Attached is information on the administrative arrangements and participant registration for ICW99. Hotel reservations are requested by Thursday, September 30.

International Centers Week (ICW) will be held from October 25 to 29, 1999 in the Preston Auditorium, Main Complex (MC) of the World Bank, 1818 H Street, NW, Washington D.C. The meeting will begin at 08:30 on Monday, October 25 and is expected to adjourn at 17:30 on Friday, October 29.

The times and locations of the meetings of CGIAR Standing Committees, the Board Chairs, the Center Directors and other satellite meetings will be shown on the Schedule of Events, which will be issued in early September.

The CGIAR and National Academy of Science will be cosponsoring a conference on "Ensuring Food Security, Protecting the Environment, and Reducing Poverty in Developing Countries: Can Biotechnology Help?" on October 21 and 22. ICW participants are invited to attend. No separate registration form is necessary to attend this conference. For your convenience you may use the registration form on page 7 to register for either or both events. A conference program is issued separately.

The administrative arrangements for attendance at meetings of the Group are handled jointly by the Bank/Fund Conferences Office (BFCO) and the CGIAR Secretariat. A limited number of hotel rooms are being held for participants at the hotels described on pages 3 and 4 in accordance with arrangements detailed below. Questions on these arrangements should be directed to Ms. Mary Detweiler, Hotel Accommodation Officer, BFCO, tel: (1-202) 473-6934, fax (1-202)522-2223

To facilitate the compilation of the participants’ list, the allocation of hotel accommodations, and the preparation of badges, a Registration Form (page 7) should be completed for each participant and returned to the BFCO at the address shown on the form by September 30, 1999.

Reservation Requests, Confirmations, and Penalties: The Bank/Fund Conferences Office (BFCO), will be responsible for processing hotel accommodation requests. The BFCO will attempt to satisfy participants’ requests for specific hotels; however the requests will be processed as received and this may result in participants not being allocated rooms in their preferred hotels.

The cutoff date imposed by the hotels for holding hotel accommodation for ICW participants is September 30. Every effort will be made to satisfy requests received after that date but participants should be aware that hotels in Washington are heavily booked at that time and the BFCO cannot guarantee that a room will be available.

If the room is not occupied as confirmed, or if requests for cancellations or date changes resulting in a reduction of room nights are received after September 30, a penalty of one night’s room charge may be imposed by the hotel. Requests for changes and cancellations must be made in writing and sent to Ms. Mary Detweiler at the address indicated on the form no later than 48 hours prior to the confirmed date of arrival. Subsequent modification to confirmed dates may not be possible.

Credit Card Guarantees: Credit card guarantees are required before hotel accommodation can be assigned. Because of the demand on hotel space at this time of the year, hotels request credit card information against bookings. Penalties, as described above, may be charged to participants’ credit cards.

Location: At corner of 17^th & I Streets, overlooking Farragut Square, 2-3 blocks from World Bank, next to (Blue/Orange Lines) Farragut West Metro stop.

Description: Private Club membership but rooms made available to World Bank. Rooms have: small refrigerators, coffeepots, microwaves, direct phone lines with dataports, queen beds, showers (no bathtubs). Restaurant in hotel; no room service but complimentary grocery service. Limited number of two-bedded rooms. Rooms not recommended for double occupancy due to small size.

Location: On N Street, 1½ blocks south of Dupont Circle and (Red Line) Metro stop, 5-6 six blocks from World Bank.

Description: All standard units have: kitchens (microwaves, refrigerators, stoves, coffee makers); living/dining area with sofabed; ironing boards/irons, voice mail, Inport (provides fax/computer line separate from phone line). Coin laundry, small fitness room, complimentary breakfast buffet, small convenience store in lobby area.

Location: Two blocks from World Bank; 2 blocks from (Blue/Orange Lines) Farragut West Metro stop.

Description: Standard rooms have sink, wet bar, coffeemaker, refrigerator and small dining table in alcove; limited inventory of rooms with stoves, sink, full-size refrigerator. All units have: dataport, two phone lines, voice mail, minibars, bathrobes; hairdryers, room service 7 am-10 pm, Washington Post newspaper delivery. Small restaurant in hotel (Northern Italian), Venetian bar lounge. No fitness center but $5 charge for use of one located one block away.

One Washington Circle ($115 single/$130 double)

Location: Overlooking Washington Circle, 5 blocks from World Bank; 4 blocks from Georgetown.

Description: All units have: full kitchens, two telephone lines, voice mail, dataport, ironing boards/irons, hairdryers, small walk-out balconies. Mostly queen-sized beds, very limited inventory of two-bedded rooms. Nice restaurant, West end Café. Coin laundry, complimentary fitness center.

Location: Between L & DeSales/M Streets on Connecticut Avenue, one block north of (Red Line) Farragut North Metro stop, approximately 5 blocks from World Bank.

Description: 4-Star, 4-Diamond historic hotel. All units have: 3 telephones, voice mail, dataport, minibars, bathrobes, hairdryers, bathroom TV. Special feature complimentary wake-up coffee/tea service, with newspaper, upon request night prior. 24-hour room service, Café Promenade Restaurant and Town and Country bar/lounge in hotel; gift shop, complimentary use of fitness center. Complimentary connection for calling card, collect and 800 calls.

Location: Between I and K Streets, on 25^th St., 1½ blocks west of (Blue/Orange Lines) Foggy Bottom Metro stop and 2 blocks south of Washington Circle; approximately 7 blocks from World Bank. Within 3-4 block walk of Georgetown.

