Official S&T policy in Brazil has long favored the generation and production of indigenous technology, especially in high technology fields such as informatics. Brazil has developed a sophisticated corps of scientists and engineers and several very good research facilities which attract cooperative activities. Brazil does not meet the criteria of U.S. non-proliferation legislation. As a result, cooperation in nuclear and related strategic research is restricted. Despite these impediments to unfettered cooperation, Brazilians have recognized their need to interact with U.S. S&T personnel and facilities, if only to remain competitive. Until this year, the U.S.-Brazil Cooperative S&T Program tended to be the largest of our Latin American programs. (It may still be the largest when all the numbers are in).

Over the years significant cooperative activities have occurred between the NSF, NIH, NASA, NOAA, BOM, BOR, USGS, among other federal and private agencies and their Brazilian counterparts. As with the other semi-developed Latin American countries, biology and bio-medical cooperation have been especially important, partly because they tend to require less investment in laboratory facilities and perhaps also because the funding situation is more favorable (involving less bilateral cost sharing). Important joint activities regularly take place in many regions of this huge country: in computer technology, physics and mathematics in Sao Paulo (the "Silicon Valley" of Brazil); in ecology at the Institute for Research on the Amazon in Manaos and in mathematics at the Brazilian Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics in Rio. In recent years--as the time for renegotiation of the Antarctic Treaty approaches--Brazil has begun to mount a research presence in Antarctica. Like the Argentine and Chilean efforts, this has been pursued in part through the NSF Antarctic Program.

Colombia

Bilateral and multilateral S&T programs play a key role in the relationship of the U.S. with Colombia. For example, experts and technology provided by the U.S. to help Colombia and neighboring countries eradicate drug production and sales has become an important aspect of our bilateral and regional relations. AID funded activities in S&T-related programs are also very significant. Colombian scientists are exposed to U.S. methods and technologies in agriculture through cooperative programs between a number of U.S. universities and the Tropical Agricultural Research Center. Significant progress in the control of malaria has been achieved through U.S. grants to the Colombian National Institute of Health and the Malaria Eradication Service. In addition, Colombia's successful family planning program has been assisted by grants to the private sector Family Planning Organization. Other U.S. agencies participating in S&T cooperation include the USGS in geologic and seismic studies (and in assistance and technology transfer after the tragic Ruiz volcano eruption in November 1985); the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) in providing technical information and services; NOAA in meteorology, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in civil aviation. Other U.S. government activities and U.S. private sector interests have included satellite communications, hydrology and nuclear energy research.

Mexico

There are numerous bilateral S&T activities between the United States and neighboring Mexico. Not all U.S. agencies which are active in Mexico regularly participate in the biennial meetings of the U.S. mixed S&T Commission provided for in the bilateral S&T umbrella agreement or in the programs carried out under this agreement. (For example, many cooperative environmental and other S&T activities operate under the Screw Worm Commission or the International Boundary and Water Commission.) The Department of State and the NSF cooperate in implementing the agreement and are the U.S. members of the interim Coordinating Committee which normally meets twice a year with their Mexican counterpart agencies.

Despite the continuing severe financial stringency, many U.S.-Mexico S&T activities held their own during most of FY 1985. Serious delays and much increased financial constraints developed after the earthquake of September 1985 which reinforced Mexico's international financial problems. Until then, normal patterns of activities continued involving negotiating, implementing, revising agreements, and programs under them. Greater emphasis was placed on increasing nongovernmental, private sector, and academic funding and activity in the bilateral S&T program.

The Coordinating Committee of the U.S.-Mexico Mixed S&T Commission met twice during FY 1985. In addition to approving agency funding decisions, these meetings focused on improving the effectiveness of the Mixed S&T Commission machinery and simplifying and clarifying approved joint funding processes. The earthquake resulted in a postponement of the planned September Preparatory Meeting and the December 1985 Mixed Commission Meeting.

A wide variety of agencies participate in these joint S&T activities, including, among others, NSF, DHHS, NIH, DOA, USGS, EPA, NOAA. Programs, like that of the NSF, have included the exchange of scientific and technological information, exchange and training of scientists and technical personnel, and joint or coordinated implementation of research projects and programs, including workshops and conferences in mutually interesting areas of expertise.

For example, recent U.S.-Mexico cooperation has included, among many other efforts, USGS work under the Cooperative Border Mapping Agreement of 1974, NOAA's cooperative activities with Mexican weather facilities, and the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) of the Department of the Interior's work under the U.S.-Mexico Joint Committee for Wildlife Conservation. (This committee exists to coordinate the extent, funding, manpower and direction of conservation work in migratory bird management, law enforcement, species research, habitat research, treaty implementation and training between the U.S. and Mexico.)

Because an earlier study under the S&T program on the effect of earthquakes on structures produced helpful insights of joint interest on the dispersion of damage in Mexico City, a follow-up study is under consideration.

Africa

Kenya

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The

U.S. diplomacy in Kenya continues to advance a limited number of S&T projects which have enhanced the U.S. image within the country, helped promote Kenyan S&T committees, and strengthened bilateral relations with the government. absence of an advanced S&T sector in Kenya limits new initiatives primarily to local bilateral S&T projects. Kenyan government recognizes that national development in a number of areas can be achieved through the application of S&T methods, and this has provided the U.S. with opportunities to engage the Kenyan S&T community in projects of mutual interest. U.S. assistance in family planning services, agricultural research, seismic research, meteorology and the basic sciences has received considerable public recognition and acceptance. Four Fulbright scholarships were awarded to Kenyans this past year for advanced study in areas such as biochemistry and meteorology.

