VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBR #0198/01 0571720
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 261719Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY BRASILIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0579
INFO RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA
RUEHRG/AMCONSUL RECIFE
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO
RUEHSO/AMCONSUL SAO PAULO

UNCLAS BRASILIA 000198 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
DEPT FOR OES/ENRC, OES/STC, WHA/BSC, WHA/EPSC 
DEPT PASS USTDA FOR NYOUNGE AND GMANDEL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV KSCA EAID EWWT EINV BR
SUBJECT: BRAZILIAN NATIONAL WATER AGENCY SEEKS TO DEEPEN COOPERATION 
ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES 
 
REF: 09 BRASILIA 1153; 10 BRASILIA 106 
 
(U)  THIS CABLE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED AND NOT FOR INTERNET 
DISTRIBUTION. 
 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY.  The Brazilian National Water Agency (ANA) seeks 
to deepen its cooperation with the USG on environmental issues 
related to water resources.  ANA consistently highlights its 
history of cooperation with U.S. agencies, as well as on-going 
negotiations with the Brazilian Ministry of Transportation and the 
U.S. Department of Transportation on waterways navigation projects. 
ANA would like the upcoming meeting of the U.S. - Brazil Common 
Agenda for the Environment to highlight present and potential 
future cooperation identified by the Working Group on Water 
Resources (see REFTEL A) - such as underground water modeling and 
monitoring; training and exchanges; and capacity building as well 
as potential avenues for trilateral cooperation on water related 
issues.  END SUMMARY. 
 
 
 
¶2. (SBU) In various meetings this year and last, Raimundo Alves de 
Lima, Director of International Relations for ANA, and 
Marie-Violaine Chabrel from the International Relations staff have 
stressed the importance that ANA places on international 
cooperation, both bilaterally and multilaterally.  ANA is an active 
participant in the World Water Forum and the Water Forum of the 
Americas, which they see as important mechanisms because many 
countries of the world face similar problems in ensuring access to 
water and water quality. 
 
 
 
COOPERATION WITH THE USG IS STRONG, BUT ANA WANTS MORE 
 
 
 
¶3. (SBU) Chabrel and de Lima also highlighted ANA's strong desire 
to increase its cooperation with the U.S. agencies.  ANA is 
partnering with the Brazilian Ministry of Transportation (MOT) on a 
Memorandum of Understanding regarding technical cooperation on 
waterways navigation with the U.S. Department of Transportation 
(DOT), which will rely on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for 
technical expertise.  (NOTE.  The MOU is being modeled after 
another draft agreement between the MOT and the DOT relating to 
cooperation in roadways, which will fall under the U.S.-Brazil 
Agreement on Science and Technology Cooperation (see REFTEL B). 
END NOTE.)  ANA also has a longstanding relationship with the U.S. 
Geologic Survey (USGS) to work on a variety of projects related to 
subterranean water resources. 
 
 
 
¶4. (SBU) Moreover, ANA would like to see more cooperation between 
the U.S. Government (USG) and the Government of Brazil (GOB) on 
water resources.  Chabrel and de Lima noted that the Working Group 
on Water Resources under the U.S. - Brazil Common Agenda for the 
Environment (CAE) has been useful for discussing potential avenues 
of future cooperation.  During the last meeting of the Water 
Working Group, ANA identified underground water modeling and 
monitoring; training and exchanges; and capacity building as 
priority areas for cooperation.  Now, they would like these 
proposals to be highlighted during the next meeting of the CAE with 
an eye on near-term implementation.  (NOTE:  The next meeting of 
the CAE has been scheduled for March 29 in Brasilia, Brazil.  END 
NOTE.) 
 
 
 
TRILATERAL COOPERATION ALSO OF INTEREST 
 
 
 
¶5. (SBU) Chabrel also mentioned ANA's interest in pursuing 
potential trilateral cooperation between ANA and its USG 
counterparts in other developing nations.  She felt that the 
combination of both countries' expertise and resources could be 
beneficial for other countries in the region, though she did not 
mention any specific projects. 
E 
 
 
GUARANI AQUIFER 
 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) Chabrel was aware of SOUTHCOM and the U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers' interest in conducting a workshop on how the four 
countries that share the Guarani Aquifer can cooperate on its 
management.  ANA is interested in this proposal, however, she 
thought that the Ministry of the Environment's Division of 
Hydrological Resources should be engaged as they have previously 
worked with the Ministry of External Relations to organize events 
of this nature.  Post will work with the Ministry of the 
Environment and interested U.S. agencies to support efforts to 
arrange this workshop. 
 
 
 
COMMENT 
 
 
 
¶7. (SBU) ANA's eagerness to engage in further cooperation provides 
USG with an excellent opportunity to strengthen both technical and 
political ties in the area of water management.  Technical agencies 
from both countries often cite the similar challenges they face in 
our two continent sized countries.  Furthermore, the prospects for 
trilateral cooperation in these areas between the USG, GOB, and 
other developing nations could help the USG to expand its technical 
relationships with other countries in the region as well. 
Elevating the importance of these issues in the next CAE meeting 
would support a strengthening of this technical cooperation. 
SHANNON