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P 151824Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY LA PAZ
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6455
INFO RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 7596
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 4965
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 8870
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RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 5934
RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 0551
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0910
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LA PAZ 000315 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EEB/TPP/ABT JFINN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ENRG EAGR ECON SENV BL
SUBJECT: BOLIVIA REQUEST FOR EEB FY08 BIOTECH FUNDS 
 
REF: A. LA PAZ 2928 
 
     ¶B. LIMA 226 
 
 
BACKGROUND 
---------- 
 
¶1.    Post appreciates the opportunity to request funding for 
agricultural biotech initiatives and the chance to work with 
Embassy Peru and the OES Hub in South America to explore the 
issues facing biofuel development in the two Andean nations. 
Both Bolivia and Peru hold great promise as producers of 
biofuels.  Both countries contain large areas of arable land, 
favorable climates, rural employment needs, and 
infrastructure amenable to transportation of fuels to Pacific 
ports (Bolivia through an under-used petroleum pipeline per 
Ref A).  Unlike Peru, the central government in Bolivia is 
officially opposed to biofuels, yet in Eastern Bolivia 
businesses and even the local governments are pushing to take 
advantage of the perceived opportunities. Moreover, contacts 
within government ministries indicate that biofuel 
development is being vigorously debated, despite official 
opposition.  Rhetoric surrounding the topic is pervasive, and 
government officials and potential private sector investors 
need more accurate and comprehensive information. 
 
SUMMARY OF PROPOSAL 
------------------- 
 
¶2.  In conjunction with Embassy Lima's program, Post proposes 
a series of 2 workshops of 1 1/2 day duration in June 2008 to 
explore opportunities for biofuel production within Bolivia. 
These conferences will seek to open a regional dialogue on 
the advantages and disadvantages of biofuel production 
through discussion of three interrelated topics: 
Environmental Concerns and Sustainability, Social Challenges, 
and Economic Risks and Opportunities.  Experts with practical 
experience in the South American context will be brought 
together with leaders in the governmental, academic, 
business, and non-profit sectors.  Presentations will be 
combined with workshops where actual private sector project 
proposals can be presented, government concerns can be 
expressed and discussed, and different models of biofuels 
development and biotechnology application can be debated. In 
Bolivia conferences would be held in Santa Cruz and in La 
Paz.  Speakers will then continue on to Peru (see Ref B for 
Peruvian proposal). 
 
PROPOSED SPEAKERS AND PARTICIPANTS 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  Post plans to sponsor three speakers to travel to each of 
the workshop sites, one for each area of focus.  To address 
Environmental Concerns and Sustainability, Post proposes Tim 
Killeen from Conservation International.  Killeen is an 
American citizen based in Santa Cruz with expertise in 
tropical agriculture and biofuel development in the Amazon 
Basin.  For Social Concerns, Post proposes bringing in an 
Andean region biodiesel production plant manager.  Currently 
we are considering Miguel Mazorra, who manages a cooperative 
palm oil plantation in Columbia, but we are also seeking to 
identify a U.S. citizen with management experience in the 
region.  Finally, to explore the Economic Risks and 
Opportunities in Bolivia and Peru, Post recommends Dr. Miguel 
Dabdoub from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.  Dabdoub 
has vast experience in the area and has collaborated with 
Brazilian, European, and American companies building 
biodiesel plants.  He is responsible for the BiodieselBrasil 
Program, a partnership with 30 private companies and five 
other Brazilian universities.  Dabdoub is also the President 
of the Biofuels Chamber of the Sao Paulo State Government. 
 
¶4.  In addition to the regional speakers, the conferences 
will provide an opportunity for local government and private 
sector leaders in Bolivia and Peru to express their points of 
 
LA PAZ 00000315  002 OF 002 
 
 
view.  Additionally, Embassy La Paz is seeking cooperation 
from the British Embassy (through their environmental 
programs) and the Brazilian Embassy, as well as export 
associations, local businesses, and the Ministries of 
Environment and Small Business Development. 
 
FUNDING REQUEST 
--------------- 
 
¶5.    The workshops will be jointly sponsored and funded by 
OES HUB South America with a contribution of $5,000.  Embassy 
La Paz is requesting $10,000 to cover the costs of speaker 
travel from the U.S., Brazil and within Peru and Bolivia. 
 
¶6.  Travel, lodging and MIE for Economic Risk/Opportunities 
Speaker:  $3,000 (Colombia or U.S.) 
Travel, lodging and MIE for Environmental/Sustainability 
Speaker:  $2,000 (Santa Cruz) 
Travel, lodging and MIE for Social Challenges Speaker: $3,000 
(Sao Paulo) 
Speaker Honoraria:  $2,000 
 
 
PROPOSAL POINTS OF CONTACT 
---------------------------- 
 
¶5. Points of contact: 
 
Michael Stewart 
Embassy La Paz, Economic Officer 
stewartmp(at)state.gov 
(591-2) 216-8862 
 
Marcos Mandojana 
Embassy Lima, Deputy Economic Counselor 
mandojanamc(at)state.gov 
(51-1) 618-2411 
 
Anne Braghetta, PhD. 
Embassy Brasilia 
Director, Regional Environmental Office HUB South America 
abraghetta(at)gmail.com 
(55-61) 3312-7417 
GOLDBERG