IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
29 September  2020 
(20-6596) Page: 1/61 
Council for Trade -Related Aspects of  
Intellectual Property Rights  Original: English  
 
  
REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ARTICLE 66.2  
OF THE TRIPS AGREEMENT  
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA  
The following communication, dated 18 September  2020, from the delegation of the 
United  States  of America is being circulated pursuant to paragraph 1 of the Decision on 
Implementation of Article  66.2 of the  TRIPS  Agreement (IP/C/28).  
_______________  
 
INTRODUCTION  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............  2 
GENERAL TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PROGRAMMES, INCENTIVES, AND PARTNERSHIPS  2 
EDUCATIONAL AND UNIVERSITY -LED PROGRAMMES  ................................ ..................  10 
COMMERCIAL AND LEGAL PROGRAMMES TO STRENGTHEN CA PACITY  ........................  14 
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY PROTECTION (IPR) AND ENFORCEMENT CAPACITY 
BUILDING  ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  15 
TRADE AND INVESTMENT POLICY, CAPACITY BUILDING, AND INCENTIVES  ...............  21 
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMM ING AND INCENTIVES THROUGH PRIVATE SECTOR MODELS
 ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 24 
PROGRAMMES AND INCENTIVES RELATED TO AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND 
FOOD SAFETY AND SECURITY  ................................ ................................ ........................  28 
PROGRAMMING AND INCENTIVES RELATED TO ENERGY DEVELOPMENT  .....................  37 
PROGRAMMING AND INCENTIVES RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION  ...... 41 
PROGRAMMING AND INCENTIVES RELATED TO HEALTH  ................................ ...........  47 
PROGRAMMING AND INCENTIVES RELATED TO BUILDING LABOR CAPACITY  ...........  58 
PROGRAMME AND INCENTIVES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION  ..............................  60 
 
 
 
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INTRODUCTION  
The United States is committed to continually enhancing its activities pursuant to Article 66.2 of 
the TRIPS Agreement, and reporting those activities, in keeping with the guidelines established in 
the TRIPS Council 's Decision of 2 0 February  2003 (IP/C/28) . Consistent with this decision, d eveloped 
country Members shall provide yearly reports to  least developed country (LDC) M embers on actions 
taken or planned in pursuance of the commitments of developed countries under TRIPS Article 66.2 
to provide incentives to enterprises and institutions  in their territories for the purpose of promoting 
and encouraging technology transfer to LDC Members , in order to enable them to create a sound 
and viable technological base . USG funding of these multifaceted activities and collaborations are 
incentives t o the many partners in the US that work with LDC recipients and institutions to promote, 
encourage, and enable technology transfer.  
The intellectual property (IP), trade capacity, training, development assistance, educational, 
financing, entrepreneurship, and infrastructure -related programmes described in this report are 
integral elements of the efforts of the United States to support LDCs in fostering the necessary 
environment to encourage the effective, voluntary  transfer of technology to LDC M embers . No report 
can represent every activity that directly or indirectly incentivizes enterprises and institutions for the 
purpose of promoting and encouraging technology transfer, but this report attempts to describe the 
most significant activities and programmes and to convey the breadth and depth of US efforts.  
The US Government  attaches great importance to providing the incentives to help LDCs obtain 
technology transfer . A key element to that objective is that the US Government , in collaboration 
with many national and regional government agencies and IP organizations, such as the World 
Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), work to assist LDCs, to improve the functioning and 
utilization of their IP systems to promote  economic, social and cultural development . Our goal is to 
help LDCs establish an environment that attracts and sustains technologies that address local needs 
and are valued in local markets . The strengthening of IP protection is an essential measure to 
promote technology transfer.  
Much of the United States Government research conducted by federally operated laboratories 
and federally funded research and development (R&D) centres  results in inventions or findings that 
contribute to the development of new te chnologies and processes . Commercialization of these 
outputs can yield economic and social benefits that increase returns on the investment in federal 
R&D. 
The United States continues to believe that the effective functioning of Article 66.2 of the 
TRIPS  Agreement requires a robust dialogue between developed country and LDC Members , in order 
to target incentives in a way that is most responsive to the self -identified technology transfer 
interests and needs of LDC Members . The United States encourages the ef forts of the TRIPS Council 
Secretariat and Membe rs to organize discussions among the Members regarding TRIPS  Article  66.2 
implementation.  
GENERAL TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PROGRAMME S, INCENTIVES, AND PARTNERSHIPS1 
The 2018 President 's Management Agenda  (https://www.performance.gov/PMA/PMA.html ) 
includes a Cross Agency Priority Goal to Improve Transfer of Federally -Funded Technologies from 
Lab-to-Market . In September  2019, General S ervices and Administ ration (GSA ) and Office of 
Management a nd Budget (OMB)  awarded almost USD 1 million  to three cross -sector, 
multi-disciplinary teams through the Government Effectiveness Advanced Research (GEAR) Centre  
Challenge  (https://www.performance.gov/PMA/PMA_Fall_Update.pdf ). The GEAR Centre  is intended 
to bring together experts in disciplines from economics to computer science and design thinking, in 
order to take a creative, data -driven, and interdisciplinary approach to new possibilities in how 
citizens and government interact . The GEAR Centre  can help Government catch up to private -sector 
services and capabilities and lay the groundwork for where operations and services need to be in 
five, ten, or 20 years . "The uniquely American research and development system that brings 
together universities, federal labs, private companies, and non-profits  has made us a  global leader 
in most fields, " said GSA Administrator Emily Murphy . "The GEAR Centre  provides a common ground 
 
1 Paragraphs 6 -10 describe technology transfer policies and legislative tools that are used by the U.S. 
Government to derive much of the technology that is transferred to LDCs.  IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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  to bring those same partnerships together to help solve the biggest challenges facing our 
Government and improve how we s erve citizens. " 
Similarly, through the Bayh -Dole act of 1980, the US Congress directed that inventions that 
result from federally funded research be used to promote commercialization and public access 
through practical application . United States laboratori es often partner with external organizations to 
conduct cooperative research and development.  
Federally Sponsored Research and Development  
Federal initiatives on technology transfer are being implemented through the aforementioned 
Cross Agency Priority Goa l to Improve Transfer of Federally -Funded Technologies from 
Lab-to-Market . New programmes will streamline technology transfer and accelerate the pace of 
commercialization of federal research . Specific strategies are:  
a. identify regulatory impediments and administrative improvements in Federal technology 
transfer policies and practices;  
b. increase engagement with private sector technology dev elopment experts and investors;  
c. build an entrepreneurial R&D workforce;  
d. support innovative tools and services for technology transfer ; and 
e. and improve understanding of global science and technology trends and benchmarks (see 
https://www.performance.gov/CAP/CAP_goal_14.html ). 
 
The National Sc ience and Technology Council (NSTC) workgroup on Lab -to-Market coordinates 
federal initiatives on technology transfer . Federal agencies implement these initiatives, which include 
development of human capital, and small business innovation . The National Ins titute of Standards 
and Technology prepares an annual report that summarizes government -wide technology transfer 
efforts . T his report can be found at 
https://www.nist.gov/tpo/federal -laboratory -interagency -technology -transfer -summary -reports . 
Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer  
Technology transfer is most effective when the technology is requested by the entity that will 
use the tech nology . The Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer (FLC) plays a key 
role in providing information about technologies that are available for licensing and the availability 
of laboratories for collaboration and partnership . The FLC is a natio nal network of approximately 
300 US federal laboratories and centres  that provides opportunities for linking laboratory mission 
technologies and expertise with the marketplace (see https://www.federallabs.org ). The FLC 
promotes technical cooperation among the federal laboratories and large and small businesses, 
academia, and federal, state, and local government agencies . FLC collaborates with organizations 
that promote technical cooperation, and works to improve  the effectiveness of technology transfer 
through training, recognition, awards, and evaluation . Moreover, the FLC encourages technology 
transfer and, through its member laboratories, seeks partners around the world . The FLC offers a 
broad set of tools inc luding the ability to search available laboratory technologies, find laboratory 
expertise and facilities, and find available partnership mechanisms for different agencies . The FLC 
Toolkit is available at https://www.federallabs.org/T2 -Toolkit . 
Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research  
The Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER) programme  directly supports 
scientists in USAID -presence countries through institutional research awards  typically ranging up to 
USD 300,000. US scientific agencies such as National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), 
National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), National 
Science Foundation (NSF), National O ceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Smithsonian 
Institution, US Forest Service (USFS), US Department of Agriculture 's (USDA) Agriculture Research 
Service (ARS), and US Geological Survey (USGS), as well as National Instruments, General Electric, 
and universities and research institutes around the world, have partnered with scientists in 
developing countries through PEER awards . Since its launch in 2011, PEER has supported more than 
350 projects in over 50 countries with a USAID investment of nearly  USD 100 million. P EER aims to 
build capacity among local scientists and research institutions, strengthen research partnerships 
world -wide, and better translate data and evidence into policy.  IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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PEER Project : Delivering Crop Yield Nowcasts and Forecasts – Uganda  
Several PEER projects are using cutting edge digital technologies to facilitate climate -smart 
agriculture . For example, in Uganda, Makerere University has partnered with California State 
University Monterey Bay, and the NASA Ames Research Centre  for Earth Science and Technology to 
deliver crop yield forecasts to farmers in Sub -Saharan Africa . Forecasting reports integrate earth 
observation data, complementary field work, and free open source Earth data modelling  tools to 
deliver location -specific and n ear real -time vegetation/ plant health as well as 16 -day weather 
forecasts to smallholder farmers and policy workers for agricultural production planning in Africa . 
Forecasting reports are made available via a free CropWISE app in Google Play and through Facebook 
(user ID : CropWISE) . The Facebook platform has also become a crop and weather data sharing 
platform for numerous agriculture -related government agencies, including the Ministry of 
Agriculture, National Agricultural Research Organization (N ARO), and the Office of the Prime 
Minister, as an early warning platform for crop health & drought information systems . The team 
continues to train farmers and policy makers in Uganda and Zambia in order to build cap acity - at 
the community and national le vel - for stakeholders to access and use daily weather and crop early 
warning systems for agricultural planning . 
PEER Project : Optimization of SMC Delivery and its Effects on the Acquisition of 
Malaria Immunity - Mali 
Through a PEER grant, a researcher in Bamako has identified the best way to deliver Seasonal 
Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) - a World Health Organization -recommended method for malaria 
prevention in children under five - across Mali . Through a series of randomized control trials 
supported by th e PEER programme  and the US National Institutes of Health, the researcher has 
shown that a door -to-door approach to treatment administration increases antimalarial coverage by 
14 percentage points compared to a fixed -point distribution strategy . He has als o identified effective 
methods for administering medicine and the optimal number of doses . The results of this completed 
research study directly informed the Government of Mali 's roll-out of SMC through the National 
Malaria Control Programme , which works d irectly with the US Presidential Malaria Initiative . While 
the team is working closely with the Government of Mali during the scale -up of SMC during 
FY 2019-2020, the team continues to study the impact of SMC on antibody generation to see if SMC 
prevents t he normal progression of innate immune protection generated by constant exposure to 
malaria . The team also developed new collaborations with Sanaria for the testing PfSPZ malaria 
vaccine in Mali.  
PEER Project : A ffordable Technologies for Cervical Cancer 
Screening - Mozambique  
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Centre , in collaboration with Universide Eduardo 
Mondlane, Rice University, and Population Services International, are promoting and testing 
innovative  technologies and approaches for cervical cancer screening in low income countries to 
improve early detection of cervical lesions . The project aims to screen 14,000 women for cervical 
cancer using HPV -based screening delivered through voluntary family plan ning programme s. A 
subset of clients will also undergo screening with a novel, affordable point of care HPV test developed 
by Rice University, to compare its effectiveness versus existing screening platforms . 
PEER Project - Open Mapping Nepal  
There is huge  potential to engage digital volunteers to map unmapped parts of the world 
(Goodchild, 2007) . Nepal has one of the most active open mapping communities in the world and 
has leveraged this capacity to better respond to natural disasters such as the 2015 ear thquake . The 
US Global Development Lab ( Lab) is supporting research into how to best sustain and expand 
open-mapping in Nepal post -earthquake through a partnership between a Nepalese NGO, 
Kathmandu Living Labs, and researchers supported by the National Sci ence Foundation at the 
University of Colorado Boulder.  
Despite the critical contribution of open mapping to earthquake relief efforts, local NGO 
Kathmandu Living Labs (KLL) recognized that more work needed to be done to sustain open mapping 
in Nepal . Little was known about how to engage and retain local citizens to contribute to mapping 
and there were gaps in the geospatial information infrastructure in Nepal . Through PEER -supported IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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  action research and expertise from the University of Colorado -Boulder on so cial media use during  
post-earthquake relief efforts , KLL developed a model to conduct outreach, motivate, train, and 
engage citizen volunteers, particularly youth, in open - mapping . The team is also integrating open 
mapping in university curriculum and wo rking with the Nepalese Government to engage local youth 
in city mapping.  
