REPORT ON BIOTECHNOLOGY WORKSHOP IN EGYPT, MARCH 19-21, 2007

UNCLAS CAIRO 001127



SIPDIS



SIPDIS

SENSITIVE



USDA FOR FAS/OCBD/TSCB/SBEASLEY; OSTA/MABI/ARUDE; OFSO/IOD/RHAGER

STATE FOR NEA/ELA



E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: EAGR

SUBJECT:REPORT ON BIOTECHNOLOGY WORKSHOP IN EGYPT, MARCH 19-21, 2007



REF: CAIRO 05872



Sensitive but unclassified. Not for internet distribution.



1. (U) The Office of Agricultural Affairs (OAA) co-sponsored a

Basics of Biotechnology conference with the Agriculture Genetic

Engineering and Research Institute (AGERI) within Ministry of

Agriculture from March 19-21, 2007. The course focused on providing

general awareness on agricultural biotechnology in Egypt, with an

emphasis on biotechnology research, regulatory policy, technology

transfer and commercialization, and communication.



2. (U) The workshop was the third activity in a sequence of events

that will take place under a 12-month project to expand acceptance

of biotechnology in Egypt and to facilitate inter-ministerial

cooperation in its application and advancement. NOTE: The first

activity was the kick-off of the project in September 2006 (sEE

REFTEL). The second activity consisted of consultations between

ministry officials and a private consultant on procedural guidelines

necessary to establish a national competent authority within the

ministry. End note.



3. (U) The conference lasted three days. More than 100 attendees

from the Ministries of Agriculture, Health, Environment, and Foreign

Affairs participated. Topics included global perspectives on

agricultural biotechnology, biotechnology regulation and research

programs in Egypt, international treaties and agreements related to

biotechnology and biosafety, environmental biosafety issues

associated with biotechnology crops, the biotechnology regulatory

system in the United States, and strategies for commercialization of

biotechnology products. World-renown experts demonstrated their

vast knowledge of the subject matter: a presenter from the

Philippines spoke on her countrys approach to accepting

biotechnology; a farmer from India spoke about the many benefits,

especially financial, that his family now receives as a result of

using biotechnology seeds.



4. (SBU) The Ambassador addressed the conference and encouraged

those in attendance to embrace change. He stressed that Egypt is a

great society, and there is one thing that all great societies

throughout history have in common: they welcome change and use it as

a tool to their benefit. The Minister of Agriculture and the

Minister of Environment also gave remarks to the assembly. NOTE:

Though the Minister of Agriculture gave an upbeat, progressive

speech in favor of biotechnology, the Minister of Environment was

less enthusiastic, infusing a sense of negativity throughout his

remarks by emphasizing the importance of working at a slow pace to

protect the environment. His remarks demonstrated his lack of

awareness of the current biotech situation in Egypt.



Ricciardone