Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09UNVIEVIENNA153
2009-04-08 12:27:00
UNCLASSIFIED
UNVIE
Cable title:
IAEA/TC: REQUEST FOR EXTRABUDGETARY FUNDING FOR AFRA
how-toVZCZCXYZ0005 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHUNV #0153/01 0981227 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 081227Z APR 09 FM USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9278 INFO RUEHII/VIENNA IAEA POSTS COLLECTIVE RUEHDR/AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM 0032 RHMCSUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC RUEANFA/NRC WASHDC RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS UNVIE VIENNA 000153
SIPDIS
STATE FOR IO/T, ISN/MNSA, ISN/RA AND G
PLS PASS USAID
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID KNNP PREL SOCI TRGY XA
SUBJECT: IAEA/TC: REQUEST FOR EXTRABUDGETARY FUNDING FOR AFRA
PROJECT
--------------------------
SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST
--------------------------
UNCLAS UNVIE VIENNA 000153
SIPDIS
STATE FOR IO/T, ISN/MNSA, ISN/RA AND G
PLS PASS USAID
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID KNNP PREL SOCI TRGY XA
SUBJECT: IAEA/TC: REQUEST FOR EXTRABUDGETARY FUNDING FOR AFRA
PROJECT
--------------
SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST
--------------
1. (U) Mission received a letter from the Permanent Mission of
Tanzania on March 6, 2009 requesting USG extrabudgetary funding for
seven specific programs under the IAEA's regional technical
cooperation (TC) project for Africa, the African Regional
Cooperative Agreement for Research Development and Training Related
to Nuclear Science and Technology (AFRA). Tanzania, in its capacity
as the AFRA Chair, requests a response at our earliest possible
convenience. The projects cover the areas of human health, water
management, regulatory infrastructure, and research reactor safety.
2. (U) ACTION REQUEST: Mission requests response to AFRA's appeal
for funding. END SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST.
--------------
AFRA
--------------
3. (U) AFRA currently consists of 32 African countries. These
countries work together to maximize the utilization of available
infrastructure and expertise in Africa in the field of nuclear
science and technology, and to accelerate regional self-sufficiency
in peaceful applications of nuclear technology. For the 2009-2011
TC cycle, about USD 27.8 million is earmarked from the Agency's
Technical Cooperation Fund (TCF) to support regional cooperation,
which represents 37.5 percent of the total TCF budget allotted for
Africa. AFRA will have to raise extrabudgetary contributions from
individual member states to achieve all its goals for this cycle.
--------------
PROJECTS IN NEED
--------------
4.(U) For the 2009-2011 TC Cycle, AFRA hopes to implement seven
projects. They are:
(1) RAF0031 - Promoting Human Resources Development and Nuclear
Knowledge Management;
(2) RAF2008 - Strengthening and Expanding Radiopharmacy Services in
Africa;
(3) RAF3006 - Improving Waste Management Infrastructure in Africa;
(4) RAF4022 - Enhancing Research Reactor Utilization and Safety;
(5) RAF6040 - Applying Molecular Techniques to Inventions Against
the Major Poverty Related Diseases (HIV, TB and Malaria) for
Improving Disease Control;
(6) RAF8048 - Building Capacity in Support of Regional and
Sub-regional Programs Related to the Characterization of Shared
Water Resources; and
(7) RAF9038 - Promoting Self Assessment of Regulatory
Infrastructures for Safety and Networking of Regulatory Bodies in
Africa. Each is described in detail below.
5. (U) RAF0031 - Promoting Human Resources Development (HRD) and
Nuclear Knowledge Management (NKM) objective is to facilitate
operation and networking in higher education, training, and related
research in nuclear science and technology in the African region
through (1) Sharing of information and materials of nuclear
education and training; (2) developing harmonized approaches for
education in nuclear science and technology in Africa by
establishing reference curricula and facilitating mutual recognition
of degrees; (3) promoting effective cooperation and sharing of
resources and capabilities at the national and regional level; (4)
facilitating the exchange of students, teachers and researchers; and
(5) serving as facilitator for communication between the network
member organizations and other regional and global networks.
