KENYA PROVIDES FULL THREE-DAY AGOA PROGRAM

UNCLAS NAIROBI 000421 STATE PASS USTR CONNIE HAMILTON, PATRICK DEAN COLEMAN, AND WILLIAM JACKSON STATE FOR AF/FO, AF/E, AND AF/EPS ANN BREITER, GABRIELLE MALLORY, MARY B. JOHNSON, AND TAWANNA DAVIDSON STATE ALSO FOR AF/EX SYLVIE MARTINEZ AND SONJA WRAY-BROWN AF/PD FOR CLAUDIA ANYASO STATE ALSO FOR EEB/TPP/BTA AMY HOLMAN STATE PLEASE PASS USAID/EA AND USAID/AFR/SD BRUNO CORNELIO AND JEFF MALLICK TREASURY FOR DAN PETERS AND REBECCA KLEIN COMMERCE FOR KEVIN BOYD, ALICIA ROBINSON, AND BECKY ERKUL AGRICULTURE FOR DON EVANS AND CATHY MCKINNELL LABOR FOR SUDHA HALEY AND MAUREEN PETTIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC AMGT ECON ETRD AGOA PGOV PREL KE SUBJECT: KENYA PROVIDES FULL THREE-DAY AGOA PROGRAM REFS: (A) NAIROBI 325 (B) NAIROBI 372 ¶1. This cable is not/not for internet distribution. ¶2. Summary. During the February 26 meeting of the Government of Kenya's (GOK) AGOA Preparatory Committee, the Technical Sub-committee provided a full three-day AGOA Forum program (see para 7 below). It also announced a separate pre-meeting of AGOA experts from each participating AGOA-eligible country to take place August 3, the day before the official start of the AGOA Forum. The proposed program has been approved by AGOA-eligible African missions in Washington. Private sector representatives, supported by the GOK, continued to emphasize their view that the private sector/civil society agenda remains on August 4, the first day of the full three-day program. ECON/C reiterated the USG interagency group's position that the standing AGOA Forum format should remain unchanged (see action request para 8) and presented the USG-approved theme - Advancing Development through Trade and Investment Expansion. End Summary. -------------- Private Sector/Civil Society Participation -------------- ¶3. At the February 26 meeting of the Government of Kenya's (GOK) 2009 AGOA Forum Preparatory Meeting, Lina Ochieng, Chair of the AGOA Forum Technical sub-committee, presented the group with two draft programs: the Africa-United States Ministerial Program (ref B) and a full three-day program. The proposed program includes a one-day pre-forum "experts" meeting of government officials from the AGOA-eligible countries on August 3, a separate event from the three-day official forum program. The purpose of this pre-meeting is for government officials from the participating African countries to prepare for the official forum in advance of the arrival of their principals. Note. Both proposed agendas continue to use Kenya's proposed theme "Realizing the Full Potential of AGOA: Bridging the Gap." End Note. ¶4. As evidenced by the proposed program, the private sector representatives, supported by the GOK, continue to push for a private sector/civil society day on August 4, the first day of the forum. The purpose of the meeting, viewed as a "pre-meeting" to the official opening of the forum, is to consolidate an agenda for more effectively utilizing AGOA preferences and expanding the US-Africa trade relationship. Discussions are underway to clarify the exact structure of the event and the expectations of the Private Sector vis-a-vis high-level participants in the forum. The meeting will be used to vet AGOA strategy papers relevant to promoting trade in AGOA-eligible sectors and for developing a concise set of recommendations that will be presented at the AGOA Forum. ECON/C reiterated the USG interagency group's decision to retain the standing format of the forum with the private sector/civil society program on August 6 (ref A). The AGOA interagency group can expect the Kenyan and/or other AGOA-eligible embassies in Washington, DC to raise this issue as they have jointly approved the proposed full three-day program. The Technical Chair also stated that the private sector stakeholders would like to see more US private sector involvement in the forum, an outcome from the recent EAC AGOA meeting held in Bujumbura. -------------- Kenyan AGOA Forum Preparations -------------- ¶5. The Kenyan AGOA team continues to make progress on the Forum preparations. The following are highlights of the progress: -- The Chair of the Technical Sub-Committee was expected to send invitations for the forum to the trade ministers of AGOA-eligible countries by the end of the week of February 23. -- The Publicity Sub-Committee announced that the local AGOA forum web site - www.agoaforumkenya.go.ke - would be launched by the end of the day. In fact, the website, though largely under construction, is up and running. -- The full Committee has commissioned designs for a conference logo that, once one has been selected, be forwarded to Washington for consultation. -- Kenyan Embassy in Washington is working with the Corporate Council on Africa and the Whitaker Group on U.S. private sector participation in the forum. ¶6. At the meeting, ECON/C presented the USG-approved theme - Advancing Development through Trade and Investment Expansion. ECON/C indicated that the purpose of the broader theme is to be forward-looking, focusing the forum on progress and challenges. The Kenyans will deliberate on the USG-proposed theme in the various sub-committees and provide their consensus at the next full Preparatory Committee meeting on March 12. ECON/C also announced and led discussions regarding the expected interagency advance trip. The Committee concluded that the preferred date of the trip is March 23-27 (ref B). The Committee Chair stated that all sub-committees should be well prepared for the expected visit by USG. Finally, ECON/C reiterated