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Viewing cable 07KINSHASA472, COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR COLONEL RICHARD ORTH

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07KINSHASA472 2007-04-26 12:10 2011-08-24 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Kinshasa
VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKI #0472/01 1161210
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 261210Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6027
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6028
UNCLAS KINSHASA 000472 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: APER OTRA BY RW UG KE ET CG
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR COLONEL RICHARD ORTH 
 
REF: USDAO OR RSO KINSHASA 
 
1. Post grants country clearance and welcomes the arrival of 
Col. Richard Kevin Orth to the Democratic Republic of Congo 
(DRC) from May 03 - 06, 2007 to attend the Tripartite Fusion 
Cell (TFC) focal point meetings. 
 
2. POINT OF CONTACT 
Chris Brown will be the Control Officer for the visit and can 
be reached at: 
 
  Office Phone:  011-243-81-556-0151 
  Cell phone:   011-243-81-880-4982 
  IVG:    8-934-2621 
 
3. VISA REQUIREMENTS 
 
A valid Congolese visa is required of all American passport 
holders, whether diplomatic, official or tourist. Congolese 
visas cannot be issued at the airport. 
 
4. FISCAL DATA REQUIREMENTS 
 
Fiscal data or credit card info must be provided in advance 
to the control officer listed above for any assistance 
required, including meet and assist at the airport, hotel 
reservations, cell phones, airport expeditors, 
translators/interpreters, etc.  The Embassy is unable to make 
hotel reservations or rental arrangements without financial 
information. 
 
5. ALL VISITS MUST COMMENCE IN KINSHASA 
 
At the Ambassador's request, all visits to the Democratic 
Republic of Congo, which require country clearance, are to 
commence in Kinshasa, the country's capital.  Travel to other 
regions of the country including the Kivus, Orientale and 
Maniema provinces, is to be undertaken from Kinshasa. 
Embassy Kinshasa will provide assistance ith these travel 
arrangements.  As travel in theCongo can be complicated, 
visitors should consult with their Embassy control officer 
early in the lanning process. 
 
6. AIRPORT ADVICE FOR ARRIVINGPASSENGERS 
 
Procedures at Ndjili Airport are chaging as airport 
officials try to strengthen secuity procedures.  At this 
time, Embassy expeditors are no longer allowed in the 
Arrivals Hall and cn provide assistance only after travelers 
pass trough Immigration control. After deplaning and 
etering the Arrivals Hall, travelers should proceedto the 
"Official VIP/Diplomat" line, with passports and health 
certificaes ready for presentation to the Immigration 
offcials.  After clearing Immigration, travelers will be met 
on the other side of the booth by the Embasy expeditor, 
holding a placard with the names o travelers being met. The 
expeditor will then colect baggage claim tickets and 
passports, collec the bags, and then take travelers outside 
to the Embassy vehicles.  Once outside the terminal, loca 
porters will carry your bags to the Embassy vehcle.  Please 
be prepared to give the expeditor oe USD per bag to pay the 
porters. While at the arport, travelers ar warned to not, 
repeat not, py money or give their documents to anyone other 
han the Embassy expeditor.  This also applies to idividuals 
in uniform, who may offer their servics.  Be polite but do 
not accept their assistance 
 
7. CUSTOMS AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT 
 
If you wll be carrying tools, heavy cases, or any electronc 
equipment other than personal devices, contactyour control 
officer with specific information tat can be passed to the 
expeditor for assistancewith customs clearance. 
 
8. ACCOMMODATION 
 
A sigle room has been booked at the Grand Hotel, tel: 
011-243- 
081-0003. The room price is within per diem and includes 
breakfast. 
 
9. SECURITY 
 
Kinshasa is a critical threat crime post.  Although there is 
no specific threat targeting Americans, all visitors should 
remain vigilant and cautious during their stay in Kinshasa. 
The RSO advises that you exercise caution in the areas around 
hotels, and that you not travel after nightfall unless 
accompanied by someone familiar with the security situation 
in Kinshasa.  TDY personnel should not use any form of local 
transportation and should refrain from displaying/using 
cameras in public. 
 
