VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBO #0765/01 0642156
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 052156Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7545
INFO RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 8711
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1785
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA 7115
RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA 3180
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ MAR QUITO 7845

UNCLAS BOGOTA 000765 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
FOR OES/STC EILEEN KANE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV TSPL TBIO EAGR ENRG ECON AMGT APER KCIS
PGOV, EINV, CO 
SUBJECT: EMBASSY SCIENCE FELLOWS PROGRAM 2009 (COLOMBIA) 
 
REF: A. STATE 10843 
     ¶B. BOGOTA 1 
     ¶C. BOGOTA 168 
 
¶1. (U)  SUMMARY.  Post submits the following two proposals, 
one to be managed by the Economic Section and the other by 
the Foreign Agricultural Service.  Each of these proposals is 
geared toward advancing critical USG interests by creating 
the capacity to translate Colombian successes in 
counter-narcotics and security into sustainable economic 
growth and productivity.  Post fully commits to supporting 
one fellow and will attempt to support a second, provided 
their visits do not overlap and funding remains sufficient. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
 
PROPOSAL 1: INSTITUTIONAL STRENGTHENING FOR COLCIENCIAS 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
 
¶2. (SBU) On February 10, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe 
signed into existence a Science, Technology and Innovation 
(STI) Law, intended to make STI to become a major driver of 
Colombian productivity and long-term economic stability. 
With this high-profile GOC commitment, Post believes it is 
the ideal time for an Embassy Science Fellow (ESF) in 
Colombia to promote this transformation and our efforts to 
expand the bilateral relationship beyond security and 
narcotics issues.  Post specifically requests that an ESF 
assist the Colombian Institute for the Development of Science 
& Technology (Colciencias) -- similar to the National Science 
Foundation -- as it becomes a quasi-ministerial body and 
attempts to develop Colombia's STI research infrastructure, 
more public-private-academic linkages, and an international 
STI strategy.  Colciencias Director Juan Miranda strongly 
supports this proposal, offering office space and in-country 
travel funds, while Post can provide housing, office space, 
and 1-2 in country trips for the ESF. 
 
The Transformation of STI Into A National Priority 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶3. (SBU) The February 2009 STI law increased GOC funding 
available for STI activities and research, elevated 
Colciencias to quasi-ministerial status, and created a 
public-private fund to ensure sustained STI investment (ref 
B).  However, while the Director of Colciencias Juan Miranda 
is a leading advocate for the law and the STI philosophy it 
entails, he feared the new responsibilities his institution 
must assume.  With limited expertise and the same number of 
personnel -- the law does not allow for increased hiring due 
to GOC attempts to limit bureaucracy -- Colciencias will 
assume the added obligations and pressure of a full ministry. 
 While maintaining normal functions, Colciencias will now 
have to take the lead on developing national STI policy, 
manage an investment fund and convince other involved actors 
that STI investment is essential to Colombia's development. 
While the Director of Colciencias will now participate in 
ministerial meetings, have the lead voice in STI policy 
formation, and an increased budget (a 69 percent increase 
since 2006), Miranda told us that he is unsure as to how to 
actually transform Colciencias, as well as Colombia's STI 
research infrastructure. 
 
Proposal Specifics 
------------------ 
 
¶4. (U) The goal of our proposal is to assist Colciencias in 
its structural, financial and policy transformation. 
Specifically, we request that an ESF assist Colciencias 
develop a structure for public-private-academic linkages, 
internationalizing its operations, and participating in 
public outreach.  Miranda has told us that he could think of 
no better way to improve the STI environment in Colombia than 
by partnering with and learning from USG S&T entities.  While 
Colciencias collaborated with Post on the ideas listed below, 
they are not "set in stone," nor must the ESF address every 
issue.  Colciencias would be grateful for any USG assistance 
as it attempts to analyze and strengthen Colombia's STI 
priorities and infrastructure, and would be open to different 
ideas posed by the ESF.  However, the ESF should have an 
understanding of how multi-sector linkages thrive in the US, 
as well how USG-sponsored professional development programs 
for students and researchers function.  While Miranda and 
many of his staff speak English, to get the most out of the 
program the ESF would preferably speak Spanish at the 3/3 
level.  It would be ideal, albeit not necessary, to have the 
ESF in country during the academic year (February-June or 
August-November), to best utilize the proposal's public 
outreach component. 
 