Description: All standard (Junior) units have: full kitchen (stove, refrigerator, microwave, toasters, coffeemakers, and coffee grinders/ coffee beans); dining and living areas; voice mail, dataport; ironing board/irons, hairdryers, bathrobes, complimentary Washington Post (except Sundays); queen beds and double-bed sofa, one phone. Foggy Bottom Café in hotel; room service only during restaurant meal hours 7 am -10 pm weekdays (weekends brunch & dinner). Small fitness center; coin laundry/dryers.

 St. James Hotel ($135 single/double)

Location: Overlooking Washington Circle and (Blue/Orange Lines) Foggy Bottom Metro stop, 3-4 blocks west of Georgetown, 5 blocks to World Bank.

Description: All units are one-bedroom suites and have: full kitchens (including refrigerator, stove, dishwasher, microwave, coffeemakers); sofa/living areas with sofabed, queen or king beds, ironing boards/irons, hairdryers, voice mail. Complimentary fitness room and continental breakfast daily for all guests.

Location: One block west of Washington Circle and 2 blocks from (Blue/Orange Lines) Foggy Bottom Metro stop, on Pennsylvania Avenue. Six blocks from World Bank. Within easy walking distance of Georgetown.

Description: All units have: wet bars and coffeemakers, ironing boards/irons, hairdryers, voice mail, dataport. Most rooms are kings or two double beds. 24-hour room service. Complimentary fitness center.

Registration of participants will be as follows:

In the lobby of the World Bank’s J Building, 701 18th Street N.W., i.e. the building in which the CGIAR Secretariat is located:

Tuesday, October 19 08:00 – 16:00

Wednesday, October 20 08:00 – 16:00

In the reception area of the Preston Auditorium, 1818 H Street N.W.:

Thursday, October 21 08:00 – 16:00

Friday, October 22 08:00 – 16:00

Saturday, October 23 08:00 – 15:00

Sunday, October 24 14:00 – 17:00

Monday, October 25 to

Friday, October 29: 08:00 – 17:30

Meeting badges must be displayed. They will be honoured by the World Bank security officers at all World Bank entrances on presentation of picture identification.

Documents for the meeting will be issued by the CGIAR and TAC Secretariats by mail prior to ICW. In addition to being dispatched by mail, documents will simultaneously be posted on the CGIAR’s web site (http://www.worldbank.org/html/cgiar/publications/meet1.html). A limited number of previously issued agenda documents will be available at ICW. Participants are requested to bring their copies with them to the meeting.

Simultaneous interpretation will be provided in English, French, and Spanish.

Participants are invited to a brunch hosted by Center Directors on Sunday, October 24 from 10:00 to 13:00 hours in the Four Seasons Hotel, 2800 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W., Washington D.C.

Participants are also invited to a reception by the Chairman of the CGIAR at 18:00 hours on Monday, October 25.

Invitations to the above events confirming time and place will be issued later.

Participants are invited to use the World Bank’s dining room and cafeterias. On the C1 level of the main complex (MC) there is a buffet/a la carte dining room, several private dining rooms, and a cafeteria. There are also cafeterias in the H, I, and J Buildings (see map page 6).

The dining room may be used by participants on a cash basis. Reservations in the dining room are encouraged but not required, and diners without reservations are welcome as space permits. Reservations for private dining rooms should be made well in advance.

For advance reservations, contact the Mr. Gahl or Mr. Aslan, 458-0678 (Extension 80678) between the hours of 09:00 and 12:00 and 15:00 and 17:00.

Participants requiring assistance with their onward travel arrangements may avail themselves of the services of the World Bank’s travel office which is conveniently located on the C2 level. Office hours are weekdays from 08:00 to 18:00. A reception counter is located in the entrance foyer of the travel office. Participants can also use the Bank’s travel office telephone reservation service (202) 458-4860 (internal extension 84860).

To help participants dispatch materials such as publications and other documentation, a special arrangement has been made with the World Bank’s courier service. ICW participants will be able to take materials to the Bank’s courier desk at JB3-100. Packets thus dispatched will benefit from the World Bank's preferential rates and will be at the sender's expense. Payment of the exact amount must be made by money order, travelers’ cheque, or US$ cheque made payable to the World Bank.

Numerous automatic teller machines (cash points) and branches of US commercial banks are located in the vicinity of the World Bank. Normal banking hours are from 09:00 to 15:00 Monday through Friday. Please note that banks do not cash personal cheques for customers who do not have accounts at those banks, and that the Bank/Fund Staff Credit Union is for members only.

Biotechnology Conference o ICW99 o

Participant Attendance Information Please type or print clearly, one form per participant

Member of CGIAR Delegation, CGIAR Committees, CGIAR Centers o

Member of CGIAR Partner Institution o

Other - please specify ____________________________________ o

Hotel Reservation Request see page 8 for list of hotels and conditions

Name of Hotel Address Room Rates*

Club Quarters 839 17^th Street, NW Single: $109.00

Embassy Square 2000 N Street, NW Single: $120.00

Lombardy Hotel 2019 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Single: $109.00

One Washington Circle One Washington Circle, NW Single: $115.00

Renaissance Mayflower 1127 Connecticut Ave., NW Single: $130.00

The River Inn 924 25^th Street, NW Single: $124.00

St. James 950 24^th Street, NW Single: $135.00

Wyndham Bristol 2430 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Single: $115.00

*Rates are exclusive of District of Columbia hotel tax, currently 14.5%.