END Wildlife Trafficking - AF/SA PKO Counter Poaching Programme  - Tanzania  
As part of Embassy Tanzania 's END Wildlife Trafficking Strategy, this State -PKO funded 
programme  is focused on assisting the Government of Tanzania in its efforts to prevent, deter, and 
respond to poaching activities by increasing mobility, improving infrastructure, strengthening 
command and control, and strengthening technical skills of rangers . In 2018  the US Government 
funded telecommunications training and equipment to all Tanzanian Wildlife Authority (TAWA) 
headquarters and game reserve units, and for the first time TAWA rangers can communicate with 
each other across game res erves and to TAWA headqua rters. For example, the Rungwa Game 
Reserve is now fully equipped with seven base stations, nine mobile radios, eleven man packs, and 
two air -to-ground base units and cross gate components . The reserve has 99 % radio coverage and 
patrol response rates are a t 95%. From 1-8 July 2019, the joint US  Embassy, Dar es Salaam – 
Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA) Telecommunications Assessment assessed the 
interoperability and operation of current telecommunication systems of TAWA to identify needs and 
solutions. Communications are ground -to-ground and air -to-ground to facilitate anti -poaching 
patrols . Installation of radio outposts has continued throughout the COVID -19 pandemic . Once 
installation and outfitting is complete, warranty maintenance support will cover equipment until 
2021. The programme  started in 2018 and is ongoing.  
Global Innovation Exchange  (GIE)  
Global Innovation Exchange, a multi -donor initiative support by USAID and  launched in 2015, 
is a digital platform that connects innovato rs, donors, investors,  academia, and the private sector 
to innovative devices, data, technologies, approaches, processes, and funding opportunities.  
In 2020, GIE further demonstrated its value new heights surpassing 15,000 innovations on the 
platform as well as more than 2,950 funding opportunities for more than USD 2.7 billion  worth of 
cumulative funding . Over 70,000 applications for funding have been  initiated using GIE . Innovations 
on GIE span across 13 global development sectors and 24 cross -cutting topics in more than 
137 low- and- middle -income countries (LMICs) . GIE's partnership programme  with funders and 
other ecosystem players to identify and "verify " innovations has verified over 36 % of the innovations 
on the platform, helping surface and validate  up the most promising innovations . GIE is also 
increasingly being used by funders and others in the ecosystem in a variety of ways, such as to 
discover and research innovations through GIE 's Innovation Finder Service, to map the innovation 
ecosystem, and to track the progress of their portfolio innovations through GIE 's Milestones section 
and new portfolio tracking feature.  
As part of the respons e to the COVID -19 pandemic, GIE launched the COVID -19 Innovation 
Hub. This Hub is designed to capture, promote, and make more accessible innovations in relevant 
response categories . More than 800 relevant innovations, across 12 categories have been shared on 
the site, as have more than 100 funding opportunities.  
GIE is also supporting several USAID programmes such as the Bureau of Food Security 's Feed 
the Future (FTF) initiative by powering the FTF Innovation Exchange to showcase FTF 's portfolio of 
transfer -ready innovation and accelerate innovation . The Lab 's Challenges and Prizes team uses GIE 
as a partner in promoting directed innovation competitions, sourcing innovations, and evaluating 
their quality . Other leading international development agencies are using GIE to power their 
initiatives and improve pipelines . For example, the International Development Innovation Alliance 
(USAID is also a member) is using GIE to power the Million Lives Club applications.  
As of 1 8 August  2020, innovations from least deve loped countries are prominently represented 
on GIE . For example, Uganda ranks #4 for the most innovations on GIE amongst the full list of 
low-and-middle income countries (LMICs) and two other countries are also on the top ten LMICs by 
innovations (Tanzania  and Bangladesh) . GIE's funding opportunities also serve LDCs, where  five of 
the top ten LMICs by funding are LDCs (Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique, Rwanda, Ethiop ia). IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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Innovation Discovery & Testing  
Generating new ideas for innovation, building evidence of their efficacy, and helping attract 
further investment helps development solutions reach more people more quickly and sustainably . 
The US Global Development Lab serves as an innovation hub . Working collaboratively with the 
Agency and our extern al partners, the Lab 's mission is two -fold: 1) To produce breakthrough 
development innovations by sourcing, testing, and scaling proven solutions to reach  hundred s 
of million s of people ; and 2) To accelerate the transformation of the development enterprise  by 
opening development to people everywhere with good ideas, promoting new and deepening existing 
partnerships, bringing data and evidence to bear, and harnessing scientific and technological 
advances.  
The Lab uses two approaches to identify promising inn ovations, which are then rigorously 
tested, iterated, and put in use on a broad scale for global impact . The first approach - open 
innovation - includes the Development Innovation Ventures (DIV) programme , a year -round grant 
programme  open to nearly any in dividual or organization for any sector in any country where USAID 
operates . Grants are awarded based on cost -effectiveness, evidence of impact, and the potential to 
scale. DIV's FY 2018 -2019 Annual Programme  Statement also established a separate category of 
evidence grants, used for research and evaluation of development practices and innovations . The 
second approach, directed innovation, develops solutions to specific challenges, such as scaling 
water -saving agricultural solutions, accelerating off -grid e nergy access in sub -Saharan Africa, and 
supporting humanitarian assistance in complex emergencies . The Lab 's innovation discovery and 
testing program ming specifically seeks to engage local innovators . Through 2018, the Lab supported 
over 1,100 development innovations through DIV, Grand Challenges for Development, and other 
programme s. 
Science and Technology Agreements  
The United States utilizes science and technology (S&T) agreements as frameworks for 
increased international collaboration by facilitating co operation between US technical agencies and 
foreign counterparts on topics including public health, watershed management, agriculture, 
environment and biodiversity protection, biotechnology, earth sciences, marine science, and 
alternative energy . These agreements support relationships that strengthen science education 
systems, build institutional and human resource capacity, and promote a deeper appreciation of 
innovation and its role in technology transfer and commercialization . The United States suppor ts 
programmes that strengthen institutional capacity to translate research into commercial activity, 
while improving individual capacity to enter labour  markets (see  
https://www.state.gov/key -topics -office -of-science -and-technology -cooperation ). Through these 
efforts, US scientific and technical agencies and their counterparts promote economic growth and 
jobs creation.  
Program ming to Advance Entrepreneurship  
The G lobal Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) is a unique opportunity for the Administration to 
promote economic prosperity an d innovation around the globe . This US Government -led event 
combines entrepreneurs, investors, educators, and business representatives who e mbody the full 
measure on entrepreneurial talent from diverse backgrounds across the United States and the world, 
including the developing world . GES  2019 took place in The Hague, the Netherlands in June and 
welcomed over 2 ,100 participants, including over 1 ,000 entrepreneurs from 142 countri es and more 
than 350 investors . The Summit 's programme  delivered over 50 content sessions and communicated 
the theme of "The Future Now " to highlight the role of current innovation in solving future challe nges. 
Preceding GES 's have taken place in the United States twice, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, 
Malays ia, Morocco, Kenya, and India . More than 23,000 participants attended the nine Global 
Entrepreneurship Summits.  
Regional Programme s 
Smart Infrastruct ure for the Mekong (SIM) - Lower Mekong Initiative  
Founded in July 2013, the Smart Infrastructure for the Mekong (SIM) programme  offers 
governments participating in the Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI) an array of technical advisory, IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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  capacity building, and su pport services related to climate -smart, environmentally sound and socially 
equitable infrastructure, clean energy development, and land and/or water resources use related to 
sustainable management of the Mekong . Through a multi -agency US Government agreem ent, SIM 
has access to some of the US government 's best engineers, scientists, and technical and policy 
experts to support such activities.  
One Health Capacity Building in the Lower Mekong – Myanmar , Thailand, Lao PDR , 
Cambodia, Viet Nam  
Under the Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI), the US Department of State supported an 
October  2018 Information Sharing Programme  that brought 13 scientists and practitioners from 
Myanmar , Thailand, Lao PDR, and Cambodia  to Houston, TX and Miami, FL . The activit y transferred 
expertise and know -how related to vector -borne diseases (e.g., dengue, Zika, West Nile Virus) . 
The group 's itinerary was designed to focus on three common challenges : 1) bolstering 
cooperation between environmental management, public health, and health care ; 2) strengthening 
public outreach to affected communities ; 3) incorporating innovative technologies and approaches 
to model, surveil,  and control mosquito vectors . State and local governments are often the best 
places to see how to address these challenges and to understand how programmes work; the group 
also visited with community and academic partners in each locale.  
The activity included transfer of expertise and know -how related to:  
a. Distribution of mosquito traps and surveillance sites a nd use of data for effective targeting 
of mosquito control;  
b. Creation and distribution of multi -lingual, science -based public information products;  
c. Piloting of novel techniques for mosquito control, include "smart " (Internet of Things) devices 
as well as biological, chemical, and genetic techniques to control mosquito populations;  
d. Design of rigorous methods for testing effectiveness of novel technique s. 
Results from the activity were used to frame and motivate the July 2019 LMI Young Scientist 
Programme  in Vientiane, Lao  PDR. The programme , which included 33 students and young 
professionals from Myanmar , Thailand, Lao PDR, Cambodia, and Viet  Nam, featu red participants 
from the 2018 Information Sharing Programme  as speakers  and mentors for participants . The theme 
of the programme  was teaching and motivating participants to build informatics tools to support 
vector -borne disease control in the region . Additionally, participants acquired knowledge related to 
ideation, design think ing, teamwork, and prototyping . One team was going to  be awarded a seed 
grant to scale up their prototype at a conference in January  2020. This last activity was postponed 
due to t he COVID -19 pandemic.  
The programme  evaluations indicate a high level of satisfaction with the programme . Each 
week's content relevancy earned "satisfied " ratings from 75 % or more of participants ; several of the 
individual modules received "satisfied " ratings from more than 95 % of participants.  
Scholar applauds LMI  
A Laotian specialized in Epidemiology at Michigan State University recalled and shared her 
experiences about the memorable field trip to Savannakhet : "I have been working in public health 
area, and my works have had its focus just on immunization . I had no idea about the severity of 
Dengue outbreak in Lao PDR before I joined the programme . LMI open my perspectives on a very 
importance i ssues such as vector borne diseases control and prevention . I got to meet brilliant 
entomologist from Cambodia and learned from them how to identify mosquitos . And I got to meet 
a mathematician from Thailand who taught me the principle of machine learning. " 
LMI Tuberculosis Programme  – Brunei  Darussalam , Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao  
People's Democratic Republic , Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Viet  Nam, and 
Timor -Leste  
Under the US-Singapore Third Country Training Programme , the US Department of State 
supported a December  2019 training workshop focused on the management of tuberculosis (TB) in 
immigrant populations across the Southeast Asia region . A total of 32 participants came from 
Brunei  Darussalam , Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao  PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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  Viet Nam, and Timor -Leste . Trainers came from the US Centres  for Disease Control and Prevention, 
USAID, and the Singaporean National Centre  for Infectious Diseases, as well as several NGO and 
academic collaborator s from around the world.  
 
The training workshop focused on tools and techniques available to support countries in 
identifying, managing, and supporting TB patients who move across international borders during the 
course of their treatment. (TB requires mon ths to treat effectively ; interrupted treatment contributes 
to antimicrobial resistance and threatens global health security.)  Participants returned home with a 
broader toolkit to address TB in migrant populations, with access to international expert netwo rks, 
and with specific plans to follow up and capitalize on results of the training.  
International Visitor Leadership Programme  On Demand (IVLP On 
Demand) - Cameroon, Ghana, Liberia, Mali, and Senegal  
Under the International Visitor Leadership Programme  On Demand (IVLP On Demand), the US  
Department of State supported a March  2020 international exchange trip focused on the 
management and control of vector -borne diseases, particularly mosquito -borne diseases . The group 
of ten visitors came from Cameroon, Gh ana, Liberia, Mali, and Senegal . The group visited relevant 
communities of practice in the Houston and New Orleans metro area ; a further stop in the 
Jacksonville (FL) metro area was cancelled due to the COVID -19 pandemic . Further, digital sessions 
were arr anged from May -July 2020, with experts from New Orleans and Jacksonville.  
The trip focused on US experience and leadership on vector -borne disease, as well as 
community tools and techniques for surveying and controlling mosquito populations . Mosquitoes are  
known as the world 's most dangerous animal because of their ability to transmit diseases such as 
malaria and dengue . The trip included a variety of technical "how-to" sessions with public health 
practitioners and academic experts . The sessions expanded pa rticipants ' toolkits to combat 
vector -borne disease in their home communities . IVLP alums are included in alumni networks to 
facilitate their continued professional development upon return . Some alums are also eligible to 
apply for small grant funding for follow -on activities.  
Country Projects  
mHero Mobile Communications Platform for Health Workers – Liberia  
USAID  works with the Ministry of Health (MOH) in Liberia to improve its ability to communicate 
priority information with frontline health workers  and to receive feedback from health workers on 
priority issues as well as outbreaks . Communication during the Ebola  outbreak was a critical 
challenge . To address this, USAID worked with MOH to integrate a text message platform, mHero, 
into their existing health information systems . This allows MOH to send information to health workers 
in specific counties in a matter o f minutes . Today Liberia 's Ministry of Health is using mHero as a 
surveillance and response platform for a range of diseases, such as Lassa fever, measles, and 
cholera.  
Government official lauds mHero "We're using it to send COVID -19 messages to health wor kers 
as part of the cou ntry's response to the epidemic " - Liberia Ministry of Health representative.  
WAHO West African Health Informatics Team (WAHIT) - Burkina Faso  
USAID works with the West African Health Organization and Economic Community of West 
African States (ECOWAS) Members to improve their ability to fix, maintain, and adapt national level 
health information systems . Specifically, USAID has supported the launch of a West African Health 
Informatics Team (WAHIT) - an innovative technical assistance m odel to build local health 
informatics leadership in West Africa . WAHIT is a regional team comprised of software developers 
and informatics experts whose mission is to provide on -demand technical assistance (TA) while 
building local software engineering capacity to support long -term sustainability of health information 
systems in the region . Over the following three years, WAHIT trained over 250 HIS experts in 
West Africa through 26 country missions . Activities ranged from training on server m anagement at 
the country level, consolidation of weekly Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) data 
at the regional level, and business process improvement at WAHO . By the end of 2019, WAHO IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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  committed to fully incorporating the team into its pe rmanent organizational structure and USAID 
ended project funding.  
