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