VOLUNTARY VISITOR PROGRAM TO INCREASE LIBYAN TRAINING

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TRIPOLI 000360 SIPDIS FOR ECA/PE/V/F/E; NEA/MAG WJORDAN, JGAVIT; NEA/REA CLAWSON; NEA/PPD AFERNANDEZ, RSMITH E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OEXC SCUL LY SUBJECT: VOLUNTARY VISITOR PROGRAM TO INCREASE LIBYAN TRAINING CAPACITY IN THE WATER SECTOR ¶1. SUMMARY: PAs tripoli requests a two-week voluntary visitor study tour with escort interpreter(s) in the U.S. for a small group of decision makers in Libya's water sector to introduce them to a range of U.S. government, ACADEMIC and professional water institutions and organizations. ¶2. BACKGROUND/justification: The Government of Libya has identified water management as one of its key strategic priorities. In October 2004, the U.S. and UK organized a water management and desalination workshop under the auspices of the Scientist Engagement program. That workshop culminated in the development of cooperative projects to help Libya improve its capacity in seawater desalination, impaired water treatment, groundwater management, and analytical water chemistry. In July 2005, Libyan Secretary of the General People's Committee for Manpower, Training, and Employment Matug Mohamed Matug expressed interest in expanding U.S.-Libya cooperation in the water sector. In response, USG officials held additional detailed discussions with Libyan water officials and experts and developed a joint water action plan that will guide U.S.-Libya water cooperation over the next 18 months. While Libya has a core cadre of competent water experts, those experts have worked under relatively isolated conditions over the last two decades and need updated training in current water science and engineering techniques and applications. This program is designed to introduce a small group (8-10 participants) of decision makers in Libya's water sector to a range of U.S. government, academic, and professional water institutions and organizations that would help inform the development of a Libyan national water training needs assessment and the establishment of Libyan training institutions in the water sector. The program also will help expand our bilateral relationship with Libya by promoting further U.S.-Libya cooperation. ¶3. Overview: Our vision for the program is a two week study tour that will demonstrate how the United States trains its professional corps of water experts. Within the U.S., water training is carried out by federal, state, and local government agencies; public and private universities; and professional associations. The Libyan participants will meet with representatives from these groups. The U.S. institutions will explain and discuss their short-, medium-, and long-term training needs; and how they determine and meet those needs. ¶4. Participants: The group should include Libyan decision makers and technical experts from government agencies involved in water training, an academic water expert, and an expert from a professional water association, if one exists. We will draw of the following agencies and institutions: General People's Committee for Manpower, Training, and Employment National Bureau of Research and Development General Water Authority Renewable Energy and Water Desalination Research Center Great Man Made River Authority General Environment Authority Agriculture Authority Planning Committee Al Fatah University ¶5. Schedule: Notionally, the schedule would include stops in Washington DC, Chicago, Denver, and northern California (probably the Sacramento area),starting on a Monday as follows: Days 1, 2, and AM of 3 - Meetings in DC Department of State Department of the Interior Geological Survey Bureau of Reclamation Department of Agriculture Foreign Agriculture Service Agricultural Research Service Army Corps of Engineers Water Research Institute Environmental Protection Agency American Society of Civil Engineers Water Environment Federation PM of Day 3 - Fly to Chicago Days 4 and 5 - In Chicago Argonne National Laboratory Integrated Water Management Group Purdue University-Calumet Water Institute Metropolitan Water and Reclamation District of Chicago Environmental Protection Agency Days 6 and 7 - Weekend - Fly to Denver Days 8 and 9 - In Denver Geological Survey Training Center Bureau of Reclamation Colorado State University American Water Works Association AM of Day 10 - Fly to California PM of Day 10, and Days 11 and 12 - In California California Dept of Water Resources University of California at Davis Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Day 13 and 14 - Weekend - Fly to DC for onward trip to Libya ¶6. Biodata of participants will be sent septels. BERRY