Government representatives  laud WAHIT  
a. "WAHIT is relevant, essentially in the provision of technical assistance, because they are 
based in the region and this specific domain is essential for  the health system . WAHIT's TA 
is different and very effective compared to other structures/partners . WAHIT's staffs quickly 
understand our needs ; they really understand the language of health information and the 
data philosophy in health . At the end of th eir trainings, you can see a plus, a change, because 
it's something you really missed and needed . They help you to remedy your issues . That is 
what makes WAHIT stronger [than] other training courses where the trainer would come 
with his own agenda and cont ent. With WAHIT, the trainees express their needs and WAHIT 
elaborates the content of the training conseq uently " – Burkina Faso National Stakeholder . 
b. "There is no barrier between us and WAHIT technicians . They are open and very accessible . 
They always go above expectations . They propose practical solutions . They developed the 
help desk, which is a rapid technical assistan ce, and they are highly skilled " – Burkina Faso 
National Stakeholder KI . 
c. "The WAHIT model is interesting and innovative.. . It allows us to have the same vision of 
the health information system we want to develop . WAHIT's TA is special as they have their 
own IT specialist, all coming from the region, and therefore versed into the regional context 
and background . Other partners do n ot have their own IT/technical  staffs  and therefore 
recruit external consultants to support us . Experience has shown that very often those 
consultants do not always provide the technical as sistance that we need/requested " – 
Burkina Faso National Stakeholde r. 
d. "The WAHIT model is well developed and the results of the collaboration can be visible . In 
such a situation both parties win : the TA provider sees the output of the intervention (and 
feels valued) and the beneficiaries learn, capitalize, and integrate their expertise in 
reinforcing their own system " – Burkina Faso National Stakeholder . 
e. "Of course, WAHIT has already succeeded, it i s no longer a question to ask . We all are 
satisfied with their TA " – Togo National Stakeholder . 
f. "In any case, obtaining  WAHIT 's TA is very easy . The first time we submitted our request, I 
can assure you, I was not expecting it to be approved and delivered immediately . But they 
immediately responded, to my surprise, and then worked together to complete the agenda 
and timeline for their TA . It was really the first time I was experiencing such an ef fective TA 
and it fascinated me " – Burkina Faso National Stake holder . 
Non-government partners  praise WAHIT : 
a. "WAHIT is a breath of fresh air for the health system because they are addressing a need 
that was left behind … As I said earlier and each time when we identify a need, we call for 
local/international consultants . The consultant arrives, does the work and leave … WAHIT 
plays a different role, which is to build the technical capacity to solve the technical p roblems 
that arise with the HIS " – Key informant, Togo . 
b. "With WAHIT… you know that your problem is solved and then you have the capacity for the 
next time to solve it, without their support " – Key informant, Burkina Faso . 
Private Sector Lauds  US Trade and Development Agency  (USTDA)  East Africa 
Enterprise Solutions Feasibility Study  
USTDA awarded a feasibility study grant that will expand and improve access to 
telecommunications services in Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda . The grantee is SEACOM 
Limited, the regional submarine communications cable operator, and USTDA 's study will de termine 
where to expand ICT infrastructure in East Africa, assess the market for fibre telecommunications 
services, and recommend potential investments in fibre optic cabling and network equipment . The 
feasibility study is underway and expected to be completed by 2021.  
Private Sector Lauds East Africa Enterprise Solutions Feasibility Study  
SEACOM 's Chief Development Officer Suveer Ramdhani said : "USTDA has been a valued partner 
to SEACOM since its early beginnings and has been fundamental to the launch  and growth of the 
Internet in Africa. " IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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IRI: Enhancing Fiscal Transparency in t he The Gambia  
US Embassy Banjul, via the Fiscal Innovative Transparency Fund, funded USD 550,000 in 
FY 2018, USD 400,000 in 2019, and will fund USD 230,000 in FY 2020 to the Int ernational 
Republican Institute (IRI) for its work on fiscal transparency in The Gambia . IRI is utilizing this grant 
funding to train various Gambian government officials, media, and civil society to better operate 
with fiscal transparency in mind . This gr ant intends to see the development of a legal framework for 
combatting a lack of fiscal transparency, as well as build capacity for future legal guidelines and 
understanding of public finance . In January of 2020, IRI hosted a training for the Gambian civil 
society and media, to review, analyse , and interpret the 2020 national budget . IRI followed up on 
that training with a two -day virtual training session on budget advocacy hosted on 16 and 
17 June 2020. On 7 July 2020, IRI co -hosted a webinar with the Ministry of Finance and Economic 
Affairs on the effects of COVID -19 on The Gambia National Budget . IRI also supported The Gambia 
Participates and the Centre of Policy, Research and Strategic Studies to conduct a month -long 
research on the usage of  the "COVID -19 Emergency Response Fund ." The research found that 
though the government reported paying allowances, the amount paid out was insufficient and no 
funding had gone to improve health infrastructure.  
Access to Information (A2I) – Bangladesh  
USAID 's A2I programme me aimed to increase transparency, improve governance and reduce 
the time, difficulty, and costs of obtaining government services for under -served communities of 
Bangladesh . The objectives were to strengthen existing e -services and launch a second generation 
of integrated, inter -operable e -government applications, as well as sensitize government officials, 
train service providers and expand digital literacy among the general public . The programme me 
also forged strong policy and strategy links to ensure implementation of needed legal and regulatory 
changes in support of the activity.  
To decentralize delivery of public services and take them to the doorsteps of  million s of 
underserved citizens, A2I established more than 5,321 Digit al Centres across the country . The total 
projected investment in this project was USD 6.1 million. T he project was completed in 2019 . These 
centres  use modern technology to provide both free and fee -based access to public services, such 
as land records, bi rth registration, telemedicine, life insurance, passport and overseas job 
application, as well as application to various other government services, and private services, 
including mobile financial services, insurance, various types of computer and vocation al training.  
 During 2018, more than 39  million  citizens received e -services across the country, accessing 
150 types of services more than 76  million  times . The entrepreneurs running the Digital Centres 
have increased their incomes – more than half the centres have earned more than BDT 15,000 per 
month, strengthening their sustainability . More than 3,000 centres  have been covered under the 
ek-Shop (rural assisted e -commerce) platform intended to bring e -commerce services to the public . 
Some 50 % of underserv ed citizens have received e/m -payment for Social Safety Net services, and 
those without bank accounts or bank access have obtained financial services 3.5  million  times . The 
access of the underserved citizen to any sort of information has been heightened th rough the 
Citizens ' Helpline 333 has received more than 1.5  million  calls about such social problems as child 
marriage and food adulteration.  
The use of Nothi (e -filling System) at the government offices has increased efficiency, 
accountability and transpa rency in movement of files and documents . More than 4,300 government 
offices have been using Nothi and have disposed of some four million  cases through December  2018. 
The Agriculture Service Portal and Farmers ' Call Centre (3331) has offered information to more than 
eight million  farmers on increasing production, quality food, market -oriented agriculture, and decent 
pricing.  
EDUCATIONAL AND UNIVERSITY -LED PROGRAMME S 
US agencies such as the Department of State an d USAID work closely with universities to 
encourage student exchanges and other programmes that promote technology transfer and 
knowledge through harnessing the intellectual power of students to address challenges including 
climate variability, food securi ty, and global health.  IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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Educational Enrolment in the US University System  
The US university system constitutes a major avenue for technology transfer . Foreign students 
employ acquired knowledge and skills in their home countries.  
University Enrolment by Foreign Students  
During the 2018 -2019 academic year, there were  38,135  students from LDCs enrolled in US 
institutions of higher education, representing an increase of  nearly 12 % over 
the 2017 2018 academic year, and 3 % of the total US higher e ducation international student 
enrolment . US institutions of higher education hosted many students from LDCs, including large 
numbers from  Nepal (13,229 students)  and Bangladesh (8,249  students) . The top five most popular 
fields of study for international students in the United States in academic year  2018-2019 were 
Engineering (230,780);  Math and Computer Science (203,461) ; B usiness and 
Management  (182,170);  Social Sciences (84,320) ; and Physical and Life Sciences (81,580).  
Exchange Program ming from the Department of State 's Bureau of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs  
The Department of State 's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) designs and 
implements educational, professional, and cultural exchange programmes that increase mutual 
understanding between people of the United States and the people of other countries 
(see https://eca.state.gov ). 
Program ming from ECA  
Through its programme s, ECA enables students, exchange alumni, and young adults to pursue 
higher education, leadership, and professional development opportunities globally . The Fulbright 
Programme  sponsors approximately 8,000 participants annually from the United States and more 
than 150 countries, many of whom do in -country work in LDCs . These programmes included 
participants in FY  2019 from almost every LDC country . The students enter the United States as 
non-immigrant exchange visitors ( "J-1"), which make them ineligible to remain in the United States 
after their studies . Thus, students participating in these education programmes generally return to 
their home countries, thereby bringing back knowledge and training.  
USAID 's Higher Education Solutions Network (HESN)  
HESN, launched in 2012, is a constellation of eight developm ent laboratories that promote the 
creation and application of new science, technology, and engineering approaches to solve the world 's 
most challenging development problems . With USD 137 million  over five years from USAID and 
leveraging nearly equal invest ments from the institutions, the universities established the 
laboratories by collaborating with a network that extends beyond 650 partner institutions in 
academia, civil society, and government across 69 countries, including developing countries . HESN 
Labs partner with institutions and support individual innovators in other countries and engage entire 
communities of local innovators in problem -solving in order to ensure a culture of entrepreneurship 
will continue and grow (see http://www.usaid.gov/hesn/ ). 
HESN 2.0 
In 2018, USAID launched several new programmes under the "HESN 2.0" portfolio . HESN  2.0 
builds on the original network of HESN universities and leverages a vast network of higher education 
institutions, l ocal stakeholders, private enterprise, and other development actors to increase the use 
of scientific research for development, refine and translate complex data, build local scientific 
potential, and test new and innovative development approaches . The ori ginal HESN programme  and 
PEER programme  are augmented by the Long -term Assistance and Services for Research (LASER) 
network, a myriad of technical experts organized by the Research Technical Assistance Centre  
(RTAC), and an open source platform, the Scienc e, Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships Annual 
Programme  Statement (STIP APS) . In 2020 a new group of projects under the STIP APS were 
sourced through the Building Research and Innovation, Generating Evidence, and Training 
(BRIDGE -Train) and the Bringi ng Research to Impact for Development, Global Engagement, and 
Utilization (BRIDGE -U) Addenda . One award has been made in 2020 to create the Centre  for IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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  Advanced Research and Innovation in Supply Chain - Africa (CARISCA) and additional awards are 
expected to be made under the BRIDGE programmes in 2021.  
Long -term assistance and services for research (LASER)  
LASER engages universities in co -created, long -term (typically one year or more), technical and 
research assistance with USAID Missions, Bureaus, and Independent Offices (M/B/IOs) as they seek 
to solve their most pressing development challenges . It allows interested USAID M/B/IOs the 
opportunity to rapidly access a network of international universities a nd associated researchers that 
are interested in refining and solving development challenges together with USAID . Through this 
network, LASER researchers partner with USAID M/B/IOs to identify new research questions, 
conduct demand -driven research, transla te research results into development impact, and build 
technical and research capacity of universities and researchers in developing countries . Beyond 
USAID M/B/IOs on their specific research needs, LASER independently identifies research questions 
that cr oss regions or sectors and then funds associated research activities to provide knowledge that 
will benefit USAID and the development community as a whole.  
Research technical assistance centre  (RTAC)  
RTAC helps USAID Missions, Bureaus, and Independent Offi ces make evidence -based, strategic 
choices and program ming decisions, drawing on the combined expertise of more than 850 academic 
experts affiliated with 374 organizations . RTAC provides technical assistance for USAID through 
preparation of in -depth resear ch and evidence -based reports ; development of easily understood 
research communication materials like summary reports or evidence -based policy briefs with 
recommended courses of action for USAID Missions ; support for technical meetings such as expert 
panel s, USAID stakeholder convenings , forums, and other gatherings in which the higher education 
community plays an important role ; consultations to inform the research activities, monitoring and 
evaluation plans ; programme  designs outlined in USAID strategies and Project Appraisal Documents 
(PADs), and other research or technical assistance needs.  
US Global Development Lab 's Science, Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships 
Annual Programme  Statement (STIP APS)  
Through the STIP APS, USAID 's Global Development L ab (the Lab) seeks to provide a flexible 
mechanism for USAID Missions, Bureaus, and Independent Offices (M/B/IOs) to engage with higher 
education institutions across the globe, NGOs, the private sector, and other key stakeholders to 
co-create activities th at will 1) generate targeted evidence and solutions around complex 
development challenges by sourcing new ideas and supporting interdisciplinary partnerships ; 
2) accelerate the translation of evidence to impact by facilitating collaboration between universities, 
implementers, local governments, the private sector, end -users ; and 3) strengthen global innovation 
and R&D ecosystems to support long -lasting development impact through individual and institutional 
capacity building . 
BRIDGE Programmes - Build ing Research and Innovation, Generating Evidence, and 
Training (BRIDGE -Train) and the Bringing Research to Impact for Development, Global 
Engagement, and Utilization (BRIDGE -U) 
The BRIDGE Programme s, as part of the H ESN 2.0 portfolio of activities seek to generally 
support research, innovation, training, and translation work . BRIDGE -Train supports institutional 
partnerships between Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in USAID Partner Countries and US-based 
HEIs to develop research, innovation, and training  centres  for knowledge development aimed at 
addressing local and/or national development priorities . BRIDGE -U seeks to promote effective 
utilization of existing research outputs and help build the knowledge base around the research 
utilization process . Though the goals of the BRIDGE Programmes are closely related, each targets a 
different point across the "research -to-action " spectrum.  