A recent scam involves individuals in civilian clothes 
claiming to be Congolese police/security officials who 
approach unsuspecting expatriates on the street and demand to 
see their passport or other identification documents.  They 
try and convince the would-be victim to get in their unmarked 
vehicle and accompany them to the local police precinct.  If 
you are on the street and approached by someone claiming to 
be a police or security official, identify yourself as a 
diplomat working at the U.S. Embassy, walk briskly away, and 
make sure to report the incident to the RSO or Post One as 
soon as you have access to a phone.  Do not approach or get 
in their vehicle. 
 
10. CURRENCY 
 
The use of dollars in the DRC is legal and acceptable for 
most transactions.  Travelers arriving in the DRC with more 
than USD 10,000 must fill out a currency declaration. 
Travelers departing the DRC are not allowed to take out more 
than USD 10,000 in cash. Please note that ATMs are not 
available in Congo.  However, USG personnel are authorized 
USD and Franc Congolais accommodation exchange at the Embassy 
and/or USAID cashier; personal or travelers' checks are 
acceptable.  Most personnel use Franc Congolais only for 
small purchases and tips. 
 
American Express, Visa, Master Card, and Diner's Club are 
accepted in payment of bills at Kinshasa's two major hotels. 
However, very few other businesses in the Congo accept credit 
cards and their use outside of the major hotels is 
discouraged.  Cashing travelers checks outside the Embassy is 
generally not advised because banks charge substantial fees 
for cashing them; travelers checks are rarely accepted at all 
outside of Kinshasa. 
 
11. MEDICAL 
 
Access to the Embassy Health Unit is available for US 
citizen, direct-hire USG employees and their eligible family 
members.  If you have been or will be posted more than 60 
days overseas in a calendar year (not necessarily 
consecutive), you must provide proof of a Department of State 
medical clearance from M/MED to qualify for access to our 
Health Unit.  Official visitors who are overseas less than 60 
days in a calendar year are not required to have medical 
clearance and are authorized emergency, but not routine, use 
of the Health Unit. 
 
Other official visitors may receive Health Unit services if 
they meet the following criteria: 1) an individual employment 
relationship with the USG, 2) a MED Washington clearance, and 
3) a USG agency that guarantees payment for medical expenses 
and/or personal overseas health and medevac insurance. 
Visitors without Health Unit access will be referred to a 
local medical clinic, which provides all emergency and 
non-routine medical care for Embassy employees and family 
members. 
 
MALARIA: Congo is a malaria-affected area.  All travelers 
should consult with medical personnel and take malaria 
prophylactics as appropriate, before arriving in Kinshasa. 
 
YELLOW FEVER: You must have a valid yellow fever vaccination 
and your yellow vaccination card when you arrive.  You may be 
charged a fine of $50-$100 without proof of vaccination. 
 
12. ACCESS TO CONTROLLED ACCESS AREAS 
 
Each visitor to Kinshasa requiring unescorted access to 
controlled access areas (CAA) must arrange for their 
sponsoring agency or sending post to forward their security 
clearance to the RSO by telegram in advance of the visit.  In 
accordance with regulations, a diplomatic passport or 
Department of State identification card is not sufficient to 
allow unescorted access to CAA'S.  Kinshasa does not have the 
resources to escort visitors who arrive without proper 
advance security clearance. 
 
13. Government-owned thumb/flash drives with proper 
classification label can be used at Post, but only on Open 
Net computers outside of the Controlled Access Area (CAA). 
These devices cannot be used on any classified computers at 
Post. Thumb/flash drives must be hand carried and protected 
the same as a laptop.  The drive(s) could be pouched in 
advance to the control officer or the IMO. Upon arrival at 
Post, the Control Officer will provide a thumb/flash drive 
request form that should be completed and taken to the IPC or 
ISC along with the flash drive before use.  Questions should 
be directed to Information Management Officer (IMO) 
MbennaVG@state.gov or Information Systems Security Officer 
(ISSO) Yeagerds@state.gov. 
 
14. You may visit the Embassy's Intranet website at 
http://kinshasa.state.gov.  While still under construction, 
information is being added daily that you may find useful. 
 
15. Have a good trip.  Post looks forward to seeing you in 
Kinshasa. 
 
MEECE