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7. STAFF SUPPORT FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY PLAN

QUESTION: How many staff at A.I.D. will be involved in

ANSWER:

implementing the recommendations of the action plan
on the conservation of biological diversity? To
what extent will A.I.D. call on agencies of the
Department of the Interior or the Forest Service to
carry out the plan?

As noted previously (see response to Question 1),
A.I.D.'s approach to implementing the recommendations
of the Strategy, as outlined in the Preliminary Action
Plan, is primarily one of integrating biological
diversity conservation into ongoing and future projects.
Consequently, many A.I.D. staff, both at the Washington
and field office level, will be involved to some extent
in identifying, developing, implementing, and evaluating
biological diversity activities. However, this
involvement may not command a major share of any
individual staff member's time. Those who are likely to
be intensively involved are Central and Regional Bureau
environmental staff (10), and Regional Office and Mission
environmental staff (approximately 73).

A.I.D. will supplement its own staff by calling on other Departments and agencies as circumstances warrant and resources permit.

8. STEPS TO IMPLEMENT INTERNATIONAL WILDLIFE REPORT

QUESTION:

ANSWER:

What specific steps has the Agency taken to implement the
Secretaries of Interior and States' recommendations to
Congress contained in the 1984 Conserving International
Wildlife Resources Report?

Many of the recommendations contained in the Conserving
International Wildlife Resources Report are analogous to
recommendations contained in the Strategy. Consequently,
our efforts and actions (proposed in consultations with
DOI/DOS staff) to implement the Strategy (see our
response to Question 1) should also be viewed as our
initial response to the DOI/DOS recommendations. As
pointed out earlier, continuation of the Interagency Task
Force will also assist in inter-departmental coordination
and initiatives.

9. INTERIOR DEPARTMENT AND FOREST SERVICE RESPONSIVENESS

QUESTION: Please provide specific examples of instances when a Bureau of the Department of the Interior or the Forest Service has had to turn down a request from A.I.D. for assistance. For each one, indicate what prevented the Agency from providing assistance; to what degree was it a lack of authority to do international work and to what degree was it a lack of personnel or personnel ceilings?

ANSWER:

The Department of Interior and Forest Service are
responsive to requests for development assistance
from A.I.D., but because informal checks on
personnel availability and ceilings normally precede
formal requests from A.I.D. for technical assistance
support, documented instances of a lack of response
do not occur. Temporary scheduling delays can occur
in those instances where the services of specialized
individuals are requested and required, but such
minor delays fall well within the normal range of
overseas travel and personnel placement experience.

Nonetheless, any increase in availability of
personnel ceilings for international assignments
within these domestic agencies would be likely to
result in a corresponding increase in requests for
services and technical assistance assignments within
the context of A.I.D. development assistance
projects and programs.

10. A.I.D. DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES

QUESTION:

How are priorities set within A.I.D. to determine what international projects or programs A.I.D. will work on?

ANSWER:

Development priorities are established in a step-wise systematic manner, from general policy thrusts to more specific programs and projects. Congressional

legislation provides the basic authorization and

initial framework for policy directions (as well as broad sectoral funding levels).

A.I.D.'s global strategic plan and individual sectoral policies and strategies then provide the framework within which individual country level Missions and other A.I.D. organizational units develop their specific program and project plans.

At the country level, A.I.D. Missions work closely
with host government officials to examine priorities
and to work out appropriate development and economic
assistance programs. Each Mission prepares a Country
Development Strategy Statement (CDSS) laying out a
five-year plan for U.S. development assistance goals
and anticipated project activities. Annual project
budgets are then prepared and executed consistent with
the CDSS, Agency strategy and policy and legislative
framework.

STATEMENT OF

BILL L. LONG

DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF FOOD AND NATURAL RESOURCES

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

BEFORE

SUBCOMMITTEE ON PUBLIC LANDS

COMMITTEE ON INTERIOR AND INSULAR AFFAIRS

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE

OCTOBER 8, 1985

I WELCOME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY BEFORE THE

SUBCOMMITTEE ON PUBLIC LANDS ON THE IMPORTANT MATTER OF THE SCOPE, QUALITY AND COORDINATION OF U.S. ASSISTANCE TO OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE AREAS OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT. BY VIRTUE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE'S STATUTORY RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE CONDUCT OF FOREIGN RELATIONS AND, AS THE COORDINATOR OF INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AS CARRIED OUT BY U.S. GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, WE HAVE A SPECIAL ROLE AND UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE WITH RESPECT TO THE INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES OF THE ARRAY OF U.S. TECHNICAL AGENCIES, INCLUDING THOSE WHICH FALL WITHIN THE OVERSIGHT OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON INTERIOR AND INSULAR AFFAIRS.

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