FY09 PRIORITIES AND WORK-ITEMS FOR AMMAN ESTH HUB

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 AMMAN 002783 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ELA, NEA/RA (ARVIS),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: FY09 PRIORITIES AND WORK-ITEMS FOR AMMAN ESTH HUB REF: STATE 97800 ¶1. The Amman ESTH Hub for the NEA Bureau was established in 1997 and supports 17 countries in the NEA region. The current incumbent (Manu Bhalla) is the fourth Hub officer and is supported by a regional environmental specialist (currently vacant). The Amman Hub advances a wide range of regional priorities, services a broad geographical area, and interacts with a diverse array of USG and local interlocutors. The Hub officer traveled to 9 NEA region countries (as well as Washington, Rome, and Istanbul) over the past 12 months. Over the past year, the Hub has supported 18 USG agencies in ESTH collaborations in the NEA region and directly supported almost a dozen visits by USG agencies to Jordan including several VIP visits. Key Priorities and Work Items -------------- ¶2. Hub priorities for 2009 are closely aligned with the 2008 OES Priorities for NEA (reftel). The work items for the first quarter of FY09 are specified in detail, while longer-term work items do not necessarily have specific dates. The Hub priorities support economic growth, sustainable development, public diplomacy/outreach, the Arab-Israeli peace process, and advancing capacity for improved environmental management. Maintaining the strong information flow and supporting the broad array of USG agencies engaged in ESTH collaborations in NEA will continue to be a key priority - and use significant resources from the Amman Hub. Traveling to NEA countries not visited during FY08 will also guide Hub travel plans. Priority 1: Water Resource Management Issues -------------- - ¶3. Access to water for municipal and agricultural use are critical issues in the Middle East as are trans-boundary water issues and appropriate water resource management policies. Key work items include: -- Bolstering and promoting active Israeli/Jordanian/Palestinian participation in the EXACT Multilateral Working Group. The short-term focus will be the U.S. supported regional training initiative which includes an October 2008 U.S. study tour for core party officials on wastewater reuse. Italy is the most recent donor to join the EXACT process. The Hub will continue to promote EXACT 
with potential donors such as Sweden, Norway, and Japan who have signaled their interest in joining the forum. The Hub will also support a presentation by the core parties at the March 2009 Fifth World Water Forum in Istanbul. -- Supporting regional organizations such as the Middle East Desalination Research Center (MEDRC) in research and capacity building. Track the MEDRC Executive Committee's ambitious plan to reposition MEDRC with a new private sector and donor based funding mechanism and move away from the current country membership based framework. -- Supporting NEA bureau representatives, posts, and USAID on trans-boundary issues such as the Red Sea-Dead Sea feasibility study, the Nile Basin Initiative, and the Tigris-Euphrates Basin. -- Reporting 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 the NEA region. Priority 2: Science Outreach in the Muslim World -------------- --- ¶4. U.S. science and technology (S&T) capabilities continue to be held in high regard, although in some cases, European project support seems to be displacing the U.S. from our interlocutors focus. S&T collaborations in the Muslim world provide the U.S. with a natural entree for outreach and engagement. The Amman Hub will continue to advance the Department's "Science and Technology Strategy for Outreach to Muslim Countries" 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: -- Building upon the success of the July 2008 U.S.-Jordan S&T Joint Committee Meeting (JCM). Six working groups in the areas of Water and Environment, Energy, Health, Education, Agriculture, and Innovation were formed. The Hub will track (and nudge) these groups to convene regularly and develop viable projects. -- Holding outreach engagements at universities and high schools highlighting U.S. S&T collaborations. AMMAN 00002783 002 OF 004 -- Participating and presenting USG collaborations at up to three regional conferences. -- Expanding Jordanian media coverage of Embassy ESTH activities and USG water resource management initiatives. -- Encouraging/supporting other posts in the region in increasing their ESTH issues media coverage. -- Supporting continued implementation of S&T agreements with Egypt, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco. -- Assessing the feasibility of possible new agreements with other Gulf countries, particularly Qatar. -- Completing and presenting the proposal for the Year of U.S.-Arab Science Partnership. A conceptual framework for this initiative which amplifies U.S. S&T support in the Arab world was presented in the Department in March 2008. The next step is to develop a detailed business plan. Priority 3: Environment and Energy -------------- ¶5. The Hub will also support the implementation of environmental cooperation agreements with Morocco, Jordan, Bahrain, and Oman in support of U.S. Free Trade Agreements (FTA) 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: -- Implementing MEPI regional courses on a range of environmental topics including Hazardous Waste Management (January 2009) and developing a MENA region pollution prevention and cleaner production network (starting in November 2008). -- Supporting implementation of the USAID-EPA interagency agreement for Jordan which includes extensive capacity building for the Environmental Rangers including a U.S. study tour, and training courses on investigations, inspections, and environmental prosecutions. -- Holding the next Joint Forum under the U.S.