Cablegate: Brazilian National Water Agency Seeks to Deepen Cooperation

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

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