Nigeria

Cooperative projects with Nigeria include a Bureau of Census program to organize data processing for the Federal Bureau of Statistics; applied research at the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture; a doppler survey conducted for the Federal Survey Department by the Defense Mapping Agency; a family planning program, and two fellowships funded by the U.S. Telecommunications Training Institute for training in satellite communications. During the current period of economic austerity it is unlikely that Nigeria will enter into new S&T programs.

Chapter 5 - Agriculture in International S&T Cooperation

This chapter focuses on major changes and challenges in agricultural scientific exchange during FY 1985. In addition to its own international activities, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) cooperates with AID, FAO, the World Bank and other organizations by making agricultural experts available on a reimbursable basis. The stated goals of agricultural S&T cooperative activity are the improvement of the productivity of U.S. agriculture, conservation of agricultural resources, and maintenance and expansion of U.S. agricultural export markets. S&T Cooperation by Individual USDA Agencies

Office of International Cooperation and Development (OICD)

The OICD administers and coordinates USDA's bilateral scientific and technical exchange program. In 1985 exchanges were carried out with over 25 countries in which scientists in a wide variety of disciplines participated, benefitting U.S. agriculture from the introduction of scientific knowledge and biological materials from other countries. The following country specific programs are those which reflected significant activity during FY 1985.

Egypt

USDA and the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture have agreed to conduct a pilot project in Egypt on large government and private dairy farms as a first step in developing a nationwide brucellosis (cattle disease) control effort. In recent years, Egypt has greatly increased its livestock imports to fulfill meat and milk expansion programs. However, herd expansion has seriously increased the incidence and prevalence of this disease which causes infected animals to abort or give birth to weak calves; it can also spread to other animals and humans. In the U.S., it is a serious disease of long standing, particularly prevalent in beef and breeding cattle heards in the south. In 1985, USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) targeted brucellosis for a major control effort to match other western nations' successes in freeing their livestock resources from this disease. APHIS veterinarians and Egyptian Government and university counterparts will initiate epizootological surveys, conduct research, and implement programs in Egypt--first, to prevent the further spread of brucellosis among herds, and in the longer term, to pursue complete control among all susceptible livestock.

Benefits to the U.S. will come from gaining experience in a control program of direct applicability to a serious disease situation at home. The Government of Egypt has agreed to import from the United States all vaccines, equipment, and supplies to be used in the project. It has further promised to relax its importation requirements for U.S.-origin livestock from brucellosis-free U.S. states. Thus, the trade impact of this cooperation could be several times as valuable as the five-year project budget of approximately $1,000,000-equivalent in U.S. Government-owned Egyptian pounds. The project budget and implementation plans will be negotiated with the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture in early 1986, with project inception to start soon afterwards.

Egypt-Israel-U.S. Trinational Agricultural Program

As part of its Regional Cooperation Program supporting the Middle East Peace Process, the U.S. Agency for International Development (AID) has agreed to provide $2,526,000 for the first two stages (years 1 through 3) of the 4-year Trinational proposal entitled "Patterns of Agricultural Technology Exchange and Cooperation in Similar Ecosystems: the Case of Egypt and Israel." Performing organizations in Egypt and Israel are expected to contribute in kind approximately $725,000 to this project over 3 years or about $250,000 each year from the two countries. Other details outlining activities and administration of this program which promotes agricultural cooperation between the three countries can be found in last year's Title V Report.

Israel

The United States-Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development (BARD) Fund operates from a $110 million endowment used to "..encourage and support agricultural research and development of mutual benefit...." (A total of $55 million has now been provided by each party; each country placed an additional $15 million in the trust fund in 1984, adding $30 million to the $80 million provided earlier). The high level of scientific competence and the similarity of research structures has resulted in an extremely compatible research program. To date, 331 proposals have been funded for a total of $55.4 million. The program, which serves as an important link between the U.S. and a key Middle East ally, has a bright future since only the income of the trust fund is expended.

Soviet Union

In June 1984, President Reagan announced his intention to move forward in several proposed areas of cooperation with the Soviet Union, including agriculture. The December 1984 visit to the U.S. of the Soviet Minister of Agriculture, Valentin Mesyats, provided an opportunity to resume cooperation under the existing U.S.-U.S.S.R. Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Agriculture which was renewed for the third five-year term in 1983. The first high-level meeting since 1978 took place in Moscow, June 17-18, 1985. The U.S.-U.S.S.R. Joint Committee under the Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Agriculture was chaired on the U.S. side by the USDA Under Secretary for International Affairs and Commodity Programs, Daniel Amstutz, and on the Soviet side by Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Vladimir Kozlov. The meeting established cooperation between U.S. and Soviet organizations on 20 topics during 1985-1986 with each country to exchange approximately eleven teams of scientists and technicians. Topics for cooperation are divided into two main areas: 1) Agricultural Economic Research and Information 2) Agricultural Research and Technology. A wide range of subtopics are included within each area. Also, a seminar on Agricultural Production Modeling is planned for the U.S. and one on Problems on Feed Manufacturing and Utilization is planned for the U.S.S.R.

Joint activities in the fields of animal husbandry, veterinary service and quarantine are also projected, including the promotion of better understanding of quarantine methods during export-import of animal and plant products in the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. During Secretary Block's visit to the U.S.S.R. in August, 1985 it was also agreed to exchange young