US embassy cable - 05PARIS1032

UNCLAS PARIS 001032 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KTIA, OPDC, PHSA, PBTS, IHO, KSI, UNESCO 
SUBJECT: UNESCO SCIENCE SECTOR LAUNCHES CAPACITY 
BUILDING UNIT 
 
 
1.  SUMMARY AND INTRODUCTION:  SINCE THE U.S. RE-ENTRY, 
USDEL HAS ENCOURAGED UNESCO TO ASSUME A LEADERSHIP ROLE 
IN PROMOTING CAPACITY BUILDING FOR SUSTAINABLE 
DEVELOPMENT.  THIS STRATEGY HAS MET WITH SUCCESS.  IN A 
LETTER TO AMBASSADOR OLIVER, UNESCO NATURAL SCIENCES 
SECTOR DIRECTOR ERDELEN ANNOUNCED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF 
A DEDICATED UNIT WITHIN HIS SECTOR  TO COORDINATE 
CAPACITY BUILDING ACTIVITIES. 
 
2.  The letter followed the successive missions of two 
sets of American consultants, who worked closely with 
UNESCO science sector experts.  The consultants 
recommended a cross-sector program (to include the 
Science, Education and Communication and Information 
sectors) that would strengthen and coordinate capacity 
building activities in the basic sciences, hydrology, 
and engineering. 
 
3.  Erdelen's letter notes correctly that a capacity 
building program coordinated across UNESCO's sectors 
would need to be approved by the governing bodies of 
UNESCO.  To that end, USDEL intends to submit a 
resolution to the 171st Executive Board supporting 
cross-sector capacity building programs.  Given the 
support expressed by member states for results-oriented 
capacity building programs -- particularly in the 
context of UNESCO's lead role in the Decade of 
Education for Sustainable development -- we expect to 
welcome many co-sponsors.  End Summary and 
Introduction. 
 
TEXT of LETTER 
-------------- 
 
4.  Dear Ambassador Oliver, Following our most recent 
meeting, the Natural Sciences Sector (SC) proposed a major 
reorganization within the context of the 33 c/5 (nb BUDGET 
EXERCISE).  This reorganization has now been approved.  I am 
pleased to inform you that capacity building is officially 
recognized within it. 
 
5. I thank you for your efforts to enhance Capacity building 
at UNESCO. We share a strong interest in increasing capacity 
building and science education, and I hope that this is just 
the beginning of a long collaboration.I have carefully read 
the report "Capacity Building at UNESCO" (NB prepared by 
American consultants) with keen interest and will continue 
to use it for our internal planning.  I envision some of the 
suggested elements as part of a long-term strategy. 
 
6.  I appreciate the material on the mandates for 
Capacity Building both within the UN system and within 
UNESCO (nb contained in the consultants'study), and it 
is extremely useful to have an external review of some 
of our current activities in the area of capacity 
building.  This clarified for me how complex the 
subject is within UNESCO, and led me to think further 
how the Science Sector should proceed both within the 
current biennium (NB budget exercise) and into the next 
one, in particular in view of the medium term strategy. 
 
7.  I believe it would be useful in the longer term for 
UNESCO to provide for a dedicated unit to monitor and 
coordinate capacity building activities in all five 
sectors, as indeed, capacity building is undertaken in 
them all.  However, that is a decision to be proposed 
and taken by the member states through the governing 
bodies of UNESCO.  In the immediate term, I envision 
enhancing the coordination of capacity building 
activities within the Science Sector and to the extent 
possible, of activities foreseen in joint activities 
with other sectors, notably the Education and 
Communication and Information sectors.  As the 
consultants highlighted, every division within the 
Science Sector has some capacity building activity. 
What is needed is to see where there are synergies and 
overlaps between the activities in the Science Sector. 
 
8.  Based on these discussions, the Science Sector 
proposed that a unit on "capacity building and science 
and engineering education" be created in the next 
biennium - if not earlier - within the Division of 
basic and Engineering Sciences.  As mentioned above, I 
am pleased that the Director General agreed with this 
proposal.This development is the start of the Science 
Sector's renewed focus on capacity building.  I look 
forward to working with you as the Science Sector moves 
forward.  Yours Sincerely, Walter Erdelen. 
End text of letter. 
 
Oliver