Cablegate: Drc Response to Ustic Study

VZCZCXRO1430
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHKI #0752 2560942
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 120942Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8416
INFO RUCNSAD/SADC COLLECTIVE
RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000752

SIPDIS

PASS TO USITC TO L. SCHLITT

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD OTRA ASEC CG
SUBJECT: DRC RESPONSE TO USTIC STUDY
ON SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

REF: STATE 85109
07 KINSHASA 592
KINSHASA 406
07 KINSHASA 1133
KINSHASA 402

1. (U) This cable responds to items requested in paragraph five of
reftel A. Post will respond septel to items in paragraphs six and
seven.

2. (U) Infrastructure is one of the GDRC's five priority areas under
its five-year development plan approved in early 2007. However,
information on the effects of infrastructure conditions on export
competitiveness in the DRC is generally difficult to obtain, with
few public sources or studies. POC for the study at Embassy
Kinshasa is Economic Officer Christopher Corkey, email:
CorkeyCT@state.gov.

3. (U) Electricity is controlled by DRC parastatal Societe National
d'Electricite (SNEL), and transportation infrastructure is
maintained and controlled by GDRC Ministries. Reftels B and C
provide background on SNEL, and reftels D and E provide additional
information on the infrastructural challenges in the DRC.

4. (U) Agricultural production remains largely subsistence farming,
with little formal commercialized activities. Mining overwhelmingly
represents the DRC's most important export sector. Several U.S. and
other multinational firms are actively engaged in the exportation of
copper and cobalt ore, gold, diamonds, coltan and cassiterite. Some
multinational firms have shown interest in revitalizing the natural
rubber sector, but the former rubber plantations are still largely
latent. The tourism sector is undeveloped with no significant
investments.

5. (U) Due to the difficulty in obtaining general information, post
recommends USITC contact the POC at Embassy Kinshasa with specific
questions on U.S. companies or government agencies.

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