FY08 PRIORITIES AND WORK-ITEMS FOR AMMAN ESTH HUB

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 AMMAN 004379 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ELA, NEA/RA (LAWSON),AND OES/PCI STATE PASS TO USAID STATE PASS TO EPA FOR INTERNATIONAL USDA FOR FOREST SERVICE/INTERNATIONAL INTERIOR FOR INTERNATIONAL/WASHBURNE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV TSPL TBIO ETRD EAID PGOV JO SUBJECT: FY08 PRIORITIES AND WORK-ITEMS FOR AMMAN ESTH HUB REF: STATE 140185 ¶1. The Amman ESTH Hub for the NEA Bureau was established in 1997. The current incumbent (Manu Bhalla) is the fourth Hub officer. He is supported by regional environmental specialist Rana Safadi, who has served with the Hub for eight years. Key Priorities and Work Items -------------- ¶2. Hub priorities for 2008 are closely aligned with the OES Priorities for 2007 for NEA (reftel). The work items for the first quarter of FY08 are specified in detail, while longer-term work items do not have specific dates. The Hub priorities support economic growth, sustainable development, public diplomacy/outreach, the Arab-Israeli peace process, and advancing critical environmental issues. Priority 1: Water Resource Management Issues -------------- ¶3. Access to water for municipal and agricultural use is a critical issue in the Middle East. Trans-boundary water issues and appropriate water resource management policies are also key issues in the region. Key work items include: -- Bolster and promote active Israeli/Jordanian/Palestinian participation in the EXACT Multilateral Working Group. The short-term focus will be on the Water Resources meetings at the Sea of Galilee/Lake Tiberias in Israel (November 07) and in Rome (December 07),while also encouraging additional participation from Italy as a donor country. -- Evaluate Jordan's proposal for a nanotechnology hub with initial focus on water desalination (4Q, 2007). -- Collaborate with regional organizations such as the Middle East Desalination Research Center (MEDRC) to monitor new desalination technologies. -- Support NEA bureau representatives, posts and USAID on trans-boundary issues such as the Nile Basin Initiative, the Tigris-Euphrates Basin, and the Red Sea-Dead Sea conveyance pipeline. -- Report on programs to improve access to safe drinking water, mobilization of private capital for related infrastructure, integrated water resources management, and trans-boundary water cooperation issues in Jordan and the NEA region. Priority 2: Science Outreach in the Muslim World -------------- ¶4. Recent polls show that U.S. S&T is still held in high regard despite the frequent criticisms of U.S. foreign policy in the region. S&T collaborations in the Muslim world provide the U.S. with a natural entree for outreach and engagement. The Regional ESTH Officer will seek to advance the Department's "Science and Technology (S&T) Strategy for Outreach to Muslim Countries" (approved by Secretary Rice in July 2005) through increased high-level engagement with S&T communities in the region; reaching out to youth (universities, high-schools),women, policy-makers, and technology-based entrepreneurs; and increasing collaborative activities. Program elements include: -- In the fourth quarter of 2007, launch a monthly outreach program at science/technology universities and high schools highlighting U.S. S&T collaborations. This will start in Jordan and extend to other countries by coordinating with relevant PAOs during regional travels. -- U.S.-Jordan Joint Commission Meeting (JCM). Ensure the November 2007 visit by the Jordanian co-chair leads to the development of a robust agenda for the JCM. Hold the first JCM in Amman in January ¶2008. -- Support the visit of James Turner, Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology to Jordan in November 2007 and Anthony "Bud" Rock (former OES Acting A/S and long-time Science-coned FSO) to the region in December 2007. Promote science outreach during these visits. -- Expand Jordanian media coverage of Embassy ESTH activities and USG water resource management initiatives. -- Encourage/support other posts in region in increasing their ESTH issues media coverage. -- Participate in discussions regarding new S&T agreements with Saudi Arabia and Libya. Assess feasibility of possible new agreements with other Gulf countries. Support continued implementation of U.S.-Egypt and U.S.-Algeria/Tunisia/Morocco S&T agreements. AMMAN 00004379 002 OF 003 -- Develop a proposal for naming 2009 or 2010: Year of U.S.-Arab Science Partnership. Priority 3: Environment and Trade -------------- ¶5. The Regional ESTH Officer will also support the implementation of environmental cooperation agreements with Morocco, Jordan, Bahrain, and Oman in support of FTA/TIFA agreements. Promoting the continued implementation of the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) environmental capacity building will also be a key focus. Work items will include: -- Convening a workshop for Jordan's Environmental Rangers to define their vision, strategy, and work-plan. Held by U.S. Forest Service, National Parks Service, and EPA. (Amman - November 12-14, 2007). -- Implementing MEPI regional courses on a range of environmental topics including Vessel Oil Pollution (December 3-5, Bahrain); the Role of Science and Role of Public Participation in Environmental Law (January 5-9, Bahrain and Oman); Organizational Strengthening for Environmental Ministries (dates tbd); and, Hazardous Waste Management (dates tbd). -- Supporting USAID/EPA implementation of the USAID-EPA interagency agreement for Jordan FTA-related activities in 2008 and 2009. -- Holding the next session of the U.S.