Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09AMMAN826
2009-04-06 11:49:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

JORDAN DEVELOPING HUMAN RESOURCE CAPACITY FOR

Tags:  ENRG KNNP JO 
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VZCZCXYZ0109
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAM #0826 0961149
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 061149Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY AMMAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4810
INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 6217
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0183
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0367
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1254
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 0216
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 0258
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1559
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT 0432
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 0066
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1653
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 5459
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC
UNCLAS AMMAN 000826 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ELA, ISN/NESS, ISN/RA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ENRG KNNP JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN DEVELOPING HUMAN RESOURCE CAPACITY FOR
NUCLEAR ENERGY PROGRAM

UNCLAS AMMAN 000826

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ELA, ISN/NESS, ISN/RA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ENRG KNNP JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN DEVELOPING HUMAN RESOURCE CAPACITY FOR
NUCLEAR ENERGY PROGRAM


1. (SBU) During a DOE/NNSA Middle East Infrastructure
Preparedness Workshop in Amman from March 22-26, Commissioner
for Nuclear Fuel Cycle in the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission
(JAEC) Ned Xoubi outlined Jordan's efforts to develop human
capacity for implementing a civilian nuclear energy program.
He underscored that the Government of Jordan (GOJ) places a
high priority on this area and estimated that about 50% of
funding went towards human resource development when the
nuclear energy program started about two years ago. Xoubi
highlighted that all of Jordan's tenders for nuclear energy
infrastructure projects contain an element of training for
Jordanian engineers, geologists, chemists, and other experts
related to nuclear power, safety, and maintenance.


2. (U) Demonstrating Jordan's attention to education in the
field of nuclear energy, Xoubi mentioned that approximately
5,000 students graduate each year from Jordan's universities
with bachelors degrees in scientific fields such as physics,
chemistry, biology, health physics, electrical engineering,
mechanical engineering, and industrial engineering.
Approximately 2,000 students also graduate in scientific
fields from Jordan's community colleges. Jordan established
its first undergraduate nuclear engineering program at Jordan
University of Science and Technology (JUST) in 2007. Xoubi
said the program's structure and curriculum follows the
American university model in the 1980s, when the U.S. nuclear
energy program was more robust. Twenty students are expected
to graduate from the JUST program in 2011, 37 students in
2012, and 33 students in 2013. Jordan also has graduate
programs in nuclear physics at Jordan University in Amman,
Balqa University in Salt, and Yarmouk University in Irbid.


3. (SBU) Xoubi noted that a number of Jordanian masters
students are currently studying abroad, specifically one in
nuclear instrument and control in France, two in nuclear
physics in China, two in nuclear technology in Germany, and
two PhD students in nuclear engineering in the U.S. Xoubi
said that in most cases the foreign universities have
provided scholarships with the JAEC sometimes providing an
additional stipend. JAEC plans to advertise soon five new
scholarships to study abroad this year.


4. (SBU) COMMENT: Despite positive steps taken in this area,
it is not clear that Jordan has a comprehensive human
resource development strategy that addresses the various
manpower requirements beyond nuclear physicists. Given
Jordan's high official unemployment rate of about 13%, there
is the potential for creation of additional jobs for
Jordanians in supporting industries, for example in the
construction field which is currently dominated by foreign
workers in Jordan. The GOJ planned to send three
representatives from JAEC, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral
Resources, and the Ministry of Labor to the DOE/NNSA seminar
from March 30-April 2 in Morocco on "Human Resources for
Civil Nuclear Power: Developing a National Strategy." The
seminar presented an important opportunity for GOJ officials
to focus on such human resource issues and develop a broader
strategy.

Visit Amman's Classified Website at:
http://www.state.gov/p/nea/amman
Beecroft