a distinguished personality in the global Islamic Finance fraternity and has written many papers and articles covering various topical matters relating to the subject. He also co-authored the first book to be written on the subject of Islamic Bonds (Sukuk). The book titled Islamic Bonds: Your Guide to Issuing, Structuring and Investing in Sukuk is published and marketed by Euromoney, UK. He has also been a resource person and a member of Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Sukuk Development Task Force. He is an invited speaker at all major international conferences on Islamic banking and finance and offers training on the subject as a visiting lecturer at a number of reputable international learning centers. Mr. Adam is an Associate of the UK Chartered Institute of Bankers and holds an MBA certificate in International Trade from Heriot-Watt University, Scotland, UK. ¶3. Ms. Nuria Sheikh Farah, Founder, Gargar Kenya Ms. Sheikh Farah holds a Bachelor of Education (B.A. equivalent) Degree and is currently pursuing a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) at the University of Nairobi. She owns Risala Enterprises Ltd., a private limited company that she founded in ¶1995. Risala has a fleet of trucks that transport petroleum products to neighboring countries and specializes in the supply of various household goods such as from Egyptian linens (bed sheets, towels, duvets, and bedcovers). The company also imports a complete range of home furniture (living room, dining room, bedroom) and large-scale furniture for residential and hotel contracts. The company imports products from Egypt, Syria, Iran and the Gulf region. Nuria also runs an NGO, Gargaar Kenya, based in North Eastern Kenya and is committed to empowering communities in marginalized areas through promoting girl/child education and empowering women on contemporary issues. ¶4. Professor Abdulghafur El Busaidy, Chairman, Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims Prof. El Busaidy is the chairman Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM). SUPKEM is an umbrella body for Muslim organization in the country. It has branches in major towns and commands a larger following. SUPKEM owns and runs Maragwa Muslim girls Academy and Kenya Muslim Academy. Through USAID sponsored program, SUPKEM helped sponsor students for Higher Education at the undergraduate level for the academic years 2008-2012. Other programs include awareness program on HIV/AIDS, civic education, and girl child education. ¶5. Ms. Rehema Dida Jaldesa, Managing Director, Yashar Distributors Ltd, Jara Construction Ltd, Swift Smart Global Ltd. Ms. Rehema Dida Jaldesa is a Fortune U.S. Department of State alumnus. Her late father and husband were both Members of the Kenyan Parliament. Ms. Jaldesa is a career woman and an entrepreneur with more than ten years experience in the banking industry (having worked for the Kenya Commercial Bank and the Commercial Bank of Africa) as well as the owner and director of three private companies (Jara Construction Ltd, Yashar Distributors Ltd and Swift Smart Global Ltd) within the roads construction, communications and general distributorship industries employing about 22 employees and an annual average budget of USD 158 thousand. Ms. Jaldesa's journey to entrepreneurship began in 1995 intends in the next 3-5 years to expand her business and further take advantage of the East African Community and COMESA links by exporting her goods and services to the horn of Africa and Central Africa. Through her companies she has undertaken several projects including construction and drilling of boreholes in the arid lands of Northern Kenya in conjunction with Ewaso Nyiro Development Authority, Northern Water Services Board, National Water and Pipeline Conservations. She also has been involved in mentoring other women from marginalized communities with the intention of encouraging them to discover business opportunities that would drive them towards the realization of self reliance and economic empowerment. She has done this by subcontracting women or companies associated with women, encouraging women to participate in the tendering process through lending the company equipment as well as acting as a guarantor for women in her community when they borrow from local banks. Ms. Jaldesa holds a diploma in Public Relations from the University of Nairobi as well as Diploma in Banking from Universal Training College in Nairobi. She is also a continuing Business Administration degree student with the University of Nairobi. ¶6. Mr. Salim Amin, Chairman, Camerapix and Mohamed Amin Foundation Mr. Salim Amin, 38 years, is the Chief Executive Officer of Camerapix Limited and Founder, Chairman of the Mohamed Amin Foundation, and Chairman of A24 Media in Nairobi, Kenya. Mr. Amin is the son of world-renowned cameraman and publisher, the Late Mohamed "Mo" Amin, who in 1963 launched Camerapix from a small shop in Dar es Salaam. From these humble beginnings grew a modern, independent media concern with a reputation for delivering world exclusive images and stories at the forefront of journalism in Africa. Today, Camerapix employs over 30 media professionals, who operate out of its headquarters in Nairobi and an office in London. Camerapix offers its clients a wide array of media services including television production, publishing and photography. It is also home to 4 million images of Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, and over 8,000 hours of unique and historic video footage. The Camerapix Archive is the largest visual resource of its kind in Africa. Camerapix's sister company, Camerapix Publishers International, produces a series of award winning travel guides, coffee table books, and glossy in-flight magazines. In 1998, The Mohamed Amin Foundation was launched to provide would-be African journalists with the tools and knowledge to tell local stories to an