PRESIDENTIAL ENVOY ZERHOUNI BRINGS MESSAGE OF SCIENCE AND

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS FR 000185

State for IO
Department for Office of Environment and Science

SIPDIS

E.O. 12598: N/A
TAGS: EAID KPAO UNESCO SCUL
SUBJECT: PRESIDENTIAL ENVOY ZERHOUNI BRINGS MESSAGE OF SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENT IN MUSLIM COMMUNITIES TO UNESCO


1. (SBU) Summary: On February 10, Presidential Science Envoy Dr.
Elias Zerhouni inaugurated his first official trip with a stop at
UNESCO, where he met with key ambassadors, secretariat staff and the
director general to promote President Obama's agenda of enhanced
scientific and technological cooperation with the Muslim world. His
message that data and information must be transformed into real,
practical knowledge and that knowledge in turn must be transformed
into jobs and economic development resonated deeply with his
audience. Following the program at UNESCO, PAS Paris arranged a
press roundtable with Dr. Zerhouni and journalists from several Arab
and Muslim media outlets. End Summary.


2. (SBU) On February 10, Ambassador Killion hosted a roundtable
discussion with Dr. Zerhouni, UNESCO secretariat staff and
ambassadors and deputies from Nigeria, Morocco, Pakistan, Saudi
Arabia, Egypt, Malaysia, Senegal, Algeria and Afghanistan and ISESCO
(the Islamic Science, Education, and Cultural Organization). In his
remarks, Zerhouni noted that the Science Envoy initiative was not
solely a U.S.-Muslim dialogue, but a global one; how can we share
our knowledge to create local solutions, he asked. He mentioned
three key elements of the program: using modern technologies to
create opportunities; creating systems that fosters enterprise
within individual countries at local levels; and creating centers of
excellence that would build competencies that would lead to jobs in
the real economy -- and not just deliver diplomas -- in key areas
such as food and water security, renewable energy, climate change
and public health.


3. (SBU) Zerhouni also articulated the need for "informationists" -
information specialists who could transform data into real knowledge
at local levels. He also cited the need for science policy centers,
as currently there are no real standards on how to transfer
technology between organizations or governments. Responding to the
Malaysian ambassador, who lamented that while the Islamic world was
once the center of scientific innovation, since 1901 there have been
only two Muslim Nobel laureates in the sciences, Zerhouni called for
greater access to digital networks highlighting Islam's scientific
heritage, but also greater access to contemporary scientific
resources.


4. (SBU) UNESCO's acting deputy director general, Hans D'Orville,
expressed great enthusiasm for Zerhouni's words and his meeting with
UNESCO and noted the very close alignment of UNESCO's goals and
mandate and that of the envoy program. He described UNESCO as giving
only ad hoc advice to member states, and as falling behind in
creating real, sustainable networks. The Nigerian ambassador,
referring to President Obama's Cairo speech, suggested that Muslim
states create parallel science envoys at their own embassies, and
also urged that local initiatives, such as the Nigerian Science
Fund, needed support.


5. (SBU) Both the Egyptian and Senegalese deputies questioned the
merit of describing this program as one for the "Muslim" world,
rather than the "developing" world. Investment and cooperation
between African countries needed to be strengthened, across
religious lines. Zerhouni agreed with this, but stated that
President Obama had chosen the Muslim world as his starting point,
but that the impact must be global. He also said that after
listening to the discussion, he would take on board the ideas that
south-south networking must be encouraged, and that each country's
unique challenges merited a "bottom-up" approach.


6. (SBU) In a separate meeting with Director-General Irina Bokova,
Zerhouni emphasized the importance of science and technology
programs that would have real impact and would lead to
entrepreneurship and wealth creation. He proposed the idea of a
UNESCO workshop on the theme "Nexus of Science and Technology
Education and Job Creation," stating that there is no good,
comprehensive study of the subject. The Director-General said that
she would seriously consider the idea.


7. (SBU) Zerhouni reiterated his earlier message that there was a
need for centers of excellence which would train students in real
competencies, and not just deliver diplomas. Science education must
also include programs for women, as well as for young males whose
unemployment remains the greatest factor in instability in fragile
parts of the world. Talking about sharing scientific and
technological expertise, he said, "Science and technology do not
have borders," and can be enhanced by ICTs.


8. (SBU) The Director-General expressed her delight with Zerhouni's
message, also noting the parallels with UNESCO's work. She asked for
continued support of the SESAME (Middle East regional synchrotron)
project, and spoke of UNESCO's skill at being an honest broker, with
a primary role in bridge-building and creating inclusive societies.
In response to Zerhouni's question on how to improve universities in
target countries, she mentioned ICTs for teacher training and a
focus on quality education. Both agreed that it was critical to
increase and promote capacities in science and technology in order

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to for real development to take place.


9. (SBU) Comment: Dr. Zerhouni could not have presented a better
message to our UNESCO colleagues. As he pointed out in all his
conversations, the synergies between the science envoy program and
UNESCO's own mandate are significant. Our audience responded with
delight and enthusiasm, and expressed a real commitment to work
together on creating greater access to science and technology in the
Muslim world, as well as on a global level. We would like to invite
Dr. Zerhouni to return to UNESCO as he and the other science envoys
develop their ideas and possible projects. We will also follow up
with the secretariat on his suggestion of a UNESCO workshop. End
comment.

Killion