-Jordan forum on Environmental Technical Cooperation (early 2008). -- Organizing a workshop for Jordan's judiciary on enforcement of environmental laws (delivered by EPA judges from Environmental Appeals Board - early 2008) and extending it to, or replicating it for regional participants, if relevant. -- Ensuring strong regional and U.S. participation in the Environmental Cities of the Mediterranean Forum (June 2008). -- Exploring the feasibility of introducing Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) principles in the NEA region. -- Supporting posts in monitoring key regional environmental issues including driftnet fishing (Algeria, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia may be practicing large-scale driftnet fishing),coral reef preservation in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean, and oil-spill mitigation efforts in the Suez Canal. Priority 4: Pandemic Flu Preparedness and Public Health -------------- ¶6. The threat of pandemic flu continues to be one of the highest priority public health issues in Egypt and its possible spread to nearby NEA posts also requires vigilance. Key work items in the "H" part of the ESTH will include: -- Pandemic flu preparedness and avian influenza mitigation in Egypt and surrounding countries; -- Support for the Middle East Breast Cancer Awareness and Screening partnership (MEPI program),and its expansion from Jordan, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia to Egypt, Morocco, and the Palestinian territories. Priority 5: Support Middle East Peace Efforts -------------- ¶7. The ESTH Officer will support USG efforts related to the Middle East peace process through enhanced Israeli, Palestinian, and Jordanian cooperation on ESTH issues. -- Monitor and report on success of Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC) projects on fostering Israel-Arab collaboration. Support visiting MERC project manager in November 2007 visits to Jordan/Israel. Review MERC pre-proposals and proposals. Attend the MERC committee meetings in Washington to allocate project grants. -- Ensure a successful Trilateral Research and Industrial Development (TRIDE) Governing Board meeting in Amman in December to foster Israel-Jordan-U.S. collaboration. -- Assist U.S. Department of Agriculture in developing regional environmental conferences to support the peace process, starting with a conference on underground tank erosion and pollution in Tiberias, with Israeli, Jordanian and Palestinian participants. -- Encourage expanded Israeli-Arab nominations and participation on ESTH issues through the International Visitor program. -- Support EXACT Multilateral Water working group meetings (covered in Priority 1). Priority 6: Hub operations and communications -------------- ¶8. The Regional ESTH Officer will bolster the Hub operations and communications with posts, the inter-agency, and other Hubs. AMMAN 00004379 003 OF 003 -- Hold a mini-ESTH conference for all NEA FSN/LES staff involved in ESTH work in April/May 2008; -- Continue sending bi-weekly updates on ongoing ESTH issues/activities in the region - sent to Washington inter-agency and regional posts; -- Encourage ESTH officers at NEA posts to send regular updates on ESTH issues; -- Glean and share Hub best practices from Hub officers meetings; -- Meet regularly with diplomatic corps to track other ESTH activities in the region; -- Develop a rotation program for non-ESTH officers and FSNs to rotate through Amman Hub for 1-4 week durations. The rotations would be offered to Embassy Amman and other NEA posts (subject to practical constraints); -- Develop and maintain a matrix (snap-shot) highlighting all ESTH related activities for each NEA post. PROJECTED TRAVEL AND CALENDAR OF EVENTS -------------- ¶9. The following is the rough calendar of events and projected travel. Currently, Hub funding is expected to cover all the projected FY 08 travel. However, a fifteen percent increase in FY09 Hub funding is requested to cover the rapid increases in regional travel costs. Nov 3-6: Qatar orientation trip Nov 6-8: Israel: EXACT training work-plan meeting (Israel-Jordan-Palestinian) Nov 12-14: Jordan: Workshop for Environmental Rangers Nov 18-21: UAE orientation trip Nov 28: Visit to Aqaba with MERC Project manager Dec 3-5: Bahrain orientation trip + MEPI workshop on vessel oil pollution Dec 10-13: Rome: XXV EXACT Water Working Group meeting of Core Parties Jan 8-10: Oman orientation trip + MEPI Workshop on Environmental Law Jan (tbd): Kuwait and Saudi Arabia orientation trips Jan 28-29: Amman: U.S.-Jordan Joint Commission Meeting Feb (tbd): Morocco and Tunisia orientation trips Feb (tbd): MERC Committee meeting (Washington) - tentative. Feb (tbd): Joint NEA/SCA ESTH officers conference (in SCA location) March 3-15: WIREC, Hub Officers meeting, Washington consultations March (tbd): Libya, Algeria, and Lebanon orientation trips April (tbd): MERC Committee meeting (Washington) April (tbd): Egypt: U.S.-Egypt S&T Committee Board meeting May (tbd): FSN mini-ESTH conference (location TBD) June (tbd): Jordan: Environmental Cities of Mediterranean Forum PROPOSED TRAINING: -------------- ¶10. The following training-related activities will be undertaken by the Hub. The regional environmental specialist would lead the organization of the mini-ESTH conference for FSNs. She would also attend relevant training at FSI in conjunction with any visits to the U.S. -- Environment Science and Technology Officers conference (spring 2008). Joint SCA/NEA region conference; -- Seven Habits of Highly Effective Leaders - during next visit to Washington; -- Amman Hub - to host mini-FSN ESTH conference in April/May 2008. Location tbd. Visit Amman's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman HALE