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RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #8981 2101526
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 291510Z JUL 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI 0000
RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS 0000
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 0000
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 0000
RUEHDO/AMEMBASSY DOHA 0000
RUEHKU/AMEMBASSY KUWAIT 0000
RUEHMK/AMEMBASSY MANAMA 0000
RUEHMS/AMEMBASSY MUSCAT 0000
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT 0000
RUEHYN/AMEMBASSY SANAA 0000
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS 0000
INFO RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA 0000

UNCLAS STATE 078981 
 
SIPDIS 
DOI FOR EMILY KILCREASE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD SENV XF
SUBJECT: CITES SCIENTIFIC AUTHORITY CAPACITY BUILDING 
WORKSHOP RABAT, MOROCCO (OCTOBER 27-30, 2009) 
 
¶1.  This is an action request: see para 5. 
 
¶2.  SUMMARY: The DOI International Technical Assistance 
Program (DOI-ITAP) will be conducting a four-day workshop to 
build capacity within Scientific Authorities for the 
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species in 
Flora and Fauna (CITES) or equivalent authority.  The 
workshop will be held in Rabat, Morocco October 27-30, 2009. 
Posts are asked to work with relevant environmental 
ministries, agencies, or commissions to nominate the 
appropriate candidates that match the target audience in para 
¶4.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶3.  WORKSHOP BACKGROUND AND DESCRIPTION: DOI-ITAP, with 
funding from the Department of State's Middle East 
Partnership Initiative (MEPI), has a capacity-building 
program to strengthen implementation of CITES in the Middle 
East and North Africa region.  This program focuses on 
strengthening CITES implementing legislation, building 
capacity within CITES Authorities, and building capacity 
within the civil society to raise awareness of endangered 
species and to manage protected areas that provide habitat 
for endangered species.  DOI-ITAP works closely with the U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service and the CITES Secretariat to 
develop its training and capacity building activities.  A 
similar regional workshop was held in March 2009 in Muscat, 
Oman to strengthen regional CITES Management Authorities. 
The October 2009 workshop in Morocco will build upon the work 
of the Oman workshop. 
 
This four day course will address the operations of and 
technical skills required for the successful functioning of 
CITES Scientific Authorities.  Trainers will be drawn from 
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's CITES divisions and from 
the CITES Secretariat's Capacity Building Unit. 
 
Course Topics Include: 
a.    Species Identification 
b.    Non-detriment findings for import/export permits 
c.    Species assessment for listing and de-listing 
d.    Trade quotas 
e.    Monitoring trade flows and data analysis 
f.    Adaptive management techniques 
g.    Working with customs and wildlife inspectors 
h.    Participating on CITES Plants and Animals Committees 
i.    Evaluating applications for captive breeding facilities 
and cooperative breeding programs 
j.    Scientific collaboration on shared species 
 
The course will be preceded by an e-learning course on basic 
CITES operations. 
 
¶4.  TARGET AUDIENCE: The target audience for this workshop 
includes technical staff currently working in the CITES 
Scientific Authority for their country, or an equivalent 
authority for those countries that are not party to CITES. 
Post is encouraged to consult the list of designated CITES 
Scientific Authorities for each country, which can be found 
at http://www.cites.org/cms/index.php/lang-en/co mponent/ncd/. 
 If funding is available after all technical scientific staff 
nominees are fully funded (per the list of available funding 
below), then other government representatives and 
non-government personnel will also be considered. 
 
ACTION REQUEST: 
¶5.  Action addressees are requested to: 
 
a) Identify candidates to participate in the course, as 
follows: 
- Algeria: two (2) candidates to be funded by MEPI; 
- Bahrain: two (2) candidates to be funded by MEPI; 
- Jordan:  three (3) candidates to be funded by MEPI; 
- Kuwait: one (1) candidate; 
- Lebanon*: one (1) candidate to be funded by MEPI; 
- Morocco (non-Rabat): five (5) candidates to be funded by 
MEPI; 
- Oman: three (3) candidates to be funded by MEPI; 
- Qatar: one (1) candidate; 
- Tunisia: two (2) candidates to be funded by MEPI; 
- United Arab Emirates: one (1) candidate; 
- Yemen: one (1) candidate to be funded by MEPI 
* Additional funding may be available for NGO participation 
from these countries. 
 
