Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03AMMAN3464
2003-06-11 13:36:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

AMBASSADOR MEETS JORDANIAN MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT

Tags:  SENV PREL EAID JO 
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111336Z Jun 03
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 003464 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/RA LAWSON, OES/PCI PAYNE, OES/ENV RICHARD
STATE PASS USTR SAUMS
STATE PASS USEPA PASAREW
STATE PASS USAID EGAT

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV PREL EAID JO
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MEETS JORDANIAN MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT
TO PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL COOPERATION

Ref: Amman 312

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 003464

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/RA LAWSON, OES/PCI PAYNE, OES/ENV RICHARD
STATE PASS USTR SAUMS
STATE PASS USEPA PASAREW
STATE PASS USAID EGAT

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV PREL EAID JO
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MEETS JORDANIAN MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT
TO PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL COOPERATION

Ref: Amman 312


1. (SBU) SUMMARY. In a June 2 courtesy call on the
Jordanian Minister of Environment, Dr. Mohammed Thuneibat,
the Ambassador commended the minister for his leadership of
Jordan's newest ministry and impressed upon him the need for
an environmental regulatory and enforcement body to
complement the country's economic development and trade
goals. The Jordan FTA, both agreed, was at the vanguard for
its environmental clauses. Wanting to fulfill its FTA
commitments, the Minister is keen to make the Joint
Environmental Forum a success. Post is trying to identify
an NSF Science Fellow from EPA who could provide technical
assistance on the ministry's organizational structure and
mission, helping make a more effective environmental
watchdog for Jordan. A regional Arab-Israeli hazardous
waste training workshop got the Minister's rapid approval
for Jordanian participation. END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) Although the Jordanian Ministry of Environment was
created earlier this year (reftel),the death of the
minister's wife and the Iraq conflict made an earlier
courtesy call by the Ambassador impossible. The Minister,
however, is known to post in his other capacity as Minister
of Administrative Development. Accompanied by the USAID
Mission Director, USAID Water and Environment Sector Chief,
and the NEA Regional Environment Officer, the Ambassador met
with Minister Thuneibat on June 2 to invite his impressions
of the ministry and to solicit his vision for moving
Jordan's environmental agenda forward in a manner consistent
with its economic and trade goals.


3. (SBU) After the Ambassador's inquiry about his plans for
the ministry and its role as Jordan's environmental
regulatory and enforcement agency, the Minister candidly
described the weak personnel and institutional capacity he
inherited from the General Corporation for Environmental
Protection (GCEP),the precursor to the ministry. He
ventured that no more than 75 of the 170 employees are
qualified at their jobs, but he hoped to change that through
technical assistance and capacity building. Already he has
aggressively advertised for new talent for the ministry,

something that has raised the ire of its permanent employees
who fear being replaced or sidelined. An external review of
the ministry and its personnel conducted this spring, while
lauded by many outside observers as an appropriate objective
evaluation of the institution, was met with resistance by
longtime civil servants. Nevertheless, Thuneibat seems
determined to hone his new ministry into an effective agency
and he claims to have the financial support from the
Minister of Planning to do so.


4. (SBU) Turning to the Joint U.S.-Jordanian Environmental
Forum, which we had hoped to convene in Amman earlier this
year, the Ambassador suggested that it could be convened
concurrently with the FTA Joint Commission in the fall
timeframe. The Minister, enthusiastic about the prospect of
this policy dialog on trade and environment issues and the
attendant technical assistance, pledged to work to make this
happen. The inception meeting will likely focus on how we
might be able to assist the new ministry in building its
environmental management capacity so that it can meet its
FTA obligations. It remains unclear, however, who from the
Jordanian side will participate, but we expect both the
Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Industry of
Trade to play significant roles.


5. (SBU) The Ambassador also described our efforts to
identify a visiting Science Fellow from EPA to review the
Ministry of Environment's organizational structure and its
mission, offering advice on how to become a more effective
regulatory and enforcement agency. While he told the
Minister we cannot guarantee that an appropriate individual
will be identified, the Ambassador remains hopeful that this
cost-free opportunity for an experienced USEPA official to
share expertise in the early stages of a new ministry will
materialize. 6. (SBU) Finally, the NEA Regional Environment
Officer spoke of post's efforts to organize a regional
workshop on hazardous waste management for Jordanians,
Palestinians, and Israelis. We informed the Minister that
EPA had developed a draft training module for the core
parties and we have already sought input from the regional
technical experts so that the workshop better meets the
needs of all. A planning meeting is scheduled for late
June, at which we hope to finalize the agenda and training
module. We expect to convene the workshop in early August
at which at least five technical hazardous waste experts
from each of the parties will be invited to participate.
The Minister, recognizing this as an opportunity for his
personnel to receive some excellent up-to-date training on
this critical issue for the Middle East, fully supported
this regional initiative.7. (SBU) BIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION:
Thuneibat was quick to point out to the Ambassador that he
is one of 5 ministers in the Abu Al-Ragheb government who
has, without interruption, served in the cabinet for the
past 6 years. He currently wears two hats-as Minister of
Administrative Development and as Minister of Environment.
He temporarily was Minister of Culture in the second cabinet
reshuffle of the Abu Al-Ragheb government from October 2001
until January 2002. Thuneibat is a member of the Civil
Service Council and the Royal Commission for Administrative
Reforms as well as being the head of the Arab Association
for Administrative Development. He served as Minister of
Administrative Development from 1994-95 in a previous
government. Clearly a specialist in public administration
and human resources, his current appointment to the newly
created Ministry of Environment has been interpreted as a
signal that he is to "build" it up. It is expected that,
once he completes this task (which he estimates could take
up to one year),a technocrat with environmental expertise
will likely take over. Thuneibat, a Muslim East Banker,
hails from the city of Kerak where he was born in 1950. He
attended the University of Jordan, where he studied
political science, and took his PhD in Human Resources
Management from the University of Southern California.
Thuneibat has a confident air about him and appears
gregarious and outgoing.8. (SBU) COMMENT: Although some
individuals are critical that Thuneibat, who has no
environmental background, was named to the post, our working
level contacts within the ministry shared with us their
initial enthusiasm for his strong management style and
leadership. That said, we are also hearing grumbling that
his low esteem for the current staff is not helping morale.
However, one international donor who works closely with the
ministry told us that they thought Thuneibat's confidence in
40 percent of his employees was generous-in their
estimation, they could only come up with about 10 competent
employees. Clearly, the ministry needs significant
assistance in capacity building and reforming the former
GCEP into a robust regulatory and enforcement watchdog for
Jordan.GNEHM