-Jordan FTA Environmental Cooperation Agreement (late 2008). -- Supporting strong regional and U.S. participation in the Environmental Cities of the Mediterranean Forum (October 2008). -- Continuing outreach efforts to introduce Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) principles for Green Buildings in the NEA region. -- Launching a Green Embassy initiative at Embassy Amman. Promote some of the positive results with other NEA region Embassies. -- 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 and Arabian Gulf. -- Tracking renewable energy adoption and challenges in the NEA region as well as novel energy initiatives. -- Planning and participating in Earth Day related environmental outreach in at least two countries in the NEA region. 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; -- Tracking and supporting the progress of the Middle East Breast Cancer Awareness and Research partnership (MEPI program),(Jordan, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco, and the Palestinian territories). Priority 5: Support Middle East Peace Efforts -------------- -- ¶7. The Amman Hub will support USG efforts related to the Middle East peace process through enhanced Israeli, Palestinian, and Jordanian cooperation on ESTH issues. -- Visit, monitor and report on success of Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC) projects on fostering Israel-Arab collaboration. (Currently a record 38 active MERC projects are ongoing including 25 in Jordan). Review MERC pre-proposals and proposals. Attend the MERC committee meetings in Washington to allocate project grants. -- Supporting successful Trilateral Research and Industrial Development (TRIDE) Governing Board meetings in the region to foster Israel-Jordan-U.S. collaboration with particular focus on water and AMMAN 00002783 003 OF 004 renewable energy start-ups. -- Coordinating with NEA/RA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to program regional environmental capacity building for Israeli, Jordanian, and Palestinian participants under the Multilateral Environmental working group. -- Encouraging increased Israeli-Arab nominations and participation in ESTH issues through the International Visitor program. -- Supporting 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. -- Supporting the preparation and delivery of the October 7-9 EST Officers conference for NEA/SCA in Cairo. Foster a robust discussion on NEA regional ESTH issues. -- Designing a successful orientation and training plan for the new Regional Environmental Specialist (expected to start in November 2008). -- Continuing bi-weekly updates on ongoing ESTH issues/activities in the region - sent to Washington inter-agency and regional posts (USG only). -- Launching an ESTH Hub website and interactive blog/chat sessions to start electronic outreach on ESTH issues with external interlocutors/contacts in NEA region. -- Encouraging ESTH officers at NEA posts to send regular updates on ESTH issues. -- Gleaning and sharing Hub best practices from Hub officers meetings. -- Meeting regularly with diplomatic corps members to track other ESTH activities in the region. -- Possibly convening a mini-ESTH conference for all NEA FSN/LES staff involved in ESTH work in May 2009. OES funding support would increase the feasibility of this event. PROJECTED TRAVEL AND CALENDAR OF EVENTS -------------- ¶9. The following is the rough calendar of events and projected travel. Hub funding in FY08 was very tight with the marked increases in regional travel costs. Given the additional training/orientation needs for a new LES Regional Environmental Specialist, an $8,000 increase in FY09 Hub travel funding is requested. Oct 5-10: Egypt, EST Officer Conference Oct 18-20: Dead-Sea, Eco-Cites of Mediterranean Forum Oct 20-28: U.S. study tour for core party officials on wastewater reuse (EXACT Water working group) Oct 20-29: U.S. study tour for Jordan's environmental rangers and Ministry of Environment (USAID/EPA organizing) Oct 25-27: Jordan, National Energy Ratings System workshop with Department of Energy Oct 25-27: Egypt International Partnership meeting on Avian and Pandemic Influenza Oct 31-Nov 2: Jordan MEPI Breast Cancer Partnership meeting Oct/Nov (tbd): Signing of U.S.-Jordan 2008-2011 Environmental Work-plan under FTA. Nov - Feb (tbd): EPA Science fellow to support remediation planning at Russeifah landfill/phosphate mine in Jordan Nov 3-6: Kuwait ESTH meetings Nov (tbd): Tunisia ESTH meetings Nov 23-25: Lebanon ESTH meetings December 7-10: Holiday: Eid Al-Adha Dec 15-20: Oman - MEDRC Executive Council meeting + XXVII EXACT Water Working Group meeting of Core Parties Jan 19-28: Morocco/Qatar MEPI Workshop on Hazardous Waste Management + Morocco ESTH meetings Feb (tbd): Washington: MERC Committee meetings + presentations regarding U.S.-Arab Science Partnership year. Feb (tbd): Algeria and Libya trips Feb (tbd): UAE trip + Bahrain - MEPI Pollution Prevention and Cleaner Production March (tbd): Iraq and Yemen trips March 15-22: Turkey - Fifth World Water Forum including presentations by Core Parties on EXACT March/April (tbd): American Jordanian Expo on Science and Technology (Water, Energy, Environment). April (5-14): Washington: Hub Officers workshop, MERC Committee meetings, consultations AMMAN 00002783 004 OF 004 April (20-22): Syria/Riydah/other location: Earth Day Celebrations May (tbd): Aqaba and Israel meetings May (tbd): Regional Environmental Workshop for core parties (with USDA under Middle East Peace Process framework) May (tbd): FSN mini-ESTH conference (location TBD) June (tbd): Oman - MEDRC Executive Council meeting + XXVIII EXACT Water Working Group meeting of Core Parties June/July (tbd): Washington training for Regional Environmental Specialist PROPOSED TRAINING: -------------- ¶10. The following training-related activities will be undertaken by the Hub. The regional environmental specialist would visit Washington during FY09 to attend the ESTH Tradecraft course as well as other consultations. He/she would also lead the organization of the mini-ESTH conference for LES staff in the region. -- ESTH Tradecraft course for new LES (December 08 or June 09). -- Seven Habits of Highly Effective Leaders - if it coincides with next Hub officer visit to Washington; -- Amman Hub - to host mini-FSN ESTH conference in April/May 2009. Location tbd. Visit Amman's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman BEECROFT