6. (U) RAF2008- Strengthening and Expanding Radiopharmacy Services
in Africa's objective is to strengthen radiopharmacy in support of
in-vivo and in-vitro nuclear medicine in Africa. End users will be
hospital radiopharmacies and the beneficiaries will be patients who
need treatment.
7. (U) RAF3006 - Improving Waste Management Infrastructure in
Africa's objective is to continuously improve radioactive waste
management infrastructure in AFRA member states. Industry,
particularly in the field of oil and mining, medical and research
institutions will be the beneficiaries of this project.
8. (U) RAF4022- Enhancing Research Reactor Utilization and
Safety's objective is to optimize effective utilization and safety
of research reactors to support the socio-economic development in
AFRA Member States. Beneficiaries will be Member States involved in
research reactor utilization including those considering nuclear
power as energy source.
9. (U) RAF6040- Applying Molecular Techniques to Inventions
Against the Major Poverty Related Diseases (HIV, TB, and Malaria)
for Improving Disease Control's objective is to apply molecular
techniques for improving disease control through cross-cutting
approaches to optimize interventions against HIV, tuberculosis and
malaria. Target beneficiaries will include disease control
programs, patients, communities, clinicians, scientists,
laboratories, academic institutions, involved in or affected by
prevention and treatment of HIV, TB and malaria, in selected Agency
and World Health Organization (WHO)-AFRO Member States.
10. (U) RAF8048- Building Capacity in Support of Regional and
Sub-regional Programs Related to the Characterization of Shared
Water Resources' objectives is to develop Africa's capacity and self
reliance to integrate isotope techniques in the planning,
development and sustained management of water resources of the
region by supporting and enhancing regional
designated centers for human resources training and provision of
analytical services.
11. (U) RAF9038- Promoting Self Assessment of Regulatory
Infrastructures for Safety and Networking of Regulatory Bodies in
Africa's objective is to enhance and continuously improve the
performance of regulatory systems and conform to the requirements of
international standards through self assessment and enhanced
regional cooperation.
--------------
COMMENT AND RECOMMENDATION
--------------
12. (U) The Africa Region continues to take a proactive role in
shaping its regional TC priorities. The seven projects above are
all beneficial to USG foreign assistance objectives as well as being
directly related to concerns for safety, security, and safeguards.
Mission recommends STATE-ISN review the AFRA request to see if
funding priorities align and extrabudgetary funds could be given to
one or more projects. We would also welcome USAID advice on where
complementarities might be found between USG projects and TC
projects in this area.
SCHULTE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR IO/T, ISN/MNSA, ISN/RA AND G
PLS PASS USAID
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID KNNP PREL SOCI TRGY XA
SUBJECT: IAEA/TC: REQUEST FOR EXTRABUDGETARY FUNDING FOR AFRA
PROJECT
--------------
SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST
--------------
1. (U) Mission received a letter from the Permanent Mission of
Tanzania on March 6, 2009 requesting USG extrabudgetary funding for
seven specific programs under the IAEA's regional technical
cooperation (TC) project for Africa, the African Regional
Cooperative Agreement for Research Development and Training Related
to Nuclear Science and Technology (AFRA). Tanzania, in its capacity
as the AFRA Chair, requests a response at our earliest possible
convenience. The projects cover the areas of human health, water
management, regulatory infrastructure, and research reactor safety.
2. (U) ACTION REQUEST: Mission requests response to AFRA's appeal
for funding. END SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST.
--------------
AFRA
--------------
3. (U) AFRA currently consists of 32 African countries. These
countries work together to maximize the utilization of available
infrastructure and expertise in Africa in the field of nuclear
science and technology, and to accelerate regional self-sufficiency
in peaceful applications of nuclear technology. For the 2009-2011
TC cycle, about USD 27.8 million is earmarked from the Agency's
Technical Cooperation Fund (TCF) to support regional cooperation,
which represents 37.5 percent of the total TCF budget allotted for
Africa. AFRA will have to raise extrabudgetary contributions from
individual member states to achieve all its goals for this cycle.
