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RR RUEHBZ RUEHGI RUEHPA
DE RUEHC #0254/01 0022018
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R 022004Z JAN 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 3087
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RUEHNM/AMEMBASSY NIAMEY 4552
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RUEHYD/AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE 9031

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 000254 
 
SIPDIS 
FOR REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL HUB 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV TBIO EFIS TSPA XA XY ZF GH
SUBJECT: OES BUREAU COMMENTS ON ACCRA REO FY 2009 WORKPLAN 
 
REF: ACCRA 1304 
 
¶1. Summary: The Bureau of Oceans and International 
Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES) thanks Regional 
Environment, Science, Technology and Health Officer (REO), 
Geoffrey Hunt, and program assistant for the REO, Patience 
Charway, for their participation in the recent digital video 
conference on the REO workplan.  REO is requested to consider 
OES comments presented within this post, such as identifying 
science and technology strongholds that are open for 
partnerships and science cooperation, and tuna licensing 
schemes for marine conservation efforts in developing the 
final REO workplan.  We also encourage the Hub to look for 
outreach opportunities that highlight U.S. engagement in 
environment, science, technology and health issues.  We see 
the hub work plan as a &living8 document which provides a 
framework but which can and probably will be modified during 
the year in order to respond to developments.  End summary. 
 
 
¶2. Thank you for your continuing efforts to facilitate 
regional environmental cooperation and for your participation 
in the November 5, 2008 Digital Video Conference (DVC) on 
your REO 2009 workplan.  These DVC and/or conference calls 
generated significant comment and involvement by OES and the 
geographic bureaus.  This is the second consecutive year in 
which we have conducted workplan reviews by DVC and we are 
very pleased with the resultant Hub)OES engagement. 
 
¶3. OES understands that a strong working relationship between 
Hub Officers and Washington is an important component in our 
efforts to achieve our ESTH objectives.  For that reason, we 
are pleased that Hub Officers were able to attend a two-day 
training course on the margins of the Washington 
International Renewable Energy Conference (WIREC), where Hub 
Officers did an outstanding job in assisting delegations from 
their respective regions.  We look forward to Hub Officers 
participating similarly at this year,s meeting of the 
Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting and hope to identify 
additional opportunities to strengthen DC-Hub ties in the 
future. 
Summary of OES and Bureau of African Affairs comments. 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶4. OES/PDAS Ambassador Harnish encouraged REO,s 
participation on several issues including:  engaging 
governments on a plan for climate change as we may see new 
funding for these efforts and promoting development of 
biotechnology to address food security by drawing on the 
expertise of Dr. Nina Federoff, scientific advisor to the 
Secretary of State.  In regards to funding small projects in 
your regions, we encourage your entrepreneurial spirit to 
work with regional economic missions to set aside small 
grants to extend OES goals and partner with PCI and other 
bureaus to assist.  Finally, a potential partner for future 
cooperation is OPIC (Overseas Private Investment 
Corporation), which is investing in clean energy in Latin 
America and will probably look to develop projects in Africa 
in the future. 
 
¶5. OES/PA encouraged REOs to participate actively in external 
outreach and to connect with the PAO at constituent posts and 
the regional press, especially radio programming.  We also 
support continued ESTH reporting including sending of 
photograph files to be included on the OES webpage.  Please 
note also that in coming months, there will be extensive 
efforts to disseminate OES generated public service 
 
STATE 00000254  002 OF 003 
 
 
announcements starring Jane Goodall for public diplomacy 
outreach specifically in Africa. 
 
¶6. OES/IHB encouraged external outreach especially on global 
health days (IHB has a list), i.e. World Malaria or TB Day. 
We asked for help to promote participation in the 
Ambassador,s Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene in Schools 
Initiative (AWASH) which should be launched in early spring. 
There is widespread interest in AWASH in posts across Africa 
and your leadership is welcomed.  We reminded REO,s that HIV 
and Avian flu are not part of the IHB portfolio. 
 
¶7. OES/OMC highlighted implementation of turtle excluder 
devices (TEDs) for shrimp harvesting and subsequent export to 
the US and is interested in discussing further tuna licensing 
schemes for marine conservation efforts. 
 
¶8. OES/ENV emphasized UNEP,s work on capacity building and 
technology development i.e. GRID (Global Resource Information 
Database), satellite imagery, and the Atlas for Africa. 
There is a broad interest in these tools to strengthen the 
scientific base for policy makers. 
 
¶9. OES/ENRC highlighted continued focus on the Congo Basin 
Forest Partnership, Liberia Forest Initiative, CAWT, and 
CITES and is particularly interested in feedback on impact of 
recent ivory sales. 
 
¶10. OES/STC encouraged REO,s to identify science and 
technology strongholds that are open for partnerships and 
science cooperation and reminded post that any requests to 
USG agencies for Embassy Science Fellows must meet mission 
focus especially in an environment of limited funding. 
 
¶11. AF/EPS suggested using a current Jefferson Science fellow 
in their office as a great resource to establish connections 
with the academic network here in the US to build science and 
technology capacity in Africa. 
 
Promoting ESTH Issues 
--------------------- 
¶12. PA urges hubs to view external Outreach as critically 
important to reach audiences and public constituencies 
throughout your region.  ESTH initiatives such as grants, 
training, and conferences are a perfect fit for public 
outreach as they are popular and positive stories for press 
and outreach events.  Please consult (early) with Public 
Affairs Officers (PAOs) in constituent posts to share your 
programs and workplan, to explore areas of possible outreach. 
 
 
¶13. Examples of ESTH events with significant outreach 
potential include the signing of Science and Technology (S&T) 
agreements, the awarding of USG grants for ESTH projects, and 
visits from technical agencies or high-level USG officials. 
The Bureau for Public Diplomacy (and Public Affairs) 
considers ESTH issues to be of great interest as a &soft8 
side of USG cooperation, meaning that they are usually 
non-controversial yet highly compelling stories that are very 
worthy of sharing with local audiences. 
 
¶14. We also encourage you to (propose) take advantage of 
visitor and speaker programs on science and environment 
themes, working with and through your PAO.  These programs 
serve Hub priorities by leveraging public diplomacy funding 
and expertise to advance ESTH issues through training, 
professional exchange and forums for wider dialogue.  OES/PA 
and post PAOs should be consulted for specific advice to 
assure Hub projects get the recognition they deserve. 
 
¶15. We appreciate that many of OES,s priorities and 
 
STATE 00000254  003 OF 003 
 
 
objectives were identified as action items in your draft 
workplan.  These are: climate and energy strategies; natural 
resource conservation, particularly logging, wildlife and 
fishing issues; environmental policy such as implementing the 
Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act and Free Trade Agreement 
environmental work programs; oceans issues; global and 
regional health problems; polar affairs, with attention to 
sustainable tourism in the Arctic and Antarctic; emerging 
Global Positioning System and Global Navigation Satellite 
Systems issues; and science and technology partnerships, 
especially with Islamic communities. 
 
¶16. We continue to seek feedback from REO,s and ESTH 
officers on the natural resource and environmental footprint 
in your region of major emerging economies, such as China. 
Your on-the-ground observations are essential to this effort. 
 
¶17. We expect climate change to be a top outreach priority 
for ESTH officers, particularly in the lead up to the 
December, 2009 United Nations Framework Convention,s 
Fifteenth Conference of the Parties (COP15) meeting in 
Copenhagen, which is anticipated to reflect the conclusion of 
a two year process laid out in the Bali Action Plan at COP13. 
 As the new administration works with the Congress to develop 
its climate policy, we will continue to provide information 
to ESTH officers accordingly.  We also encourage posts to 
pursue greening activities using the &Green Guide for 
Embassy and Consulate Operations,8 found at: 
http://obo.state.gov/greenpage/guide/. 
 
¶18. Again, thank you for your continuing efforts to build 
regional environmental cooperation and for considering our 
feedback as the workplan evolves over the course of the year. 
 Please do not hesitate to contact Matthew Gerdin with 
OES/PCI at (202) 647-4347 or GerdinMJ@state.gov with any 
questions or comments. 
RICE