CITES SCIENTIFIC AUTHORITY CAPACITY BUILDING

UNCLAS STATE 078981 SIPDIS DOI FOR EMILY KILCREASE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETRD SENV XF SUBJECT: CITES SCIENTIFIC AUTHORITY CAPACITY BUILDING WORKSHOP RABAT, MOROCCO (OCTOBER 27-30, 2009) ¶1. This is an action request: see para 5. ¶2. SUMMARY: The DOI International Technical Assistance Program (DOI-ITAP) will be conducting a four-day workshop to build capacity within Scientific Authorities for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species in Flora and Fauna (CITES) or equivalent authority. The workshop will be held in Rabat, Morocco October 27-30, 2009. Posts are asked to work with relevant environmental ministries, agencies, or commissions to nominate the appropriate candidates that match the target audience in para ¶4. END SUMMARY. ¶3. WORKSHOP BACKGROUND AND DESCRIPTION: DOI-ITAP, with funding from the Department of State's Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI),has a capacity-building program to strengthen implementation of CITES in the Middle East and North Africa region. This program focuses on strengthening CITES implementing legislation, building capacity within CITES Authorities, and building capacity within the civil society to raise awareness of endangered species and to manage protected areas that provide habitat for endangered species. DOI-ITAP works closely with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the CITES Secretariat to develop its training and capacity building activities. A similar regional workshop was held in March 2009 in Muscat, Oman to strengthen regional CITES Management Authorities. The October 2009 workshop in Morocco will build upon the work of the Oman workshop. This four day course will address the operations of and technical skills required for the successful functioning of CITES Scientific Authorities. Trainers will be drawn from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's CITES divisions and from the CITES Secretariat's Capacity Building Unit. Course Topics Include: a. Species Identification b. Non-detriment findings for import/export permits c. Species assessment for listing and de-listing d. Trade quotas e. Monitoring trade flows and data analysis f. Adaptive management techniques g. Working with customs and wildlife inspectors h. Participating on CITES Plants and Animals Committees i. Evaluating applications for captive breeding facilities and cooperative breeding programs j. Scientific collaboration on shared species The course will be preceded by an e-learning course on basic 
CITES operations. ¶4. TARGET AUDIENCE: The target audience for this workshop includes technical staff currently working in the CITES Scientific Authority for their country, or an equivalent authority for those countries that are not party to CITES. Post is encouraged to consult the list of designated CITES Scientific Authorities for each country, which can be found at http://www.cites.org/cms/index.php/lang-en/co mponent/ncd/. If funding is available after all technical scientific staff nominees are fully funded (per the list of available funding below),then other government representatives and non-government personnel will also be considered. ACTION REQUEST: ¶5. Action addressees are requested to: a) Identify candidates to participate in the course, as follows: - Algeria: two (2) candidates to be funded by MEPI; - Bahrain: two (2) candidates to be funded by MEPI; - Jordan: three (3) candidates to be funded by MEPI; - Kuwait: one (1) candidate; - Lebanon*: one (1) candidate to be funded by MEPI; - Morocco (non-Rabat): five (5) candidates to be funded by MEPI; - Oman: three (3) candidates to be funded by MEPI; - Qatar: one (1) candidate; - Tunisia: two (2) candidates to be funded by MEPI; - United Arab Emirates: one (1) candidate; - Yemen: one (1) candidate to be funded by MEPI * Additional funding may be available for NGO participation from these countries. Participants from Algeria, Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco (non-Rabat),Oman, Tunisia and Yemen will have their expenses covered by MEPI funds. All other participants will have to pay their own expenses. There is no registration fee for the workshop. b) Inform the appropriate host government agencies about the workshop and work with them to identify appropriate candidates. Host government agencies should submit nominees to Post no later than COB August 20, 2009. Department encourages posts to ensure that each applicant's past and present performance and conduct are closely examined for official or unofficial acts that would preclude participation in this course, including: human rights violations; violations of criminal statutes; any other conduct that would call into question the applicant's honesty, integrity, or character. c) Cable or email the list of vetted nominated candidates and their passport numbers, dates of birth, email addresses, and telephone and fax numbers by COB August 20, 2009 to Embassy Amman for the attention of Environmental Hub Officer, Manu Bhalla. Hub Officer will forward the names of all nominated candidates to DOI-ITAP for their consideration and possible action. Please include Yara AbuLaban (AbulabanYM@state.gov) Environment Development Assistant in Embassy Amman on all correspondence. All logistics for MEPI funded candidates will be handled by DOI-ITAP. d) Posts are to nominate a POC for this activity for any further queries and logistical issues related to that country's participation. Also, please note that DOI-ITAP will be handling all logistics for the workshop, including assistance for both MEPI and self-funded participants. Therefore, it is important that the Posts and DOI-ITAP coordinate this effort together. The DOI-ITAP POC is Emily Kilcrease (emily kilcrease@ios.doi.gov; 202-208-7103). All costs for MEPI funded participants will be handled by DOI-ITAP. ADDITIONAL COURSE DETAILS: ¶6. The workshop will be co-hosted by the Moroccan High Commission for Water, Forests and the Fight against Desertification and will be conducted in French, English and Arabic. Written workshop materials will be provided in French, English and Arabic. The workshop will accommodate a maximum of 25 participants, and additional participants may be considered on a space available basis. Additional participants will need to be responsible for their own expenses and logistics, however. ¶7. For the delivery in Rabat, Morocco, participants should plan to arrive in Rabat on October 26 and depart on October 30 or 31, 2009. Dress for the workshop will be "business casual". ¶8. If posts have any questions or need assistance, please contact: DOI: Emily Kilcrease Tel: 202-208-7103 Fax: 202-501-6381 Email: emily kilcreas@ios.doi.gov Embassy Amman Environmental Hub Officer: Manu Bhalla Tel: 9626-590-6621 Email: BhallaM@state.gov Embassy Amman Environment Development Assistant: Yara AbuLaban Tel: 9626-590-6356 Email: AbuLabanYM@state.gov Embassy Rabat EST Officer: Jai Nair Tel: 212-537-76-22-65 x 2136 Email: NairJL@state.gov OES/ENV : Dao Mary Do; Tel: 202-647-4833 Email: DoD43075@state.gov ¶9. Department, Embassy Rabat, and USDOI appreciate the continued efforts of Posts to make the MEPI capacity building program a success. CLINTON