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U.S.-Egypt Joint Board on Scientific and Technological Cooperation Fact sheet released by the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, U.S. Department of State, June 14, 2000

On May 25, 2000, the Joint Board of the U.S.-Egypt Science and Technology Agreement held its fifth annual meeting in Washington, DC. The U.S.-Egypt Science and Technology Agreement and its Joint Board are a component of the larger U.S.-Egypt Partnership for Economic Growth and Development led by Vice President Gore and Egypt's President Mubarak. The Joint Board seeks to highlight science and technology as a foundation for economic growth and development. The Joint Board develops and implements science policy and collaborative programmatic activities, such as joint research grants, workshops, and travel exchanges.

Dr. Mohamed Yousri Mohamed Morsi, President of Egypt's Academy of Scientific Research and Technology, led the Egyptian delegation. Other members of the Egyptian delegation included the Chairmen of the National Research Institute and the Electronics Research Institute and representatives of the Ministry of Scientific Research and the Egyptian Embassy in Washington. The United States delegation was led by Mr. Brooke C. Holmes, Director of the Office of Science and Technology Cooperation, U.S. Department of State. The U.S. delegation included representatives from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, National Institutes of Health, Department of Agriculture, National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of State, U.S. Embassy in Cairo, and U.S. Agency for International Development.

The Joint Board noted the achievements of its five-year record, particularly its success at highlighting science and technology as a foundation for economic growth and development. In this regard the Joint Board reaffirmed its commitment to and encouraged coordination among all of the elements of the U.S.-Egypt Partnership for Economic Growth and Development.

The Joint Board also noted that the U.S.-Egypt Science and Technology Agreement will expire in August 2000; both delegations stressed their confidence that the Agreement will be renewed. Acknowledging its transition into another five years, the Joint Board agreed to conduct a Program Review to assess the success of its science and technology programs and provide recommendations for its future. The Program Review is expected to be completed by the end of 2000.

Both the Egyptian and American delegations pointed to the increase in both the number and quality of the joint research proposals submitted in 1999 to the U.S.-Egypt Annual Grants Program as evidence of the science and technology program's success. The Joint Board approved funding for 32 joint research grants in areas such as health, agriculture, industry, biotechnology, environment, energy, manufacturing, information technology, and standards and metrology. The Joint Board approved three new workshops to be held on the topics of Natural Products and Biodiversity, Microbial Ecology, and Prioritizing Environmental Research.

The Joint Board of the U.S.-Egypt Science and Technology Agreement looks forward to its next meeting in Cairo in May 2001.

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