DELEGATE LETTER

Dear Distinguished Delegate,
It is with great pleasure that the Government of Egypt welcomes your participation at the 6th International Ministerial Conference on Avian and Pandemic Influenza, to take place in Sharm El-Shiekh, Egypt, from October 24-26, 2008. We hope that the following information will be helpful.
This important international convention will be held at a significant juncture of our endeavors to contain the outbreak of avian influenza (AI) in animals, and to strengthen global contingency planning to prevent a potential human influenza pandemic. The conference will be a continuation of the previous conferences on AI held in Washington in 2005, in Beijing in 2006, in Vienna in 2006, in Bamako in 2006, and in New Delhi in 2007. The past conferences addressed the challenges posed due to the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).
Invitations:
The Government of Egypt has the great pleasure to extend the invitation to attend this important conference to ministries of health and agriculture around the world. The team of each ministry shall consist of the minister and two senior officials.

Registration Formalities:

• Participation in the conference is by invitation only.
• Online registration is available through the conference web site www.imcapi2008.gov.eg
• Confirmation of registration can be provided by contacting the Conference Secretariat at info@imcapi2008.gov.eg
• On-site registration and photo conference IDs will be available on Friday, October 24, 2008 from 9.30am to 9.30pm .
• To facilitate registration, please email a scanned photo to the Conference Secretariat to info@imcapi2008.gov.eg

Access to the Convention Center:

• Conference IDs are NOT TRANSFERABLE.
• Please bring the Conference IDs or the invitation and a valid passport for entry into the Sharm El-Sheikh International Congress Center.

Financial Information:

• Delegates are responsible for funding the cost of their travel and hotel accommodations in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.
• There are limited opportunities for delegates from developing countries in certain regions to receive assistance with travel and accommodation. Interested delegates are advised to contact the European Commission offices in their countries. The United States Government is also providing travel assistance to certain African nations.

Airport Arrival and Departure "Meet and Assist" and Conference Transportation:

• Airport Arrival and Departure "Meet and Assist" services at Sharm El-Sheikh International Airports will be provided at no cost to delegates.
• Shuttle service to and from Sharm El-Sheikh International Airport to selected major hotels will be provided by the organizers at no cost to delegates.
• To reserve airport arrival and departure “Meet and Assist” services, delegates may contact the travel agency directly by mail via peter@kimidartours.com.
• Shuttle service from selected major hotels to and from the conference venue and to and from conference official events will be provided by the organizers at no cost to delegates.

Hotel Accommodations:

• To assist delegates in their travel planning, a travel agency has been contracted by the Conference Secretariat at no cost to delegates, and special conference rates at selected major hotels in Sharm El Sheikh, Eygpt have been reserved.
• To reserve rooms, delegates may contact the travel agency directly by email via peter@kimidartours.com or visit its website atwww.kimidartours.com/Conferences/Reserve.aspx .

Visa Requirements :
Non-Egyptian visitors arriving in Egypt are required to be in possession of a passport valid for at least six months. Entry visas may be obtained from Egyptian Diplomatic and Consular Missions Abroad or from the Entry Visa Department at the Travel Documents, Immigration and Nationality Administration (TDINA).
It is possible, however, for many tourists and visitors to obtain an entry visa at any of the major ports of entry (Western Europe, USA, and Canada). Most travelers apply at Cairo or Sharm El Sheikh International airports.
There is no fee for holders of diplomatic passports. A note verbale accompanied by the diplomatic passport and visa form will suffice for visa processing.
The following are exempt from the visa requirement when visiting Egypt: nationals of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Syria and the United Arab Emirates.
Citizens of the following countries are required to be in possession of a pre-arrival visa: Afghanistan, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Chechnya, Croatia, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kirghizia, Lebanon, Macau, Macedonia, Malaysia, Moldavia, Montenegro, Morocco, Pakistan, Palestine, The Philippines, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, Sri-Lanka, Tadzhikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and all African countries.
For a complete list of countries requiring prior visa approval, please contact any Egyptian Diplomatic or Consular Mission Abroad.

Conference Interpretation Facilities :

• Simultaneous interpretation during the conference will be provided in four languages (Arabic, English, French, and Spanish).
• Conference delegates will need to leave an identification card to obtain a headset. The identification card will be returned upon receipt of the headset.

Further Information :
For further information about the Conference, please check the conference's official website or please feel free to contact the Conference Secretariat staff at:
IMCAPI2008 Conference Secretariat
Website: www.imcapi2008.gov.eg
Email: info@imcapi2008.gov.eg
Fax: +20 227921646

Yours Sincerely, The Conference Secretariat Staff