international audience. In 2004 Pete Murimi of Kenya was the first graduate of the "MoForce" to win the prestigious CNN African Journalist of the Year Award, a shining example of the quality of training provided at the Foundation. As Executive Producer and Presenter, Salim finished a documentary chronicling his father's life in March 2006 entitled "MO & ME" which has to date won nine Awards for Best Documentary in the United States, Canada, India and on the African Continent, including the Grand Jury Award at the New York International Film Festival. The documentary achieved a successful theatrical release in Kenya and was screened at the prestigious British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA),as well as the Cannes Film Festival in ¶2007. In December 2005, Salim began work on the launch of the first 24-hour pan-African News and Current Affairs Channel. Africa 24 Media, a precursor to the Channel and Africa's first online agency for video and stills content was subsequently launched in September ¶2008. In January 2007, Salim was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in Davos. He is a fellow of the African Leadership Initiative and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. ¶7. Mr. Aslam Khan, Managing Director, Aircraft Leasing Service Aslam Khan, 58 years, is the Managing Director of Aircraft Leasing Services (ALS) and Safarilink. In 1970 Mr. Aslam Khan joined the Kenya Air Force and after his initial training flew the Chipmunks, Beavers and Caribous finishing his short term service in 1976. Later, in 1976, he joined the general aviation industry and worked with charter companies based out of Mombasa primarily flying to all the game lodges. He later joined East African Airways and upon the break-up of the East African community was absorbed into Kenya Airways. While with Kenya Airways, he flew the Fokker Friendship, DC9, Boeing 707 and the Airbus. In 1985, Aslam Khan and his late brother Ashraf Khan formed Aircraft Leasing Services Ltd an aviation company with a purchase of a Cessna ¶150. At that time Aircraft Leasing services Ltd. operated piston engine aircraft. In 1992, Aslam joined ALS Ltd. as the Managing Director and over the past seventeen years has grown the company which operates primarily Beech 1900's, Dash 8's, King Airs, Embraer 135's, Caravans and Eurocopter helicopters. ALS provides contract services to the United Nations World Food Program, United Nations Humanitarian Air Service Somalia, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Medecins Sans Frontieres, International Committee of the Red Cross among many others; transport services for relief personnel - currently running a schedule service to Lokichoggio and Rumbek; air charters for the tourism sector - ALS a single major shareholder of Safarilink that flies to all the major tourist destinations in Kenya; and scheduled flight services - ALS runs a double daily service to Lokichoggio, double daily service to Kisumu and a daily service to Juba. ¶8. Mr. Yusuf Keshavjee, Chairman, White Rose Drycleaners and Co-founder, Honey Care Africa Ltd. Yusuf Keshavjee is the Chairman and Co-founder of Honey Care Africa Ltd. (HCA),a multiple award winning social enterprise. Through its work in Kenya, Tanzania, Southern Sudan and Malawi, HCA has increased the income of thousands of small-holder farmers through training in commercial bee-keeping, start-up financing and establishing a market for their honey. Mr. Keshavjee is an entrepreneur as well, serving as Chairman for his long-established family-owned dry cleaning business (White Rose) with over 45 franchises and outlets in Kenya and Uganda. White Rose was one of the first companies in East Africa to offer equity to its staff, assists its retirees to establish their own businesses, and provides training to new potential entrepreneurs to become franchisees. ¶9. Mr. Aziz Bhaloo, Resident Representative, Aga Khan Development Network Aziz Bhaloo is the Head of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) representation in Kenya. AKDN is part of the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED),an international development agency dedicated to promoting entrepreneurship and building economically sound enterprises in the developing world. Previous to joining AKDN, Mr. Bhaloo founded several companies with interests in real estate and plastics manufacture. ¶10. Mr. Abbas Mohammed, Chief Executive Officer, Kenya Livestock Marketing Council Abbass Mohammed is the Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Livestock Marketing Council (KLMC). KLMC links pastoralists with financial institutions that offer Sharia-compliant services to access credit and enhance productivity. Through the interventions of KLMC, external commercial markets for Kenyan livestock and livestock products are created. Mr. Mohammed has been active in spearheading pastoralist policy development at both the regional and national level. -------------- PUBLIC DIPLOMACY STRATEGY -------------- ¶11. The public diplomacy strategy in support of the Summit will include the following: -- highlight with Muslim audiences during normal outreach activities the Cairo speech and its emphasis on entrepreneur outreach; -- highlight specifically with Muslim students at business colleges and schools in Nairobi and Mombasa, through outreach activities, electronic and printed materials, the Cairo speech and its emphasis on entrepreneur outreach; -- post updates on the Summit and relevant Department provided products on the Embassy website and Facebook; -- provide press coverage of the Nairobi roundtable and highlight the upcoming Summit; -- provide press with any Summit-related WH media notices or op-ed; -- provide press coverage of Kenyans selected to attend Summit, if applicable, and use DVD of President Obama's remarks at the Summit, if provided, for outreach to Muslim business and business school audiences. RANNEBERGER