TURKMENISTAN: 2010 BFIF PROPOSAL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000004 SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN; EEB; STATE FOR EEB/CBA - DWINSTEAD COMMERCE FOR DSTARKS/EHOUSE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: BEXP ECON EINV ETRD BTIO TX SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: 2010 BFIF PROPOSAL REF: A. STATE 126674 ¶B. STATE 124006 ASHGABAT 00000004 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. Brief Justification for Project 1 -- Trade Show. Embassy Ashgabat would like to assist Turkmen business people to attend a trade show in the United States in May 2010 by sending a locally engaged Embassy staff person (LES) as a trade show facilitator. The concept of entrepreneurship is still fairly new in Turkmenistan, but since the country became independent in 1991, some private entrepreneurs have emerged. When post met with local business people during an Embassy-sponsored roundtable in December 2009 (as suggested per ref B),roundtable participants were enthusiastic to know that participation in trade shows in the United States with the help of Embassy staff was possible. ¶2. Expected Impact -- Having an Embassy staff member accompany a group of Turkmen restaurateurs and hotel owners to the United States would be a significant increase in our non-governmental commercial outreach efforts. To date, Turkmen business people have expressed interest in the National Restaurant Association Restaurant Hotel-Motel Show to be held in Chicago, Illinois May 22-25, 2010. In addition to future trade show opportunities, we are hopeful that this trade show would result in more business for U.S. firms, which possess high-tech goods and services that are in high demand in Turkmenistan. ¶3. Planning milestones January 11 -- Begin engaging with Turkmen restaurateurs and hotel owners in all five regions of the country to elicit interest in participation. February 11 -- Narrow interested business people to 4-5 participants. March 11 -- Create a list of participants and select Economic/Commercial Assistant from U.S. Embassy Ashgabat to accompany the group. April 11 -- Finalize trade show registration, travel plans and accommodations (funds needed at this time). May 22-25 -- Trade show takes place. ¶4. Estimated Costs for facilitator's travel Roundtrip Airline ticket from Ashgabat to Chicago (economy class) -- @ $2,180.66 Lodging and per diem in Chicago -- @ $850 Estimated Total -- @ $3,030.66 ¶5. Points of Contact: (FSO) Patrick Slowinski -- slowinskipt@state.gov, (LES) Aleksey Sopiyev -- SopiyevAO@state.gov ¶6. Brief Justification for Project 2 -- Shadow Training in Almaty for Post's Commercial Officer . Embassy Ashgabat would like to send its Economic-Commercial Officer to U.S. Consulate General in Almaty, Kazakhstan for a two to three-day shadow training experience in order to observe Almaty's Foreign Commercial Service office and activities. The shadow training will allow Embassy Ashgabat's Commercial Officer to view first-hand how an FCS office and the FCO choose and implement programs, how LES responsibilities and assignments are shared and assigned, how FCS services are provided, and how the FCS staff interact with U.S. businesses. Since Ashgabat does not have official FCS ASHGABAT 00000004 002.2 OF 002 representation, this visit will also serve as a means for fostering a productive partnership between the FCS Office in Almaty and Embassy Ashgabat. ¶7. Expected Impact -- As Embassy Ashgabat increases its commercial activities and continues to pursue an opportunity to become a Foreign Commercial Service partner post, this shadow training is particularly valuable. Post expects that seeing FCS operations first-hand will result in similar programs and services at Embassy Ashgabat. The shadow training experience will also allow Embassy Ashgabat LES, who assist with commercial inquiries, to receive informed guidance on best practices for program implementation from their FSO supervisor following the shadow training. ¶8. Planning milestones January 15 -- Select appropriate week for the shadow training. According to Almaty's FCO, Post will be notified of the most productive times for the office in order to ensure a successful shadow training visit. Tentatively, the trip is planned for late spring or early summer 2010. ¶9. Estimated Costs: Roundtrip airline ticket from Ashgabat to Almaty -- @ $213.38 Lodging and per diem in Almaty (for 3 days) -- @ $981 Estimated Total -- @ $1,194.38 ¶10. Point of Contact is: Patrick Slowinski (FSO)-- slowinskipt@state.gov CURRAN