Common Practices for University -Led Technology Transfer  
Common practices that encourage technology transfer from US universities include:  IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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  a. providing global access to research results  through the Internet or other public systems, 
enabling the free -flow of research to be utilized by scientists, engineers, and researchers in 
all sectors;  
b. publication of research results in open academic literature that is accessible globally through 
the Internet or other public systems, enabling the free -flow of research to be utilized by 
scientists, engineers, and researchers in all sectors;  
c. interaction between creators and users  of new knowledge (e.g.  through professional 
meetings, conferences, seminars, industrial liaison programmes and other venues);  
d. encouraging research and entrepreneurial activity of faculty and students, yielding IP 
generation within the university;  
e. collabor ative research projects;  
f. entrepreneurial activity of faculty and students outside the university without involving 
university -owned IP ; and 
g. licensing of IP to established firms and new start -up companies.  
Regional and Country Programme s 
Environment  Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) 
– Togo  
On 4 June 2018, the US Ambassador to Togo and the Togolese Environment Minister joined the 
GLOBE Implementation Office Director for an opening ceremony to commemorate a week of training 
on GLOBE protocols at the American Corner on the campus of the University of Lome . The 
Programme  is an international science and education programme  managed by US National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) with support from the National Science Foundation 
(NSF), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Department of State . GLOBE 
provides students and the public worldwide with the opportu nity to participate in the collection of 
scientific data . The US Embassy facilitated Togo 's joining of the GLOBE network in 2018 . In FY 2019  
and FY 2020 , GLOBE activities took place at several pilot schools . GLOBE activities were also 
implemented by MoLab,  the US Embassy 's mobile science lab.  
MoLab – Togo  
MoLab is a US Embassy 's mobile S.T.E.M. (science, technology, engineering and math fields) 
learning lab . Built by young Togolese inventors, it is a vehicle filled with science, engineering, 
chemistry, and math activities . The US Embassy and Contour Global, an American energy company 
with a plant in Togo, financed MoLab . The vehicle runs as a non -profit organization . Its mission is to 
bring STEM education to under -resourced rural schools, and it ha s a full c alendar of activities . While 
MoLab continues to operate year -round, in FY 2020 it is still looking to achieve full financial 
independence.  
Female Tech Camp – Togo  
Since 2014, the US Embassy 's Public Affairs Section has supported the organization of an event 
called Female Tech Camp, which encourages young Togolese women to be more active in STEM 
fields through specialized training on coding, e -business, web design, and more . In its most recent 
editions, the event has attracted signific ant private sector support, including a major contribution 
from TogoCom, the country 's biggest internet operator . It also has strong support from The Minister 
of the Digital Economy, who in 2018 took the founder and several alumni to Paris for a technology  
conference called Viva Tech . The event has launched several successful e -businesses and 
applications . By August  2019, 300 girls across the country were trained at the tech camp.  
Robotics Bootcamp – Togo  
US Embassy 's Robotics Bootcamp programme  is a youth camp focusing on robotics, which 
features several young Togolese inventors in the robotics field . For example, one inventor uses a 
3-D printers to create prosthetic limbs, and another inventor deigned a robotic teacher for 
classrooms when teachers are abse nt. The bootcamp was held in August  2018 and trained 50 
participants generating increased interest in pursuing a career in STEM fields.  IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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NASA 's ARDC Training Programme  – Senegal  
Scientists from NASA and the Virginia -based engineering and technology company Analytical 
Mechanics Associates (AMA) led a workshop in Dakar 18 and 1 9 April 2019, attended by more than 
50 participants from over 25 government, non-profit , and private organizations in Senegal . The aim 
of the workshop was to train organizations to analyse  earth observation data in support of 
development objectives like food security and water access . The workshop was part of a larger 
project, the Africa Regional Data Cube (ARDC), which supplies sa tellite data to Kenya, Senegal, 
Sierra Leone, Ghana, and Tanzania . The ARDC also works to increase countries ' own capabilities to 
apply satellite information in response to local needs . In an example of how US-Senegalese 
cooperation can leverage cutting -edge technology to meet development goals, NASA and AMA 
experts will maintain contact with Senegalese users for day -to-day guidance and will provide online 
training later in the year based on demand.  
COMMERCIAL AND LEGAL PROGRAMMES TO STRENGTHEN CAPACITY  
US agencies such as the Commercial Law Development Programme  (CLDP), National Institute 
of Standards and Technology (NIST), and others provide commercial law technical assistance to the 
governments and private sectors of developing and transitional countries . The programmes are 
demand -driven and customized to address priority issues in countries ' business climates . The 
programmes help improve the commercial, legal, and regulatory environments to attract foreign 
investment and promote private sector -led growth and technology transfer.  
Country Projects  
Borlaug International Agricultural Science and Technology Fellowship Programme  
– Myanmar  
USDA 's Borlaug Fellowship Programme  promotes agricultural productivity, food security, trade 
and economic growth by providing training and collaborative research opportunities to early and 
mid-career scientists, researchers, or policymakers from developing and middle -income countries . 
The proposed fellowship would provide the selected candidate from the Ministry of Agriculture 's Plant 
Protection Division (PPD) an opportunity to conduct research on pest risk assessments (PRA) and 
provide insight into how the United States does PRAs, so they c an better align their regulations to 
ours and help them to try to apply for the first access to the US market for fresh products (possibly 
mangoes) . The increase in understanding will enhance the confidence of the US inspection and food 
safety system to Myanmar  officials . In the long run, such trust and confidence will greatly promote 
cooperation and facilitate trade . This will benefit the food industry in Myanmar  that seeks export 
markets, and in turn increase imports of US goods, which is an initiative of  national interest.  
A USDA Borlaug Fellowship (2018) candidate and a staff officer from the Plant Protection 
Division successfully finished the research on pest risk assessments (PRA) at Michigan State 
University during 2 April – 24 June 2019. From 6 January  2020 to 2 7 March  2020, a researcher from 
the Ministry of Agricultu re, Livestock, and Irrigation 's Plant Biotechnology Centre  was a fellow at 
Louisiana State University, focusing on agricultural biotechnology (targeted mutagenesis on two 
negative repressor genes) . The increase in understanding enhanced Myanmar 's ability to use 
agricultural biotechnology to increase production, address pest pressures, and other issues . USDA 
provided USD 50,000 in FY 2020  funding  support . A new fellow will be proposed for FY 20 21. 
Department of State Criminal Justice Reform/Law Enfo rcement Development – 
Myanmar  
State Department 's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) 
provides financing to implementing partners ( Myanmar 's Union Attorney General 's Office, Myanmar  
Police Force, and Supreme Court) to provide  training and technical assistance to the law enforcement 
and justice sectors . This training strengthens criminal legislation and provides tools and practices to 
fight domestic crimes, transnational organized crime, and corruption . It also includes working  with 
financial intelligence units to prevent and investigate financial crimes and money laundering activity 
by training the Myanmar  Police Force on the basic principles of community policing . Implementation 
of the project will assist the criminal justice system of Myanmar to fight transnational criminal activity 
and corruption, and promote a more predictable justice system rooted in the rule of law and aligne d IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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  with international standards . INL collaborates with DEA on addressing precursor chemical flows an d 
have donated MPF chemical detection devices to enhance counter narcotics -interdiction . Supported 
establishing ACC branch offices in Yangon and Mandalay as well as to the Department of 
Rehabilitation . Homeland Security Investigations have conducted first in-country training focusing 
on Human Trafficking investigations . 
An INL -funded delegation from the Department of Justice visited Myanmar in October  2019, to 
discuss intellectual property rights (IPR) enforcement and hold an IPR workshop 
with Myanmar 's Union Attorney General 's Office  (UAGO) . The visit was an opportunity to take stock 
of Myanmar 's IPR enforcement and engage UAGO on pending legislation and implementing 
regulations on intellectual property . INL provided  an estimated  USD 80,000 to cover  the cost of the 
study visit, including  participants ' travel expenses.  
Modernizing ISF Human Resource Management – Central African Republic  
Initiated in FY 2019, this project component facilitates the management of human resources of 
internal security  forces (ISF), the police and the gendarmerie . The project component will involve 
intensive training for police and gendarmerie staff on using the new software and the new IT servers 
installed . The software will assist human resource staff to develop indiv idual professional cards . The 
timeline of the implementation of project component is subject to the acquisition and installation of 
the new software . The acquisition process is going to be with new specifications . In order to ensure 
better monitoring and c ontrol of the equipment available to the Police and Gendarmerie General 
Directorates and traceability of the assignments of this equipment, the project intends to support 
the logistics services of a small database (Excel / Access) which allows them to have  instantaneous 
information on the equipment they have and the units in which this equipment is affected (vehicles, 
radios, weapons, furniture, etc.) . This tool will be accompanied by a barcode labelling  device that 
provides unique codes for each device . The project will also train executive level officers and 
provincial commanders in two separate trainings on human and material resources . To ensure the 
complementarity and build on support provided by INL for the establishment of vehicle maintenance 
units in  Bangui and in regions, the project will conduct a specialized training for the mechanics of 
the police and gendarmerie who will be deployed for this task to Bouar Berberati, Bambari, 
Bangassou and Sibut (about 30 people) . This training will reinforce thei r knowledge to repair and 
maintain the vehicles and equipment of the Police and the Gendarmerie.  
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY PROTECTION (IPR) AND ENFORCEMENT CAPACITY 
BUILDING  
US agencies, including the Department of State, the Department of Commerce 's Internati onal 
Trade Administration (ITA) (see http://www.trade.gov ) and US Patent and Trademark Office 
(USPTO) (see http://www.uspto.gov ), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and others 
deliver IPR technical assistance programmes to LDCs to strengthen IPR systems  and thus increase 
the likelihood of foreign direct investment (FDI).  
USPTO Training and Technical Assistance Collaboration  with International 
Organizations  
USPTO offers training and technical assistance on IPR protection and enforcement to many 
countries, including LDCs . USPTO supports the LDC assistance efforts of international organizations 
such as with the Association of S outheast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the World Intellectual Property 
Organization (WIPO) . For example, USPTO works with WIPO on its Re:Search  and WIPO Green 
programme s, to promote access to IPR and technical know -how for relevant policy concerns, 
including n eglected tropical diseases and environmentally -friendly technologies 
(see http://www.wipo.int/research/en , and https://webaccess.wipo.int /green ). USPTO also 
collaborates with ASEAN on Intellectual Property (IP) Capacity -Building Programme s, covering all 
areas of IP, in which LDCs participate.  
USPTO Global Intellectual Property Academy (GIPA)  
USPTO provides IPR training at its state -of-the-art GIPA Academy headquarters in  Alexandria, 
Virginia, throughout the world, and virtually through distance learning . Training is conducted in 
multiple languages and content is customized to meet the needs of those seeking training . USPTO IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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  delivers targeted training to foreign IP office administrators, examiners, judges, prosecutors, 
customs officers, and other government and law enforcement officials . Additional support is provided 
by IP Attaché Offices and the Departments of State and Commerce.  
In FY 2020 USPTO GIPA conducted more than 16 training, technical assistance, and capacity 
building programmes for over 90 participants from over 19 different countries, including the 
following LDCs : Afghanistan, Angola, Benin, Cambodia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kir ibati, Lao PDR, Malawi, 
Myanmar ( Myanmar ), Nepal, Rwanda, Senegal, Solomon Islands, Sudan, Timor -Leste, Tuvalu, 
Vanuatu, and Zambia (For more information about GIPA, see www.uspto.gov/gipa ). 
a. In September  2019, U SPTO GIPA with the ASEAN Secretariat and the US Department of 
Justice conducted an Asia Regional Workshop on IP Border Enforcement in Bangkok, 
Thailand, at which government officials from Myanmar  (Myanmar), Cambodia, and Lao PDR 
participated ; 
b. In February  2020, USPTO GIPA, in collaboration with the Oceania Customs Organization, 
provided technical assistance and training/capacity building on border enforcement of 
intellectual property and anti -counterfeiting public awareness campaigns at a regional 
training programme  held in Nadi, Fiji, attended by customs officials, attended by the 
Solomon Islands and Vanuatu ; 
c. In February  2020, USPTO GIPA hosted an IVLP delegation from Cambodia to discuss 
Advancing Women 's Participation in the Technology Sector . Topics discussed included patent, 
trademark, copyright and trade secret protection and enforcement . Attendees from 
Cambodia included government and industry ; 
d. In May-August  2020, USPTO GIPA, in partnership with the US Department of Justice, 
provided a series of tr aining and capacity building webinars on law enforcement investigation 
and prosecution against COVID -19 related counterfeit products, services, scams, and 
fraudulent online activity to a wide range of Indo -Pacific government officials, including 
customs an d other law enforcement officials from Myanmar, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Nepal, 
Tuvalu, and Vanuatu as online attendees ; 
e. In June 2020, the USPTO Regional IP Attaché for Southeast Asia organized and led a webinar 
on the Patent Landscape with speakers from the USP TO, IP Australia, and the World 
Intellectual Property Organization, targeting researchers and IP Offices in the Southeast Asia 
region . Webinar attendees included government officials from Myanmar  (Myanmar), 
Cambodia, and Lao PDR ; 
f. In July 2020, USPTO GIPA and the ASEAN Secretariat, in cooperation with the USPTO IP 
Attaché for Southeast Asia, organized and led an ASEAN Regional Webinar on an Overview 
of USPTO Practice Concerning Appeals, Oppositions, and Cancellation of Trademark, 
targeting IP officers and IP practitioners, and included government officials from Myanmar, 
Cambodia, and Lao PDR ; and 
g. In August  2020, USPTO GIPA and the Commercial Law Development Programme  (CLDP) at 
the Department of Commerce, organized and led a series of two programmes for the 
Government of Afghanistan covering an overview of Afghan and U.S. trademark systems.  
