EMBASSY SCIENCE FELLOWS PROGRAM 2009 (HUNGARY)

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BUDAPEST 000151 SIPDIS OES/STC FOR EILEEN KANE; OES/PCI FOR NINA FITE AND PATRICK HUDAK; EUR/PGI FOR NICK MANRING AND DAVID TESSLER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV TSPL TBIO EAGR ENRG ECON AMGT APER EPA ASEC, XH, ZJ, HU SUBJECT: EMBASSY SCIENCE FELLOWS PROGRAM 2009 (HUNGARY) REF: STATE 10843 ¶1. In response to reftel, Embassy Budapest would like to submit the following requests for Embassy Science Fellows. Current point of contact for these proposals is outgoing ESTH Hub Officer Camille Hill, HillCD2@state.gov, 36-1-475-4956. Ms. Hill will depart post May 19 and her successor, Sam Kotis, KotisS@state.gov, 36-1-475-4956, will serve as POC after his arrival in mid-May. Regional Renewable Energy Outreach and Promotion to Central and Eastern Europe -------------- -------------- ¶2. Background: One of the Hub,s Goals and Objectives on Environment is support of USG climate policy and promotion of clean energy. Key elements of this support have included following up on pledges made at the Washington International Renewable Energy conference in March 2008, seeking ways and resources to bring in U.S. expert speakers, and working with Commercial officers at posts to attract U.S. clean energy companies to the region. Hub officer has found in the course of her regional travels that USG achievements in the field of renewable energy are not well known in Central and Eastern Europe. While there is great excitement in the region about the Obama Administration,s new direction on climate change, and governments and stakeholders are eager to hear more from the new Administration about renewable energy, the perception persists that the U.S. is behind the curve on this issue. The recent natural gas crisis has heightened interest in alternatives to dependence on Russian gas. The Hub believes that a sustained outreach campaign by an energy expert publicizing the good news story about the many USG achievements on renewable energy and encouraging the uptake of renewable energy by countries of the Central and Eastern European Region would be helpful in nurturing productive interactions with these governments at the UNFCC COP-15 in December 2009 in Copenhagen. The energy expert could also assist Posts in identifying market opportunities for U.S. clean energy firms in the region. ¶3. Proposed work program: The Science Fellow will be charged with one principal task: developing and implementing a regional outreach plan in coordination with the Department, ESTH, FCS, FAS, PAS and Posts. The outreach plan should include: publicizing USG achievements and initiatives on renewable energy, promoting the uptake of renewable energy, and identifying market opportunities for U.S. clean energy firms. The fellow should draft one or more reporting cables on these activities. The vision is that the outreach plan would be developed prior to the fellow's arrival in Budapest. Budapest would serve as a European base of operations for the fellow during the month of November, with the fellow spending the majority of that month traveling in the region. ¶4. Area of expertise: Knowledge of USG and U.S. private sector renewable energy technologies, policies and priorities. Experience in public speaking and outreach. ¶5. Timeframe: One month in November 2009. Other timeframes might be considered pending availability of TDY housing. ¶6. Housing and office space: The Embassy will provide housing in Budapest, likely a furnished one-bedroom apartment, office space at the Embassy, and in-country travel and logistical support, as needed. In-country travel and logistical support will be funded from the Hub budget. ¶7. Medical and security clearance requirements: Per reftel, a medical clearance is required for TDYs exceeding 30 days. A security clearance is not required as we plan to provide office space outside the CAA, but an employee with a security clearance level of secret or above would have access to the CAA. ¶8. Travel funds outside Hungary: The Hub,s travel budget is not sufficient to support the proposed regional outreach activities, and Post does not have other funds available for this activity. Post requests that the fellow come with blanket travel orders for the Hub's 20-country region to be funded by the fellow,s home agency. The 20 country region includes: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Georgia, Hungary, Kosovo, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Serbia, and Ukraine. We recommend a funding level of 10,000 USD or more to facilitate a robust outreach plan. BUDAPEST 00000151 002 OF 003 ¶9. Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Impact: Although Hungary is not a member of the OIC, two countries in the Hub,s region are: Albania and Azerbaijan. Bosnia and Herzegovina, also in the Hub,s region, is an observer. Budapest is a convenient point of departure for travel to another OIC member, Turkey, which is the seat of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization, another possible avenue of outreach on renewable energy to many of the countries of the Hub,s region. The coordination of the outreach plan prior to the fellow's arrival will allow focusing the proposed month of outreach on target countries consistent with the priorities of the Department and other concerned agencies. Healthy Lifestyles Promotion Outreach and Advice -------------- --- ¶10. Background: One of the Hub,s Goals and Objectives on Health is supporting Ambassadorial outreach activities in Hungary underlining the importance of healthy lifestyles and early screening in addressing preventable/treatable health problems such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, alcoholism, and breast cancer. Hungarians have the lowest life expectancy in the OECD (72.4 years on average; 68.39 years for men and 76.84 years for women) and its rate of increase over the last 20 years has been much slower than in the rest of the region. In 2000, Hungary had 160 alcohol-related deaths per 100,000, more than double the EU-15 average. Annually 28-30,000 Hungarians die as a result of smoking, and smoking-related health care costs reached 1.4 billion USD in 2004. Thirty-five percent of the population smoke, and forty percent of the population under 20 smoke regularly. Ambassador Foley has made promoting healthy lifestyles one of her central themes when visiting various parts of Hungary, and local communities have frequently expressed an interest in assistance in reducing smoking and drinking among their populations. The proposed Science Fellow,s activities would respond to these requests and complement Hungary,s National Program for the Decade of Health, launched in 2003, which currently focuses more on encouraging participation in government-funded free health screenings than on changing lifestyles. The proposed outreach would also amplify the message of a new campaign launched in February 2009 by an association of media and advertising agencies, supported by Pfizer, to stress that individuals have the power to make choices that will improve their own health and that of their loved ones. ¶11. Proposed work program: The Science Fellow will be charged with three principal tasks. First, the fellow must develop a plan for outreach to local communities in coordination with PAS, ESTH, and the Front Office. Second, the fellow should liaise with Hungarian Government officials from the Ministry of Health and other relevant agencies, as needed, to coordinate the outreach program with the GOH,s healthy lifestyles campaign and offer technical advice as appropriate. Third, the fellow should conduct outreach to the staff of private medical facilities to encourage complementary healthy lifestyles' promotion activities. The fellow should draft one or more reporting cables evaluating the effectiveness of GOH and private sector efforts to promote healthy lifestyles. ¶12. Area of expertise: Medical credentials, preferably an MD. Experience treating patients with conditions arising from abuse of alcohol and/or cigarettes or in treatment programs to combat addiction to alcohol and/or cigarettes. Experience in public speaking and outreach. Experience in developing and implementing outreach campaigns on the dangers of smoking and drinking. Hungarian language skills are desirable but not required. ¶13. Timeframe: One month in January or March 2010 (following the major holiday celebration periods of the New Year and Carnival). Other timeframes might be considered pending availability of TDY housing. ¶14. Housing and office space: The Embassy will provide housing in Budapest, likely a furnished one bedroom apartment, office space at the Embassy, and in-country travel and logistical support, as needed. In-country travel and logistical support will be funded from the Hub budget. ¶15. Medical and security clearance requirements: Per reftel, a medical clearance is required for TDYs exceeding 30 days. A security clearance is not required as we plan to provide office space outside the CAA, but an employee with a BUDAPEST 00000151 003 OF 003 security clearance level of secret or above would have access to the CAA. Foley