VZCZCXRO8034
PP RUEHTRO
DE RUEHTU #0068 0221627
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 221627Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY TUNIS
TO RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4326
INFO RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS PRIORITY 7595
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1406
RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT PRIORITY 0943
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1878
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT PRIORITY 8479
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI PRIORITY 0177
RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA PRIORITY 4172

UNCLAS TUNIS 000068 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA/MAG FOR HOPKINS AND HARRIS, EB/CBA (WINSTEAD/GILMAN) 
EB/TRA/AN(FINSTON), 
STATE PASS USTR (BURKHEAD) 
USDOC FOR ITA/MAC/ONE (NATE MASON), ADVOCACY CTR (REITZE) 
CASABLANCA FOR (FCS ORTIZ) 
LONDON AND PARIS FOR NEA WATCHER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD ECON KIPR SOCI TS
SUBJECT: MINISTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH SEEKS EXPERTISE AND 
INCREASED COLLABORATION WITH THE UNITED STATES 
 
REF: A. 07 TUNIS 271 
     ¶B. 07 TUNIS 212 
 
¶1. (SBU)  During the Ambassador's January 17 courtesy call, 
recently appointed Minister of Public Health Mondher Zenaidi 
said that Tunisia is seeking more cooperative projects 
between the United States and Tunisia in the health care 
field.  Specifically, the minister would like to see more 
research exchanges and partnerships in the areas of 
infectious diseases, preventative medicine, emergency 
services, and family medicine.  Zenaidi is alsointerested in 
establishing a continuing medical education program in 
Tunisia and asked for assistance in this area.  Zenaidi noted 
that Tunisia hopes to develop its pharmaceutical industry by 
manufacturing more drugs locally for export and by seeking 
partnerships with international pharmaceutical companies for 
doing research here.  Tunisia has also created a technology 
park in Sidi Thabet (north of Tunis) dedicated to scientific 
research, and competency development the biotechnology and 
pharmaceutical industries and wants to attract more US 
researchers, experts, and teachers to this park. 
 
¶2. (SBU)  The Ambassador informed Zenaidi of the upcoming 
TIFA Council meeting and suggested that the US would like to 
include a discussion of the possibilities for greater 
collaboration along these lines on the TIFA agenda.  The 
Ambassador also offered to contact the National Institutes of 
Health and other organizations to explore the posibilities 
of further collaborative research proects.  The Ambassador 
explained that the TIFA Concil would allow the GOT and the 
USG to raise an discuss all issues related to investment and 
commerce, including US pharmaceutical market access isues 
such as correlated drugs (reftels).  Zenaidisaid that his 
ministry would be happy to discussand resolve any problems 
US pharmaceutical compaie were experiencing with regard to 
correlation. The Ambassador thanked the minister for his 
fleibility in this matter and said that individual US 
pharmaceutical company representatives would be n touch. 
 
Please visit Embassy Tunis' ClassifiedWebsite at: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/tunisindex.cf m 
GODEC