USPTO IP e -Learning Modules  
FY 2020, GIPA continued its nearly decade -long commitment to produce and maintain in -depth, 
on-demand content through free distance -learnin g modules on the USPTO website . These modules 
are available in five languages and cover six different areas of IP protection . New modules, 
micro -learning videos, and downloadable self -study content include an updated video, "Introduction 
to Patent Protection ," and a short, "Trade Secrets ." Both are available on the GIPA website  and on 
GIPA's YouTube playlist . This on -demand content collectively has drawn more than 125,000 unique 
views.  
 USPTO Intellectual Property Attaché Training and Te chnical Assistance  
USPTO posts IP Attachés at select US embassies and consulates around the world . These 
Attachés work with host governments, academia, advocacy groups, international organizations, 
non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the private sector to provide IPR technical assistance 
and capacity building programme s. Programme s have focused on IPR enforcement, as well as 
patent, trademark, and copyright policy engagement and best practices (se e 
http://www.uspto.gov/ip/global/attache/index.jsp ). IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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USPTO Patents for Humanity Programme  
The USPTO Patents for Humanity programme  encourages assistance to LDCs by providing 
busines s incentives for patent owners and licensees to apply their technology towards humanitarian 
purposes . Participants submit descriptions of how they are improving lives in five broad categories 
of global challenges : household energy, living standards, medici ne, nutrition, and sanitation . 
Independent experts review submissions and recommend awards . Winners receive accelerated 
processing of a patent application or certain other matters. (See 
http://www.usp to.gov/patentsforhumanity ). The latest award winners were announced in 
August  2020 and will be honoured  at a virtual ceremony that will premiere on 1 7 September  2020 
(for more information about  how to view  the ceremony  see 
https://www.uspto.gov/patent/initiatives/patents -humanity ). Those that will be honoured  this year  
include:  
a. Global Vision 2020 for developing the USee Vision Kit, used to provide prescr iption 
eyeglasses cost -effectively to  hundred s of people, particularly in remote parts of the world, 
who normally do not have access to vision care ; 
b. Sisu Global, for creating the Hemafuse, a highly effective, mechanical alternative to 
transfusing donor blo od. With a simple push and pull of a handle, the Hemafuse can salvage, 
filter, and recycle blood from an internal bleeding in trauma, without the use of electricity ; 
c. Sanaria Inc., for developing a whole parasite vaccine for malaria ; 
d. Flexcrevator, for creat ing a machine that enables fast, safe, and hygienic faecal  sludge 
removal, surpassing manual emptying ; 
e. NEWgenerator, for utilizing state -of-the-art membrane bioreactor technology to create a 
machine capable of the simultaneous recovery of nutrients, energy, and water from 
wastewater ; and 
Nonspec , for providing amputees with affordable and highly adjustable prosthetic limb 
systems that can be taken off the shelf and adjusted in under an hour  . 
Country Projects  
Capacity Building Programme  for IP Stakeholders with focus on enforcement 
officials – Bangladesh  
The USPTO New Delhi IP Attaché 's Office has taken steps to strengthen the overall IPR regime 
and incorporate strong IPR into the high -level industrial policies in Bangladesh . The IP Attaché 's 
Office in New Delhi provided IP border enforcement training for senior customs officials from 
Bangladesh . The goal of the training was to facilitate an exchange of best practices in order to 
improve protection and enforcement of IP laws in the re gion. 
USPTO IPR Training – Sri Lanka  
The USPTO South Asia IP Attaché Office held a training programme  for Sri Lankan government 
officials on fundamentals of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) . One of the biggest concerns in South 
Asian country is lack of I P awareness in  the government. and this programme  was to generate IP 
awareness amongst government officials in Sri Lanka . This was one of the unique initiatives initiated 
by USPTO . The programme  was well attended by representatives of 24 ministries.  
USPTO IPR Training – Bhutan  
USPTO South Asia Attaché Office organized a three -day programme  on "Fundamentals of 
intellectual property rights for the local entrepreneurs " in collaboration with IP office and iHub Bhutan 
in Thimphu, Bhutan . The training programme  brought in participation of 32 start-ups and 
entrepreneurs from all over Bhutan . This programme  was part of the ongoing "IP entrepreneurship 
week" programme  in Bhutan . This was first time ever that a country like Bhutan organized a session 
on IP for entrepreneurs.  
USPTO IPR Training – Nepal  
In October  2019, USPTO South Asia Attaché Office in collaboration with INTA organized a 
session, on well -known trademarks, non -traditional marks and penalty provisions, in Kathmandu, IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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  Nepal . The session was attended  by 40 participants which included government officials, Industry, 
Judges and law firms from Nepal . The Government of Nepal is the process of amending the IP laws 
and this session helped them to understand the TM best practices followed internationally.  
USPTO IPR Training – Madagascar  
USPTO, with the support of the Department of State, provided training to the Malagasy Office 
for Industrial Property (OMAPI) and to practitioners in August  2019. The Trademark Examination 
training equipped OMAPI staff to impro ve protection of IP in order to benefit US companies - and all 
businesses – investing in Madagascar.  
USPTO IPR Training - Bangladesh  
In August  2019, USPTO organized an IPR Workshop for Bangladesh at the USPTO GIPA 
headquarters . The programme  provided a str ong overview of IP issues as they relate to border 
protection and interdiction of pirated and counterfeit goods . Participants were Bangladeshi law 
enforcement officials, namely customs and police.  
USPTO IPR Training – Myanmar  
In October  2019, the IP Attach é Bangkok Office, in cooperation with USAID/Nathan association, 
organized and led the delegation from the MIPO on its study visit programme  to the DIP . The 
delegation included Dr Moe Moe Thwe, Deputy Director -General of MIPO, and ten key leaders of the 
office. Currently, the Myanmar Government is working on drafting rules and regulations for 
implementing the recently adopted IP laws and preparations for receiving IP applications . The 
Myanmar Government also plans to transfer the IP unit from the Ministry of  Education to the Ministry 
of Commerce . During the three -days programme , the delegation gained information and knowledge 
of the DIP practices in IP administrative actions, including systems for all types of IP applications, 
examination process, publication process, appellate processes, human resource development, and 
IT system.  
USPTO IPR Training – Cambodia  
The USPTO Bangkok Attaché Office held a training programme  for Cambodia customs officials 
on how to develop and implement a computerized system for custom recordation . The goal of the 
programme  is to improve the effectiveness of the border measures and IPR enforcement 
mechanisms in Cambodia . USPTO Bangkok Attaché Office held a training programme  for Cambodia 
customs officials o n how to develop and implement a computerized system for custom recordation . 
The goal of the programme  is to improve the effectiveness of the border measures and IPR 
enforcement mechanisms in Cambodia.  
USPTO  and INL  IPR Training – Myanmar  
In July 2019, USP TO organized a Training Workshop on Brand Protection and Customs 
Enforcement in Yangon, Myanmar  at the Myanmar  Customs Training Centre  with PSI and INTA and 
support from the IP Attaché Bangkok . Participants were Enforcement and Customs Officials  of 
Myanmar . 
October  2019, the IP Attaché Bangkok Office, in cooperation with USAID  and implementing 
partner,  Nathan  Associates,  organized and led a  Myanmar IP Office (MIPO)  delegation on a study 
visit to Thailand 's Department of Intellectual Property (DIP) . Currentl y, the  Government  of Myanmar  
is drafting rules and regulations for implementing IP laws  that were passed in 2019 . In 
addition,  Myanmar 's IP department will  open a new IP office in Nay Pyi Taw . Over the course 
of three  days,  the delegation gained information and knowledge of the DIP practices in IP 
administrative actions, including systems for all types of IP applications, examination process, 
publication process, appellate processes, human resource development, and IT system . 
USPTO  provided USD 6,000 to cover  participants ' airfare, while  USAID covered all other travel 
expenses.  
An INL -funded delegation from the Department of Justice visited Myanmar in October  2019, to 
discuss intellectual property rights (IPR) enforcement and hold an IPR workshop IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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  with Myanmar 's Union Attorney General 's Office  (UAGO) . The visit was an opportunity to take stock 
of Myanmar 's IPR enforcement and engage UAGO on pending legislation and implementing 
regulations on intellectual property . INL provided  an estimated  USD 80,000 to cover  the cost of the 
study visit, including  participants ' travel expenses . 
Capacity Building Programme on Customs Enforcement - Cambodia  
The USPTO Bangkok Attaché Office held a training programme  for Cambodia customs officials 
on how to develop and im plement a computerized system for custom recordation . The goal of the 
programme  is to improve the effectiveness of the border measures and IPR enforcement 
mechanisms in Cambodia.  
Department of State Programm ing - IPR Unplugged Event – Cambodia  
On World Int ellectual Property Day, the Bo phana Centre  held a USD 2,200 US Department of 
State funded concert in celebration . Focusing on empowering women in innovation and creativity, 
the event featured popular Cambodian singer -songwriter Nikki Nikki who played music and talked 
about the importance of IP protections . The audience consisted primarily of members of the 
business, legal, government, and academic communities that have a stake in strong IP protections . 
The objectives of this event included raising awar eness about the importance of IPR in protecting 
businesses and society as a whole, as well as empowering women and innovation.  
Department of State Program ming - Rebuilding the Cambodian Music 
Industry - On-Demand International Visitor Leadership Programme  (IVLP)  
 The "Rebuilding the Cambodian Music Industry " IVLP on -demand leveraged the popularity and 
reach of ten popular figures in the Cambodian music industry to highlight the importance of 
intellectual property rights (IPR) and its value to American enter tainment and cultural innovation . 
On their tour through Washington D.C., Austin, Texas, and Los Angeles, California, the musicians 
learned about copyright basics, alternative pricing models, and music business ventures with a 
special focus  on IPR . Through engagement with lawyers, musicians, copyright activists, the 
programme  aimed to educate the participants on how to protect their original cultural contributions 
to Cambodia 's burgeoning original music scene . This programme  supports American companies ' 
efforts to prevent pirating of American IPR in Cambodia . This programme  helped the participants 
understand the key professional, governmental and personal steps necessary to transition from 
artists and music lovers to  full-fledged business owners . One participant  noted that the programme  
completely changed their view of copyright and creative rights . 
Global Cybercrime, IPR, and Cybercrime Foreign Law Enforcement Training and 
Technical Assistance Initiative  
A USD 15 million  INL centrally -funded and manag ed, DOJ and DHS -implemented, cybercrime 
and IPR training programme  is administered cooperatively by INL, the DOJ Office of Overseas 
Prosecutorial Development Assistance and Training (OPDAT), the DOJ Computer Crime and 
Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and the DHS National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination 
Centre  (Centre ). This centrally -managed funding supplements existing bilateral rule of law 
programmes to specifically build the capacity of partner foreign law enforcement agencies to combat 
cybercrime and IPR crime . These programmes operate as part of the US Transnational and High 
Tech Crime Global Law Enforcement Network (GLEN), which features : DOJ International Computer 
Hacking and Intellectual Property Law Enforcement Advisors (ICHIPs) ; DOJ Global Cyber Forensics 
Advisors (GCFAs) ; and long term federal agent mentors . Under the framework of the GLEN, DOJ and 
DHS coordinate closely with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), who also receives INL 
funding designed to complement the GLEN, in  order to develop and deliver IPR and computer crime 
investigative, prosecutorial, judicial and customs and border enforcement training and technical 
assistance to foreign partners designed to improve their capacity to cooperate with US law 
enforcement in matters involving transnational organized crime.  
Preventing Counterfeits in Mali  
Mali is experiencing a proliferation of illegal agricultural inputs . These agro inputs include 
adulterated or counterfeited seeds, fertilizers, vaccines, farm equipment, and c rop protection IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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  products . These products can be extremely harmful, affecting both farmers ' revenues and national 
food security , but also likely causing environmental damage that can extend to water supplies . In 
order to protect the rural and agricultural communities being affected by this problem, CLDP works 
with FTF and the Government of Mali to implement best practices in the oversight of the movement 
of agricultural products and to raise public awareness of the dangers of fake products . A solution to 
prevent counterfeiting and improve consumer education is  Mobile Product Authentication (MPA™) 
technology . Product authentication works at point of purchase : on the product, the consumer finds 
a special security label with a panel that, when scra tched, reveals a unique, one -time use PIN . The 
PIN is texted for free to a secure phone number and the consumer will receive a text message (SMS) 
reply stating that the product is genuine, or potentially fake or stolen . 
In FY 2019 , CLDP partnered with Mali an stakeholders including Malian Customs, the Malian 
Intellectual Property Office (CEMAPI), and the Malian Copyright Office (BUMDA), as well as 
representatives from the ministries of Agriculture and Health, to create and launch national 
awareness campaigns  about counterfeit products . These campaigns included culturally appropriate 
marketing materials such as public service announcements, brochures, billboards, and radio and 
television interviews to raise awareness of the danger of counterfeit products and s howcase how to 
best combat them . CLDP also helped develop and implement a national database administered 
jointly by Malian Customs, CEMAPI and BUMDA where producers and importers can register 
authenticated products to facilitate the seizure of counterfeit products . This project will end on 
30 September  2020. 
Government Official Lauds Law Enforcement workshop in Senegal  
Representatives from the US Departments of State, Justice, and Homeland Security held a 
four-day workshop for law enforcement and regulatory  officials from 11 francophone African 
countries from 11 to 1 4 June 2019 in Dakar on combatting illicit pharmaceuticals and pesticides . 
Participants discussed challenges and best practices in protecting intellectual property rights (IPR) 
and prosecuting IP R crimes in Central and West Africa with US and foreign government experts and 
private sector representatives . The Communications Counsellor for the Senegalese Intellectual 
Property Protection Agency, commented that the seminar was an effective measure to increase the 
technical capacity of law enforcement officials to understand the risks of the illicit pharmaceutical 
trade.  
