US embassy cable - 03ABUDHABI4609

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 004609 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/PPD; NEA/ARP; ECA/A/S/A 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, TC 
SUBJECT: GLOBE IN THE UAE: OCTOBER 6-7 VISIT OF CHARLIE 
KELLET 
 
 
1. SUMMARY: ABU DHABI PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE ORGANIZED 
THE VISIT OF MR. CHARLIE KELLET, SENIOR PROGRAM ANALYST 
OF GLOBE USA, TO THE UAE.  THE PURPOSE OF HIS VISIT WAS 
TO WORK WITH THE UAE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (MOE) ON AN 
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR GLOBE AND TO ADDRESS ANY ISSUES 
OF CONCERN THEY MIGHT HAVE.  KELLET'S VISIT CAME AT A 
CRUCIAL TIME WHEN MOE HAS JUST TAKEN OVER GLOBE PROJECT 
FROM THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH.  PAO EDUCATIONAL ADVISOR 
AND KELLET WORKED INTENSELY WITH MOE AND THE VISIT 
RESULTED IN SPONSORING FIVE MOE STAFF TO ATTEND THE 
THIRD GLOBE REGIONAL CONFERENCE IN BAHRAIN, IN AN 
ATTEMPT BY MOE TO QUICKLY MOVE THE PROJECT INTO 
IMPLEMENTATION PHASE. 
 
2. PAO ORGANIZED THE VISIT OF MR. CHARLIE KELLET, SENIOR 
PROGRAM ANALYST OF GLOBE USA, TO THE UAE TO WORK WITH 
PAO AND MOE STAFF ON IMPLEMENTING THE STALLED GLOBE 
AGREEMENT IN THE UAE.  PAO EDUCATIONAL ADVISOR 
ACCOMPANIED KELLET THROUGHOUT HIS MEETINGS WITH MOE 
UNDERSECRETARY, EDUCATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERTS, 
TEACHERS AND SUPERVISORS. 
 
3. THE MEETING WITH THE UNDERSECRETARY WAS VERY 
ENCOURAGING AND PRODUCTIVE.  KELLET DISCUSSED 
IMPLEMENTATION AND FUNDING ISSUES RELATED TO GLOBE AS 
WELL AS REGIONAL COUNTRIES' INVOLVEMENT WITH GLOBE. 
KELLET MENTIONED THAT THE MIDDLE EAST IS CURRENTLY THE 
FASTEST GROWING REGION IN TERMS OF NUMBER OF 
PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS, IN PARTICULAR IN BAHRAIN, EGYPT, 
LEBANON AND JORDAN.  THE UNDERSECRETARY WAS PLEASED WITH 
THE INFORMATION HE RECEIVED, STRESSED THE FACT THAT THE 
MINISTER HIMSELF IS PROUD THAT GLOBE NOW IS THE FULL 
RESPONSIBILITY OF MOE AND IS KEEN ON ACHIEVING FAST AND 
SUCCESSFUL RESULTS IN THIS REGARD.  MOE WILL BE 
ORGANIZING A CEREMONY TO CELEBRATE THE OFFICIAL SIGNING 
OF THE NEW AGREEMENT. 
 
4. KELLET THEN MET WITH 9 TEACHERS, 5 SUPERVISORS AND 4 
STAFF AND GAVE A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION ON GLOBE'S 
CONCEPTS AND OBJECTIVES, AND PROVIDED EXAMPLES ON DATA 
COLLECTION BY STUDENTS AROUND THE WORLD AND HOW THIS 
DATA CONCERNS THEIR COUNTRIES.  THE PRESENTATION SERVED 
TO ACCELERATE BOTH THE LEVEL OF AWARENESS AND EXCITEMENT 
OF THE ATTENDEES ABOUT PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM. 
 
5. RESULTS: DUE TO THE ENCOURAGEMENT AND SUPPORT 
EXTENDED TO MOE STAFF BY KELLET & EDUCATIONAL ADVISOR 
DURING THIS VISIT, THE UNDERSECRETARY APPROVED TO SELECT 
AND SPONSOR FIVE UAE FEMALE TEACHERS AND EDUCATIONAL 
EXPERTS, TO ATTEND THE THIRD REGIONAL GLOBE CONFERENCE 
IN MANAMA, BAHRAIN (OCTOBER 11-15).  THE STAFF WILL BE 
TRAINED ON GLOBE THEMES AND PROTOCOLS, WILL LEARN FROM 
THE EXPERIENCE OF THEIR NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES, AND WILL 
MAKE CONTACTS IN THE REGION, THUS ENABLING THE MOE TO 
MOVE INTO THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION STAGE. 
 
ALBRIGHT