US embassy cable - 05PRETORIA1018

UNCLAS PRETORIA 001018 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO INT/USGS/RESTON/WLRIPPLE, DPOOLE, MFOOSE 
DEPT FOR L, AF/PD, AF/S/KGAITHER, JDIFFILY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TPHY, SENV, KPAO, SF 
SUBJECT: SOUTH AFRICA: AMBASSADOR SIGNS MEMORANDUM OF 
UNDERSTANDING ON BEHALF OF USGS 
 
REF: SECSTATE 31978 
 
1. (U) Summary.  On behalf of the United States Geological 
Survey (USGS), Ambassador Jendayi Frazer signed a Memorandum 
of Understanding (MOU) with Chief Executive Officer of the 
South African Water Research Commission (WRC) Dr. Rivka Kfir 
on March 7, 2005.  The MOU covers scientific and technical 
cooperation in the earth sciences, and represents an 
important step toward potential research collaboration 
between the USGS and the WRC.  Both print and broadcast media 
covered the event.A scanned copy of the MOU has been sent via 
e-mail to Washington; one signed original will be pouched to 
Delia Ann Poole at USGS.  End Summary. 
 
2. (U) On March 7 2005, Ambassador Frazer signed a Memorandum 
of Understanding (MOU) on behalf of the USGS and the WRC 
(reftel).  The ceremony took place in front of approximately 
200 delegates attending the opening event of the Biennial 
Ground Water Conference in Pretoria.  Most delegates came 
from South Africa, but a number came from surrounding 
countries.  Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry Buyelwa 
Sonjica, who opened the conference, and keynote speaker 
Andrew Stone, Director of the American Groundwater Trust, 
looked on as the MOU was signed.  Both Sonjica and Stone 
highlighted the importance of scientific understanding to 
both local and national policy makers and stakeholders. 
Sonjica emphasized the urgency in South Africa to provide 
potable water to 5 million South Africans and sanitation to 
14 million.  The conference seemed to be an ideal venue to 
launch the MOU, since conference delegates are the most 
likely ones to explore ways of putting it into action. 
 
3. (U) In her brief remarks following the signing, Dr. Rivka 
spoke about the WRC's mission to provide research funding to 
solve water-related problems in South Africa.  To accomplish 
this mission, the WRC has a staff of about 50 persons to 
manage an annual budget of R100 million (app. $15 million). 
Dr. Rivka said she looked forward to collaborating with USGS. 
 
4. (U) Ambassador Frazer then spoke on the importance of 
scientific collaboration between our two countries, and about 
USGS activities in the hydrological sciences and its 
pioneering contributions to the geosciences.  SABC-Radio (18 
million listeners) covered the event, as did SABC-TV (serving 
17 million viewers), which featured her remarks on the 
television news.  Also there was the South African Press 
Association, which acts as a regional news service; virtually 
every media outlet in South Africa is a subscriber. 
 
5. (U) Covering scientific and technical cooperation in the 
earth sciences, the MOU is subject to the 1995 U.S.-South 
African Agreement Relating to Scientific and Technological 
Cooperation.   It represents an important step in potential 
research collaboration between the USGS and the WRC. 
 
6. (U) One signed original of the MOU along with information 
from the Biennial Ground Water Conference was pouched on 
March 9 to International Program Specialist Delia Ann Poole 
of the United States Geological Survey. 
FRAZER