--------------
PROJECTS IN NEED
--------------
4.(U) For the 2009-2011 TC Cycle, AFRA hopes to implement seven
projects. They are:
(1) RAF0031 - Promoting Human Resources Development and Nuclear
Knowledge Management;
(2) RAF2008 - Strengthening and Expanding Radiopharmacy Services in
Africa;
(3) RAF3006 - Improving Waste Management Infrastructure in Africa;
(4) RAF4022 - Enhancing Research Reactor Utilization and Safety;
(5) RAF6040 - Applying Molecular Techniques to Inventions Against
the Major Poverty Related Diseases (HIV, TB and Malaria) for
Improving Disease Control;
(6) RAF8048 - Building Capacity in Support of Regional and
Sub-regional Programs Related to the Characterization of Shared
Water Resources; and
(7) RAF9038 - Promoting Self Assessment of Regulatory
Infrastructures for Safety and Networking of Regulatory Bodies in
Africa. Each is described in detail below.
5. (U) RAF0031 - Promoting Human Resources Development (HRD) and
Nuclear Knowledge Management (NKM) objective is to facilitate
operation and networking in higher education, training, and related
research in nuclear science and technology in the African region
through (1) Sharing of information and materials of nuclear
education and training; (2) developing harmonized approaches for
education in nuclear science and technology in Africa by
establishing reference curricula and facilitating mutual recognition
of degrees; (3) promoting effective cooperation and sharing of
resources and capabilities at the national and regional level; (4)
facilitating the exchange of students, teachers and researchers; and
(5) serving as facilitator for communication between the network
member organizations and other regional and global networks.
6. (U) RAF2008- Strengthening and Expanding Radiopharmacy Services
in Africa's objective is to strengthen radiopharmacy in support of
in-vivo and in-vitro nuclear medicine in Africa. End users will be
hospital radiopharmacies and the beneficiaries will be patients who
need treatment.
7. (U) RAF3006 - Improving Waste Management Infrastructure in
Africa's objective is to continuously improve radioactive waste
management infrastructure in AFRA member states. Industry,
particularly in the field of oil and mining, medical and research
institutions will be the beneficiaries of this project.
8. (U) RAF4022- Enhancing Research Reactor Utilization and
Safety's objective is to optimize effective utilization and safety
of research reactors to support the socio-economic development in
AFRA Member States. Beneficiaries will be Member States involved in
research reactor utilization including those considering nuclear
power as energy source.
9. (U) RAF6040- Applying Molecular Techniques to Inventions
Against the Major Poverty Related Diseases (HIV, TB, and Malaria)
for Improving Disease Control's objective is to apply molecular
techniques for improving disease control through cross-cutting
approaches to optimize interventions against HIV, tuberculosis and
malaria. Target beneficiaries will include disease control
programs, patients, communities, clinicians, scientists,
laboratories, academic institutions, involved in or affected by
prevention and treatment of HIV, TB and malaria, in selected Agency
and World Health Organization (WHO)-AFRO Member States.
10. (U) RAF8048- Building Capacity in Support of Regional and
Sub-regional Programs Related to the Characterization of Shared
Water Resources' objectives is to develop Africa's capacity and self
reliance to integrate isotope techniques in the planning,
development and sustained management of water resources of the
region by supporting and enhancing regional
designated centers for human resources training and provision of
analytical services.
11. (U) RAF9038- Promoting Self Assessment of Regulatory
Infrastructures for Safety and Networking of Regulatory Bodies in
Africa's objective is to enhance and continuously improve the
performance of regulatory systems and conform to the requirements of
international standards through self assessment and enhanced
regional cooperation.
--------------
COMMENT AND RECOMMENDATION
--------------
12. (U) The Africa Region continues to take a proactive role in
shaping its regional TC priorities. The seven projects above are
all beneficial to USG foreign assistance objectives as well as being
directly related to concerns for safety, security, and safeguards.
Mission recommends STATE-ISN review the AFRA request to see if
funding priorities align and extrabudgetary funds could be given to
one or more projects. We would also welcome USAID advice on where
complementarities might be found between USG projects and TC
projects in this area.
SCHULTE