that the GoK needs to coordinate the release of the joint statement with the Public Affairs and ECON sections of the Embassy, adding that the Embassy in turn would be coordinating with Washington. -------------- Full Three-Day Program -------------- ¶7. The following agenda is Kenya's proposed full three-day draft program for the AGOA Forum. We expect further revisions of the program and will report these changes as available. Theme: "Realizing the Full Potential of AGOA: Bridging the Gap" Day 0 (Monday August 3, 2009)-Experts' Meeting/Registration 09:00 - 13:00 AGOA Experts' Meeting (Program to follow) 13:00 - 14:00 Lunch 14:00 - 17:00 AGOA Experts' Meeting (Program to follow) 14:00 - 18:00 Registration of Forum Participants Day 1 (Tuesday, August 4, 2009)-Private Sector & Civil Society Sessions -------------- Private Sector Session -------------- Program: 7:30 - 9:00 Registration of participants 9:00 - 9:30 Opening plenary - KICC Tsavo Ballroom -- AU/COMESA/EAC -- Private Sector Groups: ACTIF, CCA, Africa Business RT 9:30 - 11:00 Plenary sessions - KICC Tsavo Ballroom -- Sustainability of AGOA - What next beyond 2015? -- Competitiveness of African Suppliers: Infrastructure concerns (road, railway, airport, port, energy) 11:00 - 11:30 Break - KICC tea points outside breakout rooms 11:30 - 13:30 Breakout sessions - Areas for discussion will be: -- Breakout Session 1 - Agribusiness (specialty foods, fresh produce, Shea butter, coffee, and tea) - KICC Impala/L. Turkana Hall -- Breakout Session 2 - Tourism - KICC Lenana Hall -- Breakout Session 3 - Textile and apparel - KICC Aberdares Hall -- Breakout Session 4 - Finance and insurance - realizing the promise of existing financial instruments (EXIM, OPIC-Entrepreneurs Development Network, USTDA); the challenge of tied assistance; insurance instruments - KICC Shimba Hills -- Breakout Session 5 - Market access and market development (Quality standards; intellectual property rights; branding and promotion) - KICC Delegates Lounge -- Breakout Session 6 - Fisheries - KICC Taifa Hall (Each sector will address what the private sector wants to achieve under AGOA, successes and challenges so far as well as specific recommendations to bring to attention of African Ministers and the US Government) 13:30 - 15:00 Lunch - KICC Tsavo Ballroom (Hosted by Private Sector) 15:00 - 17:00 Buyer-Seller Meetings - KICC Lenana Hall 15:00 - 17:00 AGOA Experts' Meeting (Program to follow)- KICC Aberdares Hall -------------- Civil Society Session -------------- Venue: KICC Amphitheatre Program: 8:00 - 9:00 Registration of Participants 9:00 - 10:30 Opening session 10:30 - 11:00 Break 11:00 - 12:45 Discussions 12:45 - 14:00 Lunch Day 2 (Wednesday, August 5, 2009) - African Ministerial Program: 8:00 - 9:00 Registration of participants 9:00 - 9:45 Opening session - KICC Amphitheatre 9:45 - 10:30 Presentations from Private Sector/Civil Society Sessions 10:30 - 11:00 Break 11:00 - 12:45 Discussions 12:45 - 14:00 Lunch - KICC Tsavo Ballroom (Hosted by Private Sector) 14:00 - 15:00 Discussions 15:00 - 15:30 Break 15:30 - 17:00 Discussions 17:00 - 17:30 Conclusion and adoption of report 19:00 - 21:00 Gala Dinner - KICC Tsavo Ballroom (Sponsored by GoK?) Day 3 (Thursday, August 6, 2009) - Ministeria Forum Program: 8:00 - 9:00 Registration 9:00 - 9:45 Opening plenary - KICC Tsavo Ballroom -- Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Trade, Prime Minister, President of Kenya, USTR, US Secretary of State? 9:45 - 10:30 Plenary 1 - AGOA eight years on: Re-examining the objectives and developing benchmarks for realization of meaningful economic development in Sub-Saharan Africa - KICC Tsavo Ballroom 10:30 - 11:00 Break - KICC tea points outside breakout rooms 11:00 - 12:45 -- Breakout session 1 - Trade & Investment in Agriculture - KICC Amphitheatre -- Breakout session 2 - Trade & Investment in Textile & Apparel - KICC Aberdares Hall -- Breakout session 3 - Trade & Investment in Energy sector - KICC Lenana Hall -- Breakout session 4 - Enhancing SME Programs and Access to Finance - KICC Taifa Hall 12:45 - 14:00 Lunch - KICC Tsavo Ballroom 14:00 - 15:00 plenary sessions - KICC Amphitheatre -- Plenary 2 - Harnessing the objectives of AGOA in order to realize it full potential -- Plenary 3 - US Policy and Regulatory Regimes -- Plenary 4 - Enhancing Competitiveness in Productive Capacity 15:00 - 15:30 Break - KICC tea points outside breakout rooms 15:30 - 16:45 -- Breakout session 1 - enabling Private Investment - KICC Lenana Hall -- Breakout session 2 - Market development - KICC Aberdares Hall -- Breakout session 3 - Investment in Infrastructure - KICC Shimba Hills Hall -- Breakout session 4 - Contemporary Global Challenges - KICC Taifa Hall 16:45 - 17:30 Plenary 5 - Technical Assistance and the Role of Aid for Trade in Enhancing Trade and Investment - KICC Tsavo Ballroom 17:30 - 18:00 Summary of Conclusions and adoption of Report - KICC Tsavo Ballroom 18:00 - 21:00 Bush Dinner - Nairobi National Park Day 4 (Friday, August 7, 2009) - Optional Tours Program: 8:30 - 1:00 -- Tour 1 - Export Processing Zones (EPZ) - Athi River -- Tour 2 - Nairobi National Park ¶8. Action request: Post welcomes USG interagency team reaction to the proposed three-day agenda. Feedback from interagency team would allow us to discuss the program at the March 12 meeting of the GOK's AGOA Forum preparatory committee meeting. Post would also appreciate any additional feedback regarding the order of the program and the GoK's position that the private sector/civil society day be held on the first day of the program. Ranneberger