Embassy Science Fellows Program 2009 - U.S. Mission

UNCLAS GENEVA 000558

SIPDIS
FODAG

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV TSPL TBIO EAGR ENRG ECON AMGT APER
EPA

SUBJECT: Embassy Science Fellows Program 2009 - U.S. Mission
Geneva


1. Subject of Proposal and General Information. U.S. Mission Geneva
Environment, Science and Technology Officer in coordination with
officers from the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) and the
Department of Health and Human Services request an Embassy Science
Fellow for a short term project in Geneva, as described below:
--Topic: Risk Assessment Process Improvement at the World Health
Organization
--Name of Relevant Ministry, University or Host Institution: World
Health Organization
--Preferred Time Frame and Length of Fellowship: Approximately one
month - September 1 to 23, 2009 proposed.
--Medical clearance not required.
--Additional Skills: Process design; database management; ability
to edit and prepare scientific documents for use in the
international food safety standards setting process under the CODEX
Alimentarius Commission.
--Security Clearance: None required, but a Secret level clearance
would be helpful in order to have access to CAA in Mission.


2. Proposal Description. The World Health Organization (WHO) is one
of two parent organizations of the Codex Alimentarius (CODEX),the
international standards setting body for food safety. (The other is
the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.) The objective of the
Risk Assessment Process Improvement project at the WHO is to provide
a short-term injection of assistance to the WHO to address
bottlenecks in its process to develop and make accessible to CODEX
member countries risk-assessment documents and reports that provide
the foundation for science-based international standards for
adoption by the Codex Alimentarius Commission. The Science Fellow
would perform a preliminary analysis of the WHO's system for
developing and disseminating risk assessment materials and make
recommendations for streamlining the process. As part of this
analysis, s/he would consult with WHO staff and selected WHO Members
in order to better understand concerns and priorities, and to
solicit recommendations. S/he may edit and prepare specific reports
that are in the WHO pipeline in order to advance consideration of
certain issues in the CODEX.


3. U.S. agricultural trade interests would be greatly served by a
more efficient process to handle risk assessment documentation at
the WHO. Currently, risk assessment documents move slowly within
the WHO bureaucracy from the drafting stage to completion and
circulation to CODEX members. These documents are extremely
important, as they form the basis for the CODEX standards setting
process, which can often take five to ten years to complete.
Bottlenecks in the WHO, therefore, create a bottleneck in the
international food safety standards setting process.


4. CODEX standards have gained significance since the 1994 WTO
Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures,
which recognizes CODEX as one of three international standards
setting bodies for agricultural products. Many countries, including
many developing countries, adopt CODEX standards for domestic use
while others take them into account in developing national
standards. The existence of CODEX food safety standards, therefore,
facilitates international trade greatly. Similarly, the absence of
CODEX standards, due in part to the slow pace of the WHO process, is
frequently a serious constraint upon U.S. agricultural exports. For
example, the lack of an international standard on the use of
chlorine-containing compounds in cleaning and preparing poultry
carcasses has kept U.S. poultry out of many international markets.



5. The Mission would like to recommend Dr. Kenneth Hinga, Office of
Science and Technology Affairs, Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA,
for selection as the Science Fellow. Dr. Hinga has extensive
academic experience, has published numerous peer-reviewed papers,
has good contacts with WHO staff, and is familiar with the CODEX
process through his current position.

6 . ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT: Administrative support requirements
would be minimal. FAS resources would be used for lodging and would
be paid directly by the Fellow. Since the actual work would take
place at the WHO, an office in the Mission and a State log-in are
not required. FAS can provide a workstation for access to the FAS
system, if needed. Check cashing privileges, in-country travel
support, mail service, and CLO services would NOT be required. The
Fellow would travel with his own cellular phone and/or Blackberry.



7. RSO/GSO CONCURRENCE: RSO and GSO concur with this proposal.

8 . CONTACT INFORMATION: EST Officer Lisa Brodey is the primary
point of contact. Telephone: 41-22-749-4309; E-mail:
Brodeylx@state.gov. The backup is: Senior Agricultural Attache
Katherine Nishiura. Telephone: 41-22-749-5223. Email:
Katherine.nishiura@fas.usda.gov.

STORELLA#