Participants from Algeria, Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco 
(non-Rabat), Oman, Tunisia and Yemen will have their expenses 
covered by MEPI funds. All other participants will have to 
pay their own expenses.  There is no registration fee for the 
workshop. 
 
b) Inform the appropriate host government agencies about the 
workshop and work with them to identify appropriate 
candidates. Host government agencies should submit nominees 
to Post no later than COB August 20, 2009.  Department 
encourages posts to ensure that each applicant's past and 
present performance and conduct are closely examined for 
official or unofficial acts that would preclude participation 
in this course, including: human rights violations; 
violations of criminal statutes; any other conduct that would 
call into question the applicant's honesty, integrity, or 
character. 
 
c) Cable or email the list of vetted nominated candidates and 
their passport numbers, dates of birth, email addresses, and 
telephone and fax numbers by COB August 20, 2009 to Embassy 
Amman for the attention of Environmental Hub Officer, Manu 
Bhalla.  Hub Officer will forward the names of all nominated 
candidates to DOI-ITAP for their consideration and possible 
action.  Please include Yara AbuLaban (AbulabanYM@state.gov) 
Environment Development Assistant in Embassy Amman on all 
correspondence.  All logistics for MEPI funded candidates 
will be handled by DOI-ITAP. 
 
d) Posts are to nominate a POC for this activity for any 
further queries and logistical issues related to that 
country's participation.  Also, please note that DOI-ITAP 
will be handling all logistics for the workshop, including 
assistance for both MEPI and self-funded participants. 
Therefore, it is important that the Posts and DOI-ITAP 
coordinate this effort together.  The DOI-ITAP POC is Emily 
Kilcrease (emily kilcrease@ios.doi.gov; 202-208-7103).  All 
costs for MEPI funded participants will be handled by 
DOI-ITAP. 
 
ADDITIONAL COURSE DETAILS: 
 
¶6.  The workshop will be co-hosted by the Moroccan High 
Commission for Water, Forests and the Fight against 
Desertification and will be conducted in French, English and 
Arabic.   Written workshop materials will be provided in 
French, English and Arabic.  The workshop will accommodate a 
maximum of 25 participants, and additional participants may 
be considered on a space available basis.  Additional 
participants will need to be responsible for their own 
expenses and logistics, however. 
 
¶7. For the delivery in Rabat, Morocco, participants should 
plan to arrive in Rabat on October 26 and depart on 
October 30 or 31, 2009.   Dress for the workshop will be 
"business casual". 
 
¶8. If posts have any questions or need assistance, please 
contact: 
 
DOI: Emily Kilcrease 
Tel: 202-208-7103 
Fax: 202-501-6381 
Email: emily kilcreas@ios.doi.gov 
 
Embassy Amman Environmental Hub Officer:  Manu Bhalla 
Tel: 9626-590-6621 
Email:  BhallaM@state.gov 
 
Embassy Amman Environment Development Assistant: Yara AbuLaban 
Tel: 9626-590-6356 
Email: AbuLabanYM@state.gov 
 
Embassy Rabat EST Officer: Jai Nair 
Tel: 212-537-76-22-65 x 2136 
Email: NairJL@state.gov 
 
OES/ENV : Dao Mary Do; 
Tel: 202-647-4833 
Email: DoD43075@state.gov 
 
¶9.  Department, Embassy Rabat, and USDOI appreciate the 
continued efforts of Posts to make the MEPI capacity 
building program a success. 
CLINTON