Changes in Jordan's S&T Establishment Likely to Impact U.S.

UNCLAS AMMAN 001880

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ELA, NEA/RA, AND OES/STC
STATE PASS TO NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
STATE ALSO PASS TO NIH/INTERNATIONAL
STATE ALSO PASS TO USAID
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EPA FOR INTERNATIONAL
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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TSPL SENV PREL EAID TBIO TPHY ETRD PINR JO
SUBJECT: Changes in Jordan's S&T Establishment Likely to Impact U.S.
Collaboration

REF: A. Amman 1676

B. State 71325

C. 08 Amman 2154

(U) SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION


1. (SBU) Summary: A new Secretary General at the Higher Council
for Science and Technology (HCST),and other changes in Jordan's S&T
establishment will challenge us to maintain the momentum under the
U.S.-Jordan S&T agreement, which has had mixed success. Jordan's
Scientific Research Fund, established in 2008, has accumulated
almost $21 million in its first year, becoming a valuable source of
indigenous S&T funding. Jordanian S&T institutions are relatively
weak and their standing and influence could be bolstered through
timely implementation of S&T plans related to the President's June 4
Cairo speech and regular engagement at more senior levels in the
GOJ. End Summary.

Changes in Jordan's S&T Establishment
--------------


2. (U) The Higher Council for Science and Technology (HCST) serves
as the lead Jordanian government agency for the U.S.-Jordan S&T
agreement and hosted the July 2008 S&T Joint Committee Meetings
(JCM) in Amman (ref C). Dr. Anwar Battikhi resigned as HCST
Secretary General in June 2009, leading to several other changes in
Jordan's S&T establishment. Dr. Adel Tweisi, a former Minister of
Culture, is the new HCST Secretary General and Omar Hamarneh has
been appointed Executive Director for the Al Hassan Science City
(AHSC),where HCST, the Royal Scientific Society (RSS),and the
Princess Sumaya University of Technology are housed. Princess
Sumaya continues in her role as the Chairperson of the AHSC and
President of RSS. Since the appointment of Dr. Tweisi, several key
HCST staffers who participated in the JCM have also left for
unspecified reasons.

New Leadership and New Plans
--------------


3. (U) Tweisi highlighted during ESTHOff's August 16 meeting, his
key priorities for HCST which include developing a National
Information System for S&T efforts in Jordan, eventually leading to
an S&T Observatory to track and analyze the results of Jordanian S&T
efforts. One notable success in Jordan's S&T efforts is the 2008
establishment of a Scientific Research Fund (SRF) under the
authority of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific
Research. The SRF receives one percent of the profits of publicly
traded companies and in its first year has garnered almost JD15
million ($21 million) in funding with a significant portion
available for research grants. This indigenous funding source could
provide a boost to many local scientists. HCST plans to use a SRF
grant to help develop Jordan's research strategy over the next ten
years and also to provide training for Jordanian scientists on
research proposal writing skills.


4. (SBU) Hamarneh and Dr. Khaled Khalaleh, Vice President of RSS,
elaborated on AHSC plans to enhance the cohesiveness amongst the
organizations housed at AHSC. A British contractor (Arap) has been
hired to develop a physical plan for AHSC which includes the
establishment of a solar array at AHSC to feed into the national
grid by March 2010. Special legislation to designate AHSC as a
special zone with tax and investment benefits, however, has stalled
recently with the Jordanian government apparently suggesting AHSC
could be wrapped under the Special Development Zones Commission, a
special body created in 2008 to promote investment and economic
development in designated zones. RSS also plans to open a new Water
Research Center focused on Jordanian water resource issues.

Impact on U.S.-Jordan Collaborative Activities
-------------- -


5. (SBU) The July 2008 JCM resulted in the formation of six working
groups (WG) (ref C). The energy WG has successfully held two
workshops to develop green building envelope standards, the health
WG resulted in the signing of a clinical research training agreement
between NIH and HCST, and the agricultural WG has produced some
collaborative activities as well. The innovation WG expects to hold
a technology transfer workshop in Amman in October 2009. However,
the education WG has stalled and is likely to be discontinued given
a lack of definition by the Jordanian members, and Water and
Environment WG will need to regroup following an unsuccessful
$900,000 proposal to USAID.


Follow-Up the President's Cairo Speech
--------------


6. (U) ESTHoff shared with the scientific community some of the key
deliverables outlined in the President's June 4 speech related to
entrepreneurship and S&T and sought feedback from HCST, RSS, and
AHSC (ref B). Some of their suggestions include:
-- An initiative for the National Institute for Standards and
Technology (NIST) to establish a regional science and technology
training center in Jordan through a partnership with HCST, RSS, and
the Jordan Institution for Standards and Metrology. (This was
originally proposed during the JCM);
-- Developing centers of excellence in the fields of biomedical
research (a confluence of Jordanian strengths in the IT and medical
fields);
-- Promoting research opportunities in advanced materials such as
nanotechnology; and
-- Promoting opportunities for SME establishment in Jordan in
partnership with U.S. based organizations seeking outsourcing
opportunities.


7. (SBU) Comment: Tweisi is the third HCST Secretary General in
the last two years. The frequent turnover at HCST and the departure
of many key JCM participants does not bode well for continuity and
follow-through. Tweisi appeared more focused on future AHSC plans
and developing a National S&T Information System for Jordan than on
providing additional momentum to the JCM and the WGs. Our S&T
collaboration with HCST will require a "re-set." It will be critical
to maintain momentum in the WGs that have produced successful
results, although the outcomes will likely continue to be mixed
given the lack of dedicated funding and their self initiating
structures. Fortunately, our strong bilateral S&T collaboration
extends beyond HCST and the AHSC to many other establishments in
Jordan such as the Jordan University for Science and Technology.
There is also strong momentum outside of the JCM framework in water,
environment, energy, and health issues based on USAID and other USG
initiatives. Nevertheless, the S&T establishment in Jordan
continues to play second fiddle to many other government agencies
and frequent HCST turn-over and the lack of legislative support for
AHSC plans is also indicative of the relative weakness of S&T
institutions. Prompt implementation of S&T plans related to the
President's speech could help alter this situation and discussions
at a more senior level of the GOJ can help to ensure adequate buy-in
and a commitment for long-term sustainability. End Comment.

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