IPR Enforcement Coordination  
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement/Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) leads 
the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Centre (IPR Centre), which works to protect 
public health and safety and the US economy, and to stop predatory and illegal trade practices that 
threaten the global economy . The IPR Centre brings together 2 5 partner agencies, consisting of 20 
federal agencies, INTERPOL, EUROPOL, and the Governments of Canada and Mexico along with the 
City of London Police in a task -force setting . The task force structure enables the IPR Centre to 
effectively leverage the res ources, skills, and authorities of each partner and provide a 
comprehensive response to IP theft (see https://www.iprcenter.gov ). The IPR Centre 's Operation 
Joint Venture (OJV) trains domestic and international law enforcement to build strong enforcement 
capabilities . The IPR Centre , through the financial support of Department of State 's Bureau of 
International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), provides IPR enforcement capacity 
building training to many countries, including LDCs.  
National IPR Coo rdination Centre  (IPR Centre ) 
The National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Centre  (IPR Centre ) works closely with 
partner agencies, overseas IP Attachés, and US embassies to deliver training and support capacity 
building . In FY 2019 , the IPR Centre participated in 16 international trainings in support of country 
specific and regional programmes that are funded by INL . From 12 -14 September  2017, the IPR 
Centre , in collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)/Homeland Security 
Investigations (HSI) Attaché Dakar and Department of Justice (DOJ) Intellectual Property Law 
Enforcement Coordinator (IPLEC) - Abuja, Nigeria, provided IPR Enforcement Trai ning for customs, 
police officers and prosecutors from Benin, Guinea, Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone and The Gambia . 
With the approval of INL and the aforementioned country officials, this training was combined into 
a joint regional training for all countr ies in Dakar, Senegal . Participants received presentations from 
HSI, DOJ, and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) subject matter experts, as well as industry . The IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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  training emphasized ; 1) health and safety issues related to IP crime ; 2) the need for coopera tion 
between countries/agencies ; 3) the leading role of international organized crime groups in IP crime 
and; 4) the developing threat of IP crime on the Internet . There were a total of 40 participants who 
attended and received certificates of completion . Additionally, the IPR Centre  participated in 
77 international outreach events.  
StopFakes.gov  
The Department of Commerce developed and maintains a website that hosts online resources, 
including information about key US agencies and programmes (see http://www.stopfakes.gov ) 
aimed at helping businesses protec t IPR. The IPR Training Module, hosted on STOPfakes, is available 
in English, French, and Spanish . The United States encourages LDCs to use the module, which 
familiarizes small businesses with IP issues, and provides tips on how to protect and enforce IPR . 
LDCs and other countries can use this resource free of charge . Inventors, investors, and 
businesspersons from the United States and around the world may use the "Contact Us " function on 
the website to ask questions about IPR enforcement . Additionally, STO Pfakes enables businesses to 
report IPR trade barriers and enforcement issues to the Department of Commerce.  
TRADE AND INVESTMENT POLICY, CAPACITY BUILDING, AND INCENTIVES  
Because most technology is developed and owned by the private sector, technology tra nsfers 
are often private sector decisions . Technology transfer should not be required as a precondition for 
investment.  
Investment and Trade Policy Negotiations  
US bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements aim to improve the protection and 
enforceme nt of IP, thereby improving environments for foreign investment and technology transfer 
often associated therewith.  
Bilateral Investment Treaties  
US bilateral investment treaties (BITs) establish a framework of reciprocal protections that 
include the free transfer of investment -related funds, investor -state dispute arbitration rights, 
limitations on specified performance requirements, non -discriminato ry treatment, protection against 
expropriation, and transparency in governance . These treaties improve the climate for FDI in partner 
countries that can lead to the transfer of technology and know -how. To date, the United States had 
signed five BITs with W TO Member LDCs : Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 
Mozambique, Rwanda, and Senegal.  
Trade and Investment Framework Agreements  
USTR -negotiated Trade and Investment Framework Agreements (TIFAs) enhance trade 
relations between the United States and  other countries . Over the last several years, t he 
United  States has launched 12  trade and investment agreements in sub -Saharan Africa, including 
three bilateral TIFAs with LDCs : Angola, Liberia, Mozambique, and Rwanda . Additionally, the United 
States has launched regional TIFAs with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa 
(COMESA), East African Community (EAC), the Economic Community of West African States 
(ECOWAS), and West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) ; and a Trade, Investment, 
and Development Cooperative Agreement with the five countries of the Southern African Customs 
Union (SACU) . The United States also has bilateral agreements with several LDCs outside of 
Sub-Saharan Africa, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar , Cambodia,  Lao PDR,  Nepal, and 
Yemen, as well as with ASEAN and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) . Together, these 
agreements cover 30 WTO LDC Members : Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, 
Myanmar , Burundi, Cambodia, Democratic Republic of the Congo , Djibouti, The Gambia, Guinea, 
Guinea -Bissau , Haiti, Lao PDR, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, 
Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Yemen, and Zambia (see 
https://ustr.gov/trade -agreements/trade -investment -framework -agreements ). 
The United States views trade as an effective means to encourage broad -based economic 
developme nt. Trade constitutes an important means of sustaining momentum for economic reform IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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  and liberalization . It affords developing countries access to technologies that would otherwise be 
difficult to obtain, and simultaneously opens new market opportunities fo r US companies.  
Trade Preference Programme s 
US Generalized System of Preferences Programme  
The US Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) programme , established in 1976, promotes 
economic development by providing duty -free access to the US market for a wid e range of products 
from developing countries . GSP promotes sustainable development in beneficiary countries via trade 
with the United States . The programme  is periodically re -authorized by Congress and is currently 
set to expire on 3 1 December  2020. GSP benefits 120 developing countries and territories and 
provides special, additional benefits for products from 31 least  developed WTO Member beneficiary 
countries . Nearly 5,000 types of products are eligible for duty -free treatment under GSP, including 
most manufactured products (except apparel and footwear), agricultural and fishery products, 
consumer products, chemicals, minerals, and building materials (see 
https://ustr.gov/issue -areas/trade -development/preference -programs/generalized -system -prefere
nce-gsp). 
African Growth and Opportunity Act  
The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) expands US -Africa trade and investment, by 
promoting open markets, stimulating economic growth, and encouraging sub -Saharan Africa 's 
integration into the global economy, while supporting progress toward good governance, poverty 
reduction, and respect for human rights through its eligibility criteri a. Since the enactment of AGOA 
in May 2000, the United States has worked closely with African governments, the private sector, 
and civil society stakeholders to help them make the most of AGOA 's trade benefits . In 2015, the 
US Congress renewed the AGOA leg islation for its longest extension period to date, through 2025 . 
The US Government  has actively promoted AGOA throughout Africa, developing trade 
capacity -building programmes to help African governments and both African and US firms identify 
and develop ne w market opportunities through AGOA (see https://agoa.info/about -agoa). As of 
July 2020, 38  countries are eligible for AGOA:  Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, 
Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Cote d 'Ivoire, Djibouti, eSwatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, The 
Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea -Bissau , Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, 
Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Congo, Rwanda (limited benefits), Sao Tome & 
Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.  
Program ming from the US Trade and Development Agency  
The US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) connects the US private sector with 
infrastructure projects in developing and m iddle-income countries . USTDA also supports overseas 
infrastructure development by funding feasibility studies, technical assistance and pilot projects . 
These early -stage preparation activities lay the groundwork for projects to attract financing and 
reach  implementation.  
Recognizing the importance of trade to the economic growth of least developed countries 
(LDC), USTDA works closely with its US Government partners, as well as regional and multilateral 
development banks, to develop trade capacity and apply  private -sector solutions to development 
challenges around the world . As of 9 July 2020, USTDA has approved USD 3,415,297 in appropriated 
funds and USD 296,820 in transfer funds from the US Department of State in FY 2020 to support 
assistance activities th at enhance increased trade and investment in LDCs.  
USTDA Reverse Trade Missions  – FY 2019  
Another example of USTDA 's commitment to promoting and encouraging technology transfer 
to LDCs is through reverse trade missions (RTMs) . RTMs bring key foreign decisi on makers to the 
United States to observe the design, manufacture, and operation of US equipment and technologies 
in advance of major procurements . In FY 2019, USTDA conducted the following RTMs involving LDCs:  IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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West Africa Smart Grid Reverse Trade Mission  
This RTM took place 2 5 November  –4 December  2018, and introduced officials from Côte 
d'Ivoire, Ghana, Senegal, and the West Africa Power Pool to US technologies that support smart grid 
and microgrid projects in West Africa . Delegates participated i n meetings and site visits with US 
firms active in the microgrid and energy storage sectors and expressed great interest in US services 
and technologies.  
Senegal Liquefied Natural Gas Reverse Trade Mission  
This RTM took place 2 9 September  –11 October  2018, and introduced public and private sector 
officials from Senegal 's power sector to US liquefied natural gas (LNG) technologies, services, and 
equipment.  
East Africa Cybersecurity Reverse Trade Mission  
This RTM took place 2 8 October  –8 November  2018, and fo cused on cyber solutions for 
commercial and public banks, as well as government financial institutions in East Africa . The RTM 
provided US firms with the opportunity to showcase their technologies, services, and best practices 
in cybersecurity and connecte d them with public and private sector representatives from Kenya and 
Rwanda . The international project sponsors expressed confidence that these US services and 
technologies would be able to address their needs.  
USTDA RTM - FY 2020  
In FY 2020, USTDA approve d funding for an RTM of delegates from Bangladeshi entities 
responsible for the development and maintenance of the country 's inland waterways and water 
resources . This complements the Bangladeshi government 's existing plans, and the RTM will 
familiarize de legates with the best practices and advanced technologies of US firms for dredging and 
inland waterway management.  
Country Projects  
USAID Mobile Solutions, Technical Assistance, and Research (mSTAR) – Liberia  
USAID  supports the Government of Liberia to roll out mobile salary payments for Ministry of 
Education and MOH workers . With mobile salary payments, these workers no longer need to leave 
their workplaces to receive their salaries . Since mSTAR launched, 3,724 education and 1,180 health 
workers have en rolled to receive mobile money salary payments in 14 counties . They have been 
able to save on average 33 hours and 1,500 Liberian dollars per month in picking up their salaries, 
which translates into increased income and more time attending to health and e ducation facilities in 
their communities . The mSTAR programme  in Liberia closed in March  2018, but efforts on behalf of 
the USAID Mission in Liberia to support digital development remain . Up to 2019, 3,724 education 
and 1,180 health workers have enrolled t o receive mobile money salary payments in 14 counties 
(updated numbers are not yet released by the Government of Liberia due to the COVID -19 
pandemic ). 
Government Officials Praise mSTAR  
a. A Liberian government official said : "Currently in Liberia, because of bad road network and 
even the limited banking system in our country, health workers find it very difficult moving 
from one facility to another in receiving their salary so this is the reason why we thought it 
was wise to introduce another option  for them, because there are a lot of challenges ." "So 
for us at the Ministry of Health, or as the government, we are very happy to embrace this 
process in order to reduce the challenges our health workers face "; 
b. A Salayae District Health Office said : "Mobile money will be good for my employees because 
of the distance th ey cover to go for their salary "; and 
c. The Director of Pay at Benefits and Pension, Civil Service Agency "Mobile money process is 
what everyone should be gearing toward because it makes a lot  sense…if you compare 
mobile money with any other mode of payment, anyone will choose mobile money. " IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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Civil Servants Laud mSTAR  
a. A Nimba County Teacher said : "Mobile money transfer has drastically reduced our 
transportation problem for collecting our salarie s"; and 
b. Another Nimba County Teacher "The problem of spending [too much] time at the bank to 
collect our salaries has been taken care of by mobile money salary payment ." 
USAID Development Innovations – Cambodia  
USAID 's Development Innovations enables innovation by building civil society 's capacity to 
design and implement information and communications technology (ICT) solutions to accomplish 
their missions, and works to sensitize technologists and technology companies to the needs of Chief 
Security Officers (CSOs) . Recent examples of grants include the development of smart phone app 
"Khmer Smart Keyboard " which enables Cambodians to type in Khmer, thus granting th em wider 
access to information ; a grant to promote the use of cell phones for widel y disseminating fees for 
public services, in order to counter corr uption and promote transparency ; and a grant to scale up 
deployment of a flood warning system called "Tepmachcha " that provides flood monitoring alerts to 
subscribers in the community on flo oding, which is one way to help them mitigate the risk when the 
flood actually comes . 26,018 beneficiaries (including 163 CSOs) are using ICT -based solutions 
because of engagement with the US Government . Through this approximately USD 10 million  
programme , 50 ICT solutions were developed and implemented, and reached more than 1.4  million  
direct beneficiaries, of whom 39 % were female . Key successes in FY 2019 : developed and delivered 
fee-based training courses on video production and social media management to more than 500 
trainees ; supported 443 young girls, through the Technovation training programme , to learn 
business, coding, prototyping, communication and teamwork skills . The programme  completed on 
30 November  2019.  
Doctor Praises USAID 's ICT  System  
A Lake Clinic  TLC medical team doctor said : "Since going from paper to di gital, the new EMR 
has allowed t he medical te am to see more patients . The digital system allows us to take only five to 
ten minutes to complete service delivery for each patie nt. Before, it was 15 minutes or more: " 
https://www.development -innovations.org/success -stories/transitioning -from-paper -to-digital -deli
vers-improved -health -services . 
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM MING AND INCENTIVES THROUGH PRIVATE SECTOR MODELS  
Through the use of the public -private partnership (PPP) model, US development agencies have 
gained additional financial resources for development activities, as well as new technologies, 
intellectual capital and technical and managerial expertise that address emerging develo pment 
challenges.  
