UNESCO: U.S. COMMITMENT TO IMPROVED WATER RESOURCES HIGHLIGHTE

UNCLAS PARIS 004643

SIPDIS

FROM USMISSION TO UNESCO PARIS

STATE FOR IO/UNESCO KEVIN PILZ, OES BARRIE RIPIN, OES/STAS ANDREW
REYNOLDS, OES/ETC ELEANORE FOX, OES AARON SALZBERG
STATE FOR NSC GENE WHITNEY, BISA WILLIAMS
STATE FOR NSF ROSE GOMBAY, MARGARET LEINEN, RICHARD BUCKIUS, PATRICK
BREZONIK
STATE FOR NASA ELIZABETH WILLIAMS
STATE FOR USAID FRANKLIN MOORE, MARY ROWEN, CHIP BARBER, AND MIKE
MCGAHUEY
STATE FOR USGS DIRECTOR PATRICK LEAHY, VERNE SCHNEIDER, GEORGE
COAKLEY AND RICHARD CALNAN
STATE FOR ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS LTG. CARL STROCK, STEVEN STOCKTON,
MAJOR GENERAL DON RILEY, ROBERT PIETROWSKY
STATE FOR ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE ARMY JOHN PAUL WOODLEY, GEORGE
DUNLOP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KS AORC TSPL EAID SENV SOCI UNESCO KSCI
SUBJECT: UNESCO: U.S. COMMITMENT TO IMPROVED WATER RESOURCES HIGHLIGHTE
AT
HYDROLOGY COUNCIL MEETING


1. THE OPENING DAYS OF THE 17TH MEETING OF THE GOVERNING COUNCIL
OF THE INTERNATIONAL HYDROLOGICAL PROGRAM (IHP IGC, JULY 3-7) HAVE
ALREADY YIELDED SEVERAL IMPORTANT EXAMPLES OF U.S. RE-ENGAGEMENT
WITH UNESCO'S ACTIVITIES IN WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT.


2. ON JULY 4, THE COUNCIL - IN WHICH THE U.S. IS PARTICIPATING AS
AN OBSERVER - ELECTED AMERICANS TO SERVE ON THE GOVERNING BOARDS OF
TWO OF ITS SCIENTIFIC CENTERS. ROBERT PIETROWSKY, DIRECTOR OF THE
INSTITUTE FOR WATER RESOURCES OF THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, WAS
CHOSEN TO SERVE ON THE GOVERNING BOARD OF THE UNESCO-IHE WATER
INSTITUTE IN DELFT, THE NETHERLANDS. EUGENE STAKHIV, ALSO OF THE
ARMY CORPS, WAS CHOSEN TO SERVE ON THE ADVISORY BOARD OF THE I-CHARM
CENTER FOR WATER HAZARD RISK MITIGATION IN KOBE, JAPAN. SERVICE ON
THESE TWO BOARDS WILL HELP ADVANCE USG GOALS IN THE AREAS OF
CAPACITY BUILDING FOR IMPROVED WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AND OF
DISASTER RISK MITIGATION.


3. THE OPENING OF THE IHP COUNCIL MEETING INCLUDED A CEREMONY AT
WHICH JIM SHUTTLEWORTH OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA WAS AWARDED THE
INTERNATIONAL HYDROLOGY PRIZE, THE "NOBEL PRIZE FOR HYDROLOGY". IN
HIS SPEECH, SHUTTLEWORTH STRESSED HIS MEMBERSHIP IN THE U.S.
NATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR THE IHP, AND EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT THE U.S.
WOULD "ONCE AGAIN PLAY A FULL AND ACTIVE ROLE IN THE
INTERGOVERNMENTAL COUNCIL OF THE IHP." THE CEREMONY AND
SHUTTLEWORTH'S MOVING REMARKS UNDERLINED FOR PARTICIPANTS FROM 66
COUNTRIES AND MANY NGOS THE PIONEERING ROLE OF THE U.S. IN
HYDROLOGICAL SCIENCES, INCLUDING IN DEVELOPING BROADER ENVIRONMENTAL
APPLICATIONS.


4. FOLLOWING THE AWARDS CEREMONY, COUNCIL PARTICIPANTS WITNESSED
THE SIGNING OF A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE ARMY CORPS
OF ENGINEERS INSTITUTE FOR WATER RESOURCES (USACE IWR) AND THE
UNESCO I-CHARM CENTER THAT WILL FACILITATE U.S. PARTICIPATION IN
UNESCO'S INTERNATIONAL FLOOD INITIATIVE IN CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH
JAPAN AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS. THE USACE INSTITUTE FOR
WATER RESOURCES SIGNED A SECOND MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE
UNESCO CENTER FOR ARID AND SEMI-ARID ZONES IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE
CARIBBEAN (CAZALAC) THAT WILL STRENGTHEN THE USG PARTNERSHIP ON
WATER RESOURCES CAPACITY BUILDING IN LATIN AMERICA.


5. THE U.S. OBSERVER DELEGATION IS ENGAGING FULLY IN CONSULTATIONS
TO SHAPE THE CONCLUSIONS OF THE MEETING, INCLUDING IN THE AREAS OF
STRATEGIC PLANNING, FINANCE AND GOVERNANCE. IN ADDITION, INFORMAL
CONTACTS DURING THE COURSE OF THE MEETING ARE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE
DELEGATION TO EXPLORE NEW OPPORTUNTIES FOR HYDROLOGICAL COOPERATION
IN THE BILATERAL, UNESCO, AND EU CONTEXTS. MORE ON THIS SEPTEL.


6. THE U.S. OBSERVER DELEGATION IS LED BY MATTHEW LARSEN, CHIEF
SCIENTIST FOR HYDROLOGY, USGS, WHO IS ALSO CHAIR OF THE U.S.
NATIONAL IHP COMMITTEE. OTHER WASHINGTON-BASED DELEGATION MEMBERS
INCLUDE: VERNE SCHNEIDER (USGS),ROBERT PIETROWSKY (ARMY COPRS OF
ENGINEERS),AND PATRICK BREZONIK (NSF). U.S. PERMANENT DELEGATE TO
UNESCO AMBASSADOR LOUISE V. OLIVER ALSO PARTICIPATED IN MANY OF THE
SESSIONS. KOSS.