US embassy cable - 04DJIBOUTI1222

UNCLAS DJIBOUTI 001222 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF; PARIS/LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHER; PARIS FOR 
OECD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, ECON, OTRA, DJ, XY, ZF, ZU, XW, XA 
SUBJECT: AFRICA PARTNERSHIP FORUM: INVITATION TO IGAD 
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY 
 
REF: STATE 199822 
 
1. (U) Ambassador met September 20 with Dr. Attalla Hamad 
Bashir, Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental 
Authority on Development (IGAD), to present AF Assistant 
Secretary Newman's invitation to him to attend the October 
 
SIPDIS 
3-5 meeting in Washington of the Africa Partnership Forum. 
Dr. Bashir had just returned from Nairobi, where he had 
participated in proceedings for election of Speaker of the 
Somali Transitional Federal Assembly. 
 
2. (U) Bashir expressed interest in attending the Partnership 
Forum, but said there was no money in the IGAD budget to 
cover the cost of a hotel and sustenance in Washington. 
Under guidance provided in reftel, such cost would be the 
responsibility of the delegate.  While the guidance provided 
did not clarify if air travel costs to Washington were 
covered, Attalla said he would speak with the NEPAD 
Implementation Committee Co-chair to determine if both these 
costs might be covered by the Committee.  We will advise 
Department as soon as we have Bashir's decision. 
 
3. (U) Bashir hopes to travel this week to the United Nations 
in New York to brief Secretary General Annan on progress of 
the Somali peace conference. 
RAGSDALE