Development Assistance Program ming from the Millennium Challenge Corporation 
(MCC)  
The Millennium Chall enge Corporation (MCC) is a US government  corporation that forms 
partnerships with some of the world 's poorest countries, but only those committed to good 
governance, economic freedom, and investments in their citizens . MCC provides countries with 
large-scale grants to fund country -led solutions for achieving its mission of reducing poverty through 
sustainable economic growth . MCC has  approved over USD 13 billion  in compact and threshold 
programmes worldwide that support projects in energy, agriculture and irrigation, anticorruption, 
business environment improvements, education, health, enterprise development, finance, land 
rights, tra de and transport, and water supply and sanitation initiatives . MCC is currently 
implementing compact agreements or threshold programmes with seven WTO LDC Members : Benin, 
Liberia, Nepal, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo . In the past, MCC has implemen ted compact 
and/or threshold programmes with Benin, Burkina Faso, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique, 
Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, Vanuatu, and Zambia . Currently, MCC is developing 
new programmes with Burkina Faso, The Gambia, Lesot ho, Mala wi, and Solomon Islands  (see 
http://www.mcc.gov ). IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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Togo Threshold Programme  
MCC's Togo Threshold Programme  signed on 1 4 February  2019, includes a USD 20.5 million  
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Project des igned to improve citizens ' access to 
high quality and affordable Internet and Communications Technology (ICT) services —both mobile 
phone services and Internet —by encouraging private sector investment, developing an independent 
regulatory regime, expanding service to underserved are as, and increasing the use of ICT among 
women and small businesses . The Threshold Programme  should enter into force in 2020.  
Prime Minister Lauds MCC  
Togo Prime Minister said : "The two areas covered by the threshold programme , namely land 
and information a nd communication technologies, are very important areas and part of a major 
reform programme  initiated by our own country . We are delighted to have taken in hand these areas 
that you have identified and which are part of our partnership namely the MCC part nership. " 
MCC Malawi Compact  
Malawi 's USD 350.7 million  MCC compact was a single -sector programme  designed to increase 
individual and business incomes and reduce poverty by improving the availability, reliability and 
quality of the power supply, expanding access to power, reducing the cost of doing business, and 
revitalizing Malawi 's power sector . The compact was composed of three projects to increase the 
capacity, efficiency, and stability of the national electricity grid and the capacity and sustainability 
of hydropower generation at the Nkula A generation plant . The Government of Malawi also invested 
in new power generation capacity by completing the construction of the Kapichira II hydropower 
plant. Project activities aimed to enhance future  expansion opportunities by strengthening sector 
institutions, enhancing sector regulation and governance, and creating an attractive environment 
for private sector investment . The compact was designed to reduce energy costs for businesses and 
households ; improve productivity in the agriculture, manufacturing and service sectors ; and 
preserve and create employment opportunities . The MCC Compact was inaugurated and completed 
in 2019 in collaboration with varied Malawian ministries/institutions . A second MCC Compact is now 
under development.  
Presidential Praises  
Former Malawi President Mutharika said : "The successful end of the MCC Malawi Compact 
demonstrates that the United States, the MCC Compact, and the Government of Malawi are 
delivering on their promise to modernize the power sector and improve the lives of people across 
this beautiful country. " 
Millennium Challenge Corporation - Benin Power Compact  
The project implemented by the Millennium Challenge Account – Benin II (MCA -Benin II) 
MCA-Benin II ( FY 20 17-FY 20 22) signed nearly USD 200 million  in works contracts in FY 2020  to 
upgrade Benin 's electricity distribution network . The MCC Compact will increase the quantity and 
quality of electric power in Benin through policy reforms, institutional strengthening, and 
infrastructure investments . It focuses on strengthening the management and operations of the 
electricity utility, shoring up sector financing through tariff reform and reduction in arrears, and 
establishing an enabling environment for of f-grid electrification and private sector investment in 
power generation . The Compact will also modernize Benin 's electricity distribution infrastructure to 
reduce losses, improve reliability, reduce outages, and accommodate rapidly growing demand . 
Since Q 1 FY 2020 , Benin 's national electricity utility SBEE is under the control of a four -year 
management services contract, which aims to improve the utility 's operational performance, reduce 
losses and build capacity . Benin's Ministry of Energy completed its e valuation of bids for an 
Independent Power Producer transaction for 50 megawatts (MW) of solar power, with award 
expected by Q1  FY 2021 . The Compact 's off-grid clean energy facility selected 17 off -grid 
electrificati on projects that will leverage USD 52.2 million  in private investment through a compact 
contribution of USD 33.5 million. A n estimated 1.97  million  households are expected to benefit over 
the 20 -year life of the investment, 49 % of whom are living on less than USD 4 per day.  IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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MCC Compact – Burkina  Faso  
On 17 June 2020, MCC 's Board of Directors approved a USD 450 million  compact with Burkina 
Faso, which is expected to be signed during the summer of 2020 . The compact is focused on 
modernizing the power sector by addressing the sector 's primary constr aints: the high cost, poor 
quality, and lack of access to electricity . The proposed compact consists of three projects : 
Strengthening Electricity Sector Effectiveness (reform and capacity building) ; Cost Effective and 
Reliable Electricity Supply (supply and battery storage) ; and Grid Development and Access 
(transmission, distribution, dispatching, and productive use of electricity) . These projects are 
designed to collectively improve the financial viability of the power sector, while also enabling  good 
governance and greater accountability among sector actors . The compact is expected to benefit 
approximately 8.1  million  people.  
MCC Compact – Liberia  
The USD 257 million  Liberia Compact aims to encourage economic growth and reduce poverty 
in Liberia by addressing inadequate access to reliable and affordable electricity and the poor quality 
of road infrastructure . Under the Energy Project, the Mt . Coffee Rehabilitation Act ivity aims to 
increase the amount of electricity generated in Liberia, facilitate lower overall electricity rates, and 
contribute to increased reliability and adequacy of electricity . In addition to rehabilitation of the 
hydropower plant, which was complet ed in 2019, activities include the development of a training 
programme  for energy technicians and management, the reconstruction of a water pipeline linking 
the Mt . Coffee dam to the White Plains water treatment plant, improved customer service for the 
electricity utility including the rehabilitation of a customer service centre , the establishment of an 
independent electricity regulator, and support for a management services contractor to improve the 
electric utility 's performance . The Liberia Compact 's Roa d Project includes training and technical 
assistance in data collection, maintenance planning, and institutional systems at the national level, 
including the Ministry of Public Works and The Office of National Road Fund, in order to improve the 
prioritizat ion of maintenance projects and institutional management.  
MCC Compact - Niger  
The USD 437 million  Niger Compact is designed to reduce poverty through economic growth 
by addressing access to water for agriculture and livestock as well as physical and regula tory barriers 
to trade . Over 80 % of Nigeriens depend on agriculture for their livelihoods, yet vulnerable farmers 
in this landlocked country lack affordable access to agricultural inputs such as fertilizer . To improve 
transparency of the national fertilize r subsidy programme , MCA-Niger funded a pilot project that 
uses an e -voucher system in collaboration with a Nigerien micro -finance institution . This innovative 
digital payment eco -system was deployed among 8,000 pre -qualified vulnerable farmers during the 
2019-2020 rainy season in Niger . Farmer cost -share payments, fertilizer distribution, and subsidy 
payments were found to be 100 % traceable on the digital system, increasing the efficiency of 
allocating public and donor funds to subsidize fertilizer . The Ministry of Agriculture now plans to use 
the e-voucher system for fertilizer subsidy throughout the country . 
Government Official P raises  
Garba Yahaya, General Director of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture, said "the system 
enables us to move towards a smart subsidy programme  which creates wealth and paves the way 
to go beyond subsistence farming . The positive results achieved duri ng the pilot enable us to scale 
up the approach throughout the country, and we are asking all our donor partners to collaborate 
with us using this intelligent system. " 
MCC Compact - Senegal  
The USD 550 million  Senegal Power Compact is designed to strengthe n Senegal 's power sector 
by increasing reliability and access to electricity and aims to help the Government of Senegal 
establish a modern and efficient foundation upon which the nation 's power system can grow . The 
investment supports energy sector policy and institutional and regulatory reform through robust 
sectoral training and technical assistance programme s, as well as through a performance incentive 
programme  which may employ a results -based financing approach . The investment also allows for 
an upgrad e of the high -voltage transmission network in and around Dakar, allowing for deployment 
of grid stabilization technology and installation of what is expected to be the longest subsea electric IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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  cable in Senegal . The energy sector in Senegal will also benefit  from the expansion of rural electricity 
access through distribution network upgrades and enhancements to consumer -side elements . 
Ensuring consistent and affordable access to energy in Senegal will allow businesses to grow, 
catalyse  private sector investme nt, increase productivity and employment, and ultimately support 
diversification and growth of Senegal 's economy.  
MCC Compact - Togo  
MCC's Togo Threshold Programme  signed on 1 4 February  2019, includes a USD 20.5 million  
information and communications technology (ICT) project designed to improve citizens ' access to 
high quality and affordable ICT services —both mobile phone services and internet —by encouraging 
private sector investment, developing an independent regulatory  regime, expanding service to 
underserved areas, and increasing the use of ICT among women and small businesses . Terms of 
reference to support the Government of Togo 's reform efforts in these areas have been developed 
and technical assistance is expected t o begin in 2021.  
Global Development Alliance Model  
Since 2001, Global Development Alliances (GDAs) have been USAID 's premier model for 
public -private partnerships, helping to improve the social and economic conditions in developing 
countries and deepen USA ID's development impact . As the private sector plays an increasingly 
critical role in shaping sustainable economic and social development, USAID continues to engage 
corporations, local businesses, financial institutions, investment firms, private foundatio ns and 
others as core partners in our efforts to drive economic growth, reduce poverty, and improve 
business outcomes in developing countries . In addition to a strong and essential focus on 
development impact, GDAs have several other core characteristics, including but not limited to : 1). 
Based on Complem entary Interests and Objectives ; 2). Market-Based Approaches and Solutions ; 
3). Extensive Co -Creation and Shared Responsibility ; and 4). Private Sector Contributions for 
Increased Impact.  
Country Projects  
Tworore Inkoko Twunguke – Rwanda  
University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture (UTIA), implementing partner of a USAID 
funded poultry Global Development Alliance "Tworore Inkoko Twunguke, " provided technical training 
on broiler chicken production technol ogies and value chain management to five staff of Zamura 
Feedmill . The main purpose of the training was to build local capacity in broiler production 
technologies and strengthen extension services given to broiler producers . The five broiler 
technicians we re trained in the following areas : training of trainers in broiler production, broiler 
chicken health, efficient use of feed, biosecurity for broiler chicken, environmental health, project 
monitoring, nutrition behaviour , and change communication . As a res ult of this activity, availability 
of extension services for broiler farmers in Musanze District have increased and as of 
March  2019,  262 broiler farmers in vulnerable households in Musanze District were trained and are 
applying broiler production technolo gies. The project is ongoing in 2020.  
Sproxil Public Private Partnership – Mali 
In order to protect the rural and agricultural communities being affected by counterfeit 
products, CLDP has been working with USAID Mali and the Government of Mali to implement best 
practices in the prevention of the movement and use of counterfeited agricultural and 
pharmaceutical products and to raise public awareness of the dangers of fake products . This has 
been done : a) through the extensive training of stakeholder s including Mali 's Customs, its judiciary, 
police and gendarmerie ; b) through consumer education ; and, c) through the introduction of Mobile 
Product Authentication (MPA™) technology at the point of purchase, which will reduce the prevalence 
of counterfeit products in the marketplace and reduce their impact on agriculture and health of both 
livestock and human alike.  
In this context, on  15-19 July 2019, CLDP organized a workshop in Bamako, Mali, to discuss, 
among other topics, the implementation of a nationa l database administered jointly by Mali 's 
Customs, Mali 's Intellectual Property Office (CEMAPI) and Mali 's Copyright Office (BUMDA), a IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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  database in which producers and importers can register marks to facilitate the seizure of 
counterfeited products.  
Africa RISING 's Large -scale Diffusion of Technologies for Sorghum and Millet 
Systems - ARDT -SMS - Mali 
In a separate USAID grant and part of ICRISAT 's ARDT -SMS project, a public -private 
partnership with US company Sproxil helped farmers distinguish quality inputs  approved by 
competent authorities from counterfeits on the market . In Mali, as in many other African countries, 
there is a proliferation of counterfeit agricultural inputs and illegal pharmaceuticals and food 
products . This programme  closed in April 2019 when the funds committed by USAID/Mali were fully 
spent . Through this partnership, Sproxil was able to execute six contracts which resulted in over 
225,000 anti -counterfeit labels entering the marketplace . Sproxil also reports ongoing negotiatio ns 
with an additional seven national and international companies with a potential for an additional 
1.16 million  product authentication labels . Challenges faced by Sproxil included the need for greater 
public awareness of the dangers associated with counte rfeits and the need to raise greater attention 
on the part of the Government of Mali.  
PROGRAMMES AND INCENTIVES RELATED TO AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND 
FOOD SAFETY AND SECURITY  
Agricultural Technology Transfer Program ming from the USDA  
To facilitate techno logy transfer, USDA uses contractual instruments such as Cooperative 
Research and Development Agreement (CRADAs), invention licenses and material transfer 
agreements, and supports public dissemination of research results . USDA pursues patent protection 
and licensing only when a private sector partner is needed for effective technology transfer . 
Generally, this occurs when the complementary assets needed to manufacture, market, and 
distribute a new technology are provided by a commercial partner that must pr otect its investment . 
The USDA annual report on technology transfer provides details about the mechanisms used for 
technology transfer and types of technologies transferred (see 
https://www.ars.usda.gov/office -of-technology -transfer/tt -reports ). 
