Cablegate: Ethiopia: Goe Invitation to August 22-24 World

VZCZCXRO5502
RR RUEHROV
DE RUEHDS #2379 2110708
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 300708Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7218
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS ADDIS ABABA 002379

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/E AND EB/CIP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EINT ET OPDC TINT
SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA: GOE INVITATION TO AUGUST 22-24 WORLD
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FORUM

1. SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST: Ethiopia's Ministry of Foreign
Affairs has invited the USG to attend the 3rd World
Information Technology Forum (WITFOR) to be hosted by Prime
Minister Meles Zenawi in Addis Ababa August 22-24. The
conference's theme is "ICT for Development and Prosperity"
and will feature speakers on topics including the One Laptop
Per Child Program. Post will forward the WITFOR program to
AF/E and EB/CIP via email. Post requests Department's
guidance in identifying appropriate Department principal to
represent the USG at this event. END SUMMARY AND ACTION
REQUEST.

2. Text of the invitation to the USG follows.

BEGIN TEXT:

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Democratic
Republic of Ethiopia presents its compliments to the Embassy
of the United States of America and has the honour to kindly
communicate the following:

Ethiopia is hosting the 3rd World Information Technology
Forum (WITFOR 2007) in Addis Ababa on 22-24 August 2007.

This year's Forum with a theme entitled "ICT for Development
and Prosperity" focusing mainly on Less Developed Countries,
is organized by International Federation for Information
Processing (IFIP) and hosted by the Government of the Federal
Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.

The Embassy is therefore kindly requested to transmit the
invitation of the Government of Ethiopia to the Minister or
Head of the Institution responsible for Information
Communication and Technology to participate at this
Conference. The Ministry also wishes to get the name and
contact address of the said Institution and its Head so that
formal Invitation from H.E. Ato Seyoum Mesfin, Minister of
Foreign Affairs of the Federal Democratic Republic of
Ethiopia can be sent immediately.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Democratic
Republic of Ethiopia avails itself of this opportunity to
renew to the Embassy of the United States of America the
assurances of its highest consideration.

END TEXT.

3. COMMENT: Post recommends that an appropriate Department
principal, perhaps Ambassador David A. Gross, U.S.
Coordinator for International Communications and Information
Policy represent the U.S. Government at this forum. END
COMMENT.
YAMAMOTO

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