¶5. (U) Public-Academic-Private linkages:  To secure long-term 
progress in STI, Colciencias is looking for ways to increase 
the involvement of the private and academic sectors in STI 
policy-making and implementation.  Presently, the GOC has 
direct, everyday control and supervision over the field, and 
local experts have told us that STI will never thrive in 
Colombia until private and academic actors become more 
important stakeholders.  Colciencias has targeted specific 
areas for assistance including the structuring of research 
financing for joint public-private-academic sector projects, 
the creation of mechanisms that help to identify and match 
national industry needs with academic research programs, and 
institutional changes within Colciencias that can strengthen 
the roles of the private and academic sectors.  The ESF, by 
consulting with high schools, universities, technical 
institutions, regional technology centers, independent 
research organizations, and private sector entities involved 
in STI, could help advise Miranda on ways to structure and 
best-utilize linkages between the sectors.  To fulfill that 
objective the ESF would likely visit Medellin, as the Science 
and Technology Center of Antioquia (CTA) -- a public-private 
partnership founded by the municipal government in 1989 -- is 
Colombia's leading example of successful multi-sector STI 
integration (ref C). 
 
¶6. (U) Internationalization Strategy:  Colciencias believes 
that for STI to truly increase Colombia's competitiveness, 
Colciencias must be equipped to promote STI policy consistent 
with international best practices, as well as enable 
Colombia's students and researchers to collaborate with 
others on an international level.  Miranda told us the 
International Department of Colciencias is presently 
developing a strategy to facilitate Colombian researcher's 
access to international knowledge and resources.  He hopes 
this strategy will enable Colombia to address global 
challenges such as energy, food and water supply, and the 
digital divide that are impacted by STI.  The ESF could 
assist Colciencias (i.e. by helping them identify areas for 
collaboration or joint research, develop networks for 
Colombian researchers to work abroad and vice versa, access 
international STI resources, and identify potential bilateral 
or international agreements) as it attempts to project 
Colombian STI internationally and to contribute global STI 
objectives.  Additionally, the ESF could possibly assist Post 
in its efforts to establish a US-Colombia S&T Agreement. 
 
¶7. (U) Public Outreach:  Miranda told us one of his new, 
primary responsibilities is to explain the economic potential 
of STI to other GOC cabinet members, ensuring their 
commitment to its development.  He noted that an ESF, through 
participation in Colciencias forums or conferences, 
individual meetings at different ministries, or speaking 
opportunities at educational institutions, could help promote 
the importance of STI in the public sphere.  Another 
component of the outreach could include visits and 
presentations to Colombian universities, discussing support 
for STI research through public-private partnerships and 
linkages with US-based research organizations and 
universities.  The ESF could also provide information on the 
development of multi-university research consortiums focused 
on specific STI areas to help increase funding and research 
effectiveness.  The Embassy Public Affairs and Economic 
Sections could help arrange such events.  In-country travel 
would provide additional opportunities for the ESF to address 
groups and institutions that receive minimal Embassy outreach 
and engagement, due to financial and time constraints. 
 
Embassy and GOC Support 
----------------------- 
 
¶8. (U) Embassy Support:  Embassy Bogota commits to 
administratively supporting the ESF for one to three months. 
The fellow will have office space within the unclassified 
area of the Economic Section, and an apartment within the 
Embassy Housing Pool.  However, the ESF might have to change 
apartments 1-2 times during his/her stay, as incoming PCS 
officers arrive and need to permanently move into the 
apartments.  The FMO agrees to pay for 1-2 in-country trips. 
RSO supports the presence of a fellow at Post, and a security 
clearance is not required. 
 
¶9. (U) Colciencias Support:  During a meeting with EconOff in 
February, Miranda committed his full support of an ESF.  He 
said that Colciencias could provide an office space for the 
ESF in its headquarters, as well as additional funding for 
in-country travel.  Miranda also said that the ESF would have 
an "open door" to his office, always available to provide the 
fellow with assistance or guidance. 
 
Contact Information 
------------------- 
 
¶10. (U) Post Contact Information:  ECON Program Officer is 
Megan Selmon; Email address: selmonml@state.gov; Telephone 
number: 011-57-383-2451; Cell phone number: 320-488-0210. 
EconOff Selmon will depart Post in August 2009, being 
replaced by Kristin Haworth.  Haworth will be fully briefed 
on the proposal. 
 
 
PROPOSAL 2: TRADE CAPACITY BUILDING FOR INVIMA 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
 
¶11. (U) Embassy Bogota requests a Science Fellow to interface 
with Colombia's National Institute for the Surveillance of 
Medicines and Food Products (INVIMA,FDA/FSIS equivalent) to 
detect and analyze food borne pathogens such as salmonella, 
with the ultimate goal of developing import regulations that 
are scientifically based.  The project would also have a 
trade capacity building element.  With improved laboratory 
protocols and procedures, Colombia will be better positioned 
to export as food safety standards are enhanced.  Embassy 
Bogota is prepared to provide logistical and administrative 
support and to receive a food science-related fellow as early 
as June 2009. 
 
The Need to Develop Science-Based Import Regulations 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶12. (U) Two years ago, the responsibility of food safety 
inspection was shifted from the Ministry of Agriculture to 
INVIMA, in the Ministry of Social Protection.  INVIMA 
currently imposes a zero tolerance level for salmonella 
import requirements, which caused retention and/or rejection 
of U.S. poultry shipments valued at over USD 2 million.  The 
GOC is currently developing legislation that is more 
consistent with international standards, so this is a timely 
opportunity for a visiting scientist to play an important 
role in the development of Colombia's regulatory policies and 
procedures. 
 
Specific Proposal Projects & Activities 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶13. (U) A science fellow, located in the food borne pathogens 
laboratory of INVIMA, will help develop the capacity to 
detect and analyze food borne pathogens such as salmonella 
vis-a-vis the establishment of laboratory protocols and 
procedures that are scientifically based.  The fellow would 
work hand-in-hand with Colombian scientists teaching 
microbiological testing methods and procedures.  He/she would 
assess the management and operating procedure of the 
laboratory. 
 
¶14. (U) The responsibilities of the science fellow will be to 
provide hands-on practice in detecting food borne pathogens 
with microbiology equipment that can assess technical 
capabilities of INVIMA to carry out analytical processes and 
assess laboratory procedures and management protocols and 
make recommendations to improve testing effectiveness. 
 
Required Scientific Background 
------------------------------ 
 
¶15. (U) The required areas of scientific expertise are a 
post-doctoral qualification in food borne illnesses, 
experience in the development and/or management of food borne 
pathogen detection methods and test procedures, and knowledge 
of science-based risk assessments used to develop pathogen 
tolerance levels and import standards.  Moderate fluency in 
Spanish and experience working in developing countries to 
strengthen the capacity of local scientists and research 
institutions, is also required. 
 
Embassy Support & Logistical Arrangements 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶16. (U) Post will provide housing.  FAS Bogota will provide a 
workspace, unclassified computer, and internet access.  FAS 
will fund any in-country travel expenses.  A security 
clearance is not required for a science fellow working with 
the GOC's INVIMA.  Furthermore, the timeframe can be any time 
starting in the third quarter of 2009, for a period of three 
months. 
 
Point of Contact 
---------------- 
 
¶17. (U) The point of contact for further information is 
Agricultural Counselor Todd Drennan, office tel: 
57-1-383-2033, e-mail:  todd.drennan@fas.usda.gov or 
Agricultural Attach Elizabeth Mello, tel:  57-1-383-2770, 
e-mail elizabeth.mello@fas.usda.gov. 
BROWNFIELD