Agricultural Technology Transfer Program ming from the ARS  
By sharing knowledge and technology through close collaboration with national and 
international research institutions to incr ease research capacity and speed technology development, 
ARS transfers technology and enhances international trade and diplomacy (see 
http://www.ars.usda.gov/Research/docs.htm?docid=1428 ). 
Feed the Future Initiative (FTF)  
FTF is the primary US global hunger and food security initiative . It supports country -driven 
approaches to address the root causes of hunger and poverty in target countries : Bangladesh, 
Ethiopia, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, Kenya, Mali, Nepal, Nigeria, Senegal, and Uganda . Through 
this initiative, the United States helps countries transform their agricultural sectors to grow enough 
food sustainably to feed their people and build resilience to shocks like drought or extreme weather . 
As a result, food aid can be used for unforeseen catastrophes rather than for chronic food insecurity 
or predictable cycles of drought or flooding . Technical experts in nutrition have been brought 
together from agencies inc luding ARS and USAID, and from the private sector, to guide and 
coordinate efforts around food security (see 
https://www.usaid.gov/what -we-do/agriculture -and-food-security/increasing -food-security -throug
h-feed-future ). FTF catalyses  technology transfer thr ough agricultural -led economic growth and 
development by bridging the gap between innovative agricultural productivity solutions and 
sustainable market demand ; improving the enabling environment for market led growth ; and linking 
large commercial instituti ons with smallholder partners.  
Rice and Diversified Crops – FTF Bangladesh  
The FTF Bangladesh Rice and Diversified Crops (RDC) activity improves food security through 
facilitating systemic changes that increase rural incomes . RDC catalyses  changes in marke t systems IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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  that promote a diversified farm management approach oriented to intensified rice production and/or 
diversification of higher -value nutrient rich crops in the FTF zone . Diversified crops that RDC will 
initially target include : maize, oilseeds (mus tard, sunflower, ground nuts and sesame) and pulses 
(lentils and mung bean) . The initiative targets : 
a. 500,000 farmers from the FTF zone in southwestern Bangladesh;  
b. 50% expansion of commercial outreach in the FTF zone of production and post -harvest 
related inputs and serv ices; and 
c. 50% expansion of commercial procurement by collaborating companies in the FTF zone.  
RDC will reach these targets through facilitative interventions (targeted technical assistance) 
that create scalable market system impacts that ultimately benefit rural households with the added 
value of expanding opportunities for women and youth . The USD 1.5 million  Market Accelerator Fund 
will support strategic public -private partnerships with national and regional agribusinesses and 
busin ess development service and facilitation providers . The Market Accelerator Fund will have a 
minimum leverage requirement of 1:1 but will be established on an individual basis where 
co-investments will be determined based on the level of facilitation intens ity required . The project 
is ongoing until 2021 with a total investment of USD 24.5 million. T he project also has added 
interventions aimed at COVID -19 prevention to ensure product safety throughout the entire supply 
chain.  
Digital Development for Feed the  Future (D2FTF)  
D2FTF is a collaboration between the USAID Global Development Lab and Bureau for Food 
Security to demonstrate how leveraging digital technology holistically and according to best practices 
can improve the cost effectiveness and development results of the US government 's FTF Initiative . 
D2FTF is focused on four categories of digital tools, based on evidence of their impact : (1) precision 
agriculture (including sensor technology), (2) digital financial services, (3) data -driven agriculture, 
and (4) ICT -enabled extension . D2FTF is scaling the use of these tools in LDCs through various 
methods of engagement including : technical assistance to FTF programme s, capacity building for 
Feed the Future teams, and strengthening the knowledg e base on best practices and is focused 
primarily on Feed the Future target countries.  
Technology for Financial Inclusion for Rural Unbanked – Uganda  
Feed the Future Youth Leadership for Agriculture (YLA) partners Ensibuuko Technologies, 
MobiPay AgroSys, a nd Mastercard Labs are increasing financial inclusion for Uganda 's rural 
unbanked . Through support from YLA, Ensibuuko has enabled 165,000 youth, in 500 Village Savings 
and Loan Associations, and 50 Saving and Credit Cooperative Organizations to access fin ancial 
services by using its proprietary cloud -based mobile phone micro -finance application . Mastercard 
Labs is working with YLA to digitize school fees payments and improve social and financial literacy 
skills for over 17,000 youth in 140 schools . Under t his project, students in school savings clubs are 
able to track their savings, and receive social and financial skills training . The software also enables 
parents to pay school fees in instalments , and school management to better track incoming 
payments an d teacher attendance.  
Achievements during July 2019 – July 2020: 
a. Working through private sector partners, YLA provided ten businesses with agro -processing 
technologies including installing a grain mill at St . Anthony 's School for the Deaf . This new 
technol ogy will help create revenue to support approximately 70 deaf students at the school, 
as well as provide vocational training opportunities for at least 200 farmers in the 
surrounding community . This could potentially build a bridge between the deaf and hea ring 
communities ; 
b. As YLA is closing down, it is transferring Chemonics ' software - Results Management System 
(RMS) - to 21 private sector partners . YLA used RMS to help the private sector monitor 
economic opportunities for youth . This transfer will allow p artners to continue monitoring 
youth engagement after YLA closes ; and 
c. In June 2020, YLA built the capacity of private partners and beneficiaries to utilize technology 
for a virtual closeout event while still observing COVID -19 prevention and containment 
measures . This event included a panel discussion on the US Embassy 's Facebook page, which IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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  garnered 3,400 views . In addition, the embassy shared a series of photo essays and short 
videos from the event across its social media platforms  
Feed the Future Tera Imbuto Nziza (Seed Activity) – Rwanda  
This Activity is co -funded by USAID in Rwanda and Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa 
(AGRA) under the Partnership for Inclusive Agricultural Transformation in Africa (PIATA) . AGRA is 
also responsible f or its implementation in Rwanda . The goal of this 2019 -2022 programme , Tera 
Imbuto Nziza, is to sustainably increase agricultural productivity and incomes through increased 
production and commercialization of improved crop seeds . The increase in crop produ ctivity is 
expected to increase smallholder farmers ' incomes and promote food security . Tera Imbuto Nziza 
will achieve this goal via the three following objectives : (1) Increase the production and utilization 
of improved seeds ; (2) Enhance the operational capacity of the domestic seed market system and 
(3) Support the operationalization of policies that regulate the seed sector . The expected 
achievements are:  
a. At least three improved varieties of Irish potato and four varieties of hybrid maize released;  
b. At least 40 % increase in maize seed production yields ; and 
c. At least 50 % increase in Irish potato plant lets production ; at least 25 % of planted potato 
seeds acquired from the formal seed system (10 % certified seeds and 15 % quality declared 
seeds) . 
FY 2019  focused on opening an office in Rwanda, staff recruitment, grant awards to local 
partners and service providers . Here are the  targeted re sults FY 2020:  
a. The activity provided grants to seed companies to acquire new shelling and drying machines 
to increase the quality of the produced seeds as required by the seed market ; 
b. The activity funded the release of new four hybrid maize, three bean and five soybean 
varieties by Rwanda Agriculture Board . The new varieties will soon enter the seed 
development process, therefore made available for farmers to increase food production and 
household incomes;  
c. The activity in partnership with Bank of Kigali availed to agro dealers a digital inventory 
management system to easily manage their input stocks . Another product availed to farmers 
is IKOFI, an e -wallet for farmers with options of savings, payments and loan access . Any 
farmer registered in this system can access the mentioned services as long as they have a 
track record with the bank, therefore easin g ordering and paying for  inputs ; and 
d. Lastly, the activity funded efficacy trials for the new "aflasafe " product across the country . 
Once successful, the product will be manufactured and commercialized to control aflatoxin 
contamination in maize, sorghum , and groundnut . 
Feed the Future Ongera Ubucuruzi – Rwanda  
Under the Ongera Ubucuruzi activity, technological interventions are used to improve the 
availability and transparency of trade process information for informal traders to reduce the time 
and cost to  trade. The goal of the programme  is to reduce in average clearance and transit time 
from lodgement  to release and to improve efficiency in the delivery of standards and quality services . 
The average time to sort and grade coffee for export is expected to be reduced from 20 days per  
container  to seven  days per container . Support for the development of Trade Community Information 
Systems (TCIS) includes:  
a. The development and implementation of a Single Window Information for Trade (SWIFT) 
portal for government trade agencies, which is expected to reduce customs processing time 
and costs and further improve the efficiency of the single window . During July 2019 – 
June 2020, TradeMark EastAfrica (TMEA), the implementer of this project (intended to end 
in January  2021), provided technical assistance to the  Government  of Rwanda Revenue 
Authority  (RRA) to upgrade the SWIFT portal system to newer version of ASYCUDAWorld, 
SOClass and Java and consequently  trained its  staff on the use of the upgraded system . This 
also included the development of "advance ruling " module - a software specification that will 
allow ease dissemination/communication of RRA binding decisions at the  request of traders 
concerned on specific particular in relation to intended import or ex port of goods . Also, TMEA 
supported  testing of electronically sending the  International Air Transport Association (IATA) IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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  manifests to the SWIFT with a few Airlines (Qatar Airways, Lufthansa and RwandAir) . Once 
completed, this module of the SWIFT will ease the clearance process by reducing the time 
taken to clear consignments transported by airlines, as the cargo manifest information will 
have been shared with customs in advance ; 
b. The development and delivery of an interconnected East African Community -wide S MS 
reporting system connecting the current national SMS reporting systems to a regional 
network . This will bolster reporting by making it real time at the regional level . It will also 
facilitate communication between the various partner states ' SMS systems . The development 
of the national reporting s ystem is still on going but meanwhile complains by Rwandan traders 
are captured through the online reporting platform housed under the National Trade 
Facilitation Committee website (which development is also supported by TMEA) . As such, 
three  new NTBs were identified in 2020, reported and registered into the newly developed 
NTFC NTB reporting system and subsequently into the EAC -COMESA -SADC triparti te online 
NTB reporting system ; and 
c. Automation of the current sorting and grading service the National Agricultural Export Board 
offers to cooperatives in order to reduce the time it takes them to process their coffee for 
export . USAID will authorize the purchase of a colour  sorting machine and accessories to  be 
connected to the bagging machines and additional hand sorting tables . The supplier of the 
coffee sorting equipment signed the contract on 1 7 March  2020 ready to start the machine 
fabrication process.  
Feed the Future - Tanzania Mboga na Matunda  
The purp ose of Mboga na Matunda is to increase the competitiveness and inclusiveness of the 
horticulture sector, while improving the nutritional status of Tanzanians through : 1) scaling improved 
technologies and practices that lead to increased productivity of sma llholders, including large 
numbers of women and youth, in targeted commodities ; 2) scaling market system models able to 
reach large numbers of direct and indirect beneficiaries, including vulnerable populations, while 
increasing trade for targeted commodit ies; and 3) strengthening the overall capacity of the industry . 
Interventions encourage the adoption of innovations at the farm level, and efficient business models 
at the market level will create a more broad -based distribution of benefits all along the c hain, 
including the smallholder, particularly women . The activity seeks to increase the productivity and 
profitability of horticultural value chains for 447,000 targeted beneficiaries, comprising 50 % women 
and 30 % youth . The activity is using a market syst ems approach to deliver technical support and 
encourage the adoption of farm -level innovations like improved technologies, farming practices, and 
efficient business models . To foster the sustainable competitiveness of the horticulture sector, the 
activity has worked with local partners including private sector entities and public extension officers.  
Mboga na Matunda partners with smallholder farmers and agricultural enterprises and will run 
from January  2017 to June 2021. It will use a value chain approach to deliver good agricultural 
practices, basic technologies, and nutrition education to 40,000 rural households.  
NASA/USAID SERVIR Programme  
A joint development initiative of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) 
and USAID, SERVI R works in partnership with leading regional organizations worldwide to help 
developing countries use information provided by Earth observing satellites and geospatial 
technologies . The tools, products, and services that SERVIR creates empower decision mak ers to 
better address critical development issues including food security . SERVIR 's food security thematic 
service area includes agriculture, rangeland management and pastoralism, and fisheries and 
aquaculture, particularly through the lens of adaptation t o increasing environmental extremes . Key 
topics include linking agricultural productivity assessments, crop yield models, and use of climate 
scenarios for assessing impacts.  
SERVIR connects space to village by helping developing countries use satellite dat a to address 
not only critical challenges in food security, but also in water resources, weather and climate, land 
use, and natural disasters . SERVIR develops innovative solutions to improve livelihoods and foster 
self-reliance in Asia, Africa, and the Ame ricas. USAID brings the users ; USAID's development 
expertise and field presence in 100 countries provides the connections and local partnerships with 
local, national and regional stakeholders . NASA brings the science ; with 19 research collaborator 
teams lo cated in 14 states across the United States, and more than 20 satellites with free and open 
data, NASA is focused on ways to leverage US science to replicate successes and innovate around IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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  the world, hand in hand with developing country organizations and sc ientists to leave behind 
increased technical capacity and societal benefit . SERVIR is improving awareness, increasing access 
to information, and supporting analysis to help people in West Africa, Eastern and Southern Africa, 
Hindu Kush Himalaya, the Lower Mekong, South America and Mesoamerica manage challenges in 
the areas of food security, water resources, land use change, and natural disasters . With activities 
in more than 45 countries and counting, SERVIR has already developed over 70 custom tools, 
collaborated with over 250 institutions, and trained more than 3 ,000 individuals, improving the 
capacity to develop local solutions (see https://www.servirglobal.net ). 
Country Projects  
Solar Power International Trade Show  
US Embassy in Rwanda is recruiting Rwandan business delegations to attend the Solar Power 
International trade show in Salt Lake City, Utah and the Big