VZCZCXRO8034
PP RUEHTRO
DE RUEHTU #0068 0221627
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 221627Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY TUNIS
TO RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4326
INFO RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS PRIORITY 7595
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1406
RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT PRIORITY 0943
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1878
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT PRIORITY 8479
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI PRIORITY 0177
RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA PRIORITY 4172
UNCLAS TUNIS 000068
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
NEA/MAG FOR HOPKINS AND HARRIS, EB/CBA (WINSTEAD/GILMAN)
EB/TRA/AN(FINSTON),
STATE PASS USTR (BURKHEAD)
USDOC FOR ITA/MAC/ONE (NATE MASON), ADVOCACY CTR (REITZE)
CASABLANCA FOR (FCS ORTIZ)
LONDON AND PARIS FOR NEA WATCHER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD ECON KIPR SOCI TS
SUBJECT: MINISTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH SEEKS EXPERTISE AND
INCREASED COLLABORATION WITH THE UNITED STATES
REF: A. 07 TUNIS 271
B. 07 TUNIS 212
1. (SBU) During the Ambassador's January 17 courtesy call,
recently appointed Minister of Public Health Mondher Zenaidi
said that Tunisia is seeking more cooperative projects
between the United States and Tunisia in the health care
field. Specifically, the minister would like to see more
research exchanges and partnerships in the areas of
infectious diseases, preventative medicine, emergency
services, and family medicine. Zenaidi is alsointerested in
establishing a continuing medical education program in
Tunisia and asked for assistance in this area. Zenaidi noted
that Tunisia hopes to develop its pharmaceutical industry by
manufacturing more drugs locally for export and by seeking
partnerships with international pharmaceutical companies for
doing research here. Tunisia has also created a technology
park in Sidi Thabet (north of Tunis) dedicated to scientific
research, and competency development the biotechnology and
pharmaceutical industries and wants to attract more US
researchers, experts, and teachers to this park.
2. (SBU) The Ambassador informed Zenaidi of the upcoming
TIFA Council meeting and suggested that the US would like to
include a discussion of the possibilities for greater
collaboration along these lines on the TIFA agenda. The
Ambassador also offered to contact the National Institutes of
Health and other organizations to explore the posibilities
of further collaborative research proects. The Ambassador
explained that the TIFA Concil would allow the GOT and the
USG to raise an discuss all issues related to investment and
commerce, including US pharmaceutical market access isues
such as correlated drugs (reftels). Zenaidisaid that his
ministry would be happy to discussand resolve any problems
US pharmaceutical compaie were experiencing with regard to
correlation. The Ambassador thanked the minister for his
fleibility in this matter and said that individual US
pharmaceutical company representatives would be n touch.
Please visit Embassy Tunis' ClassifiedWebsite at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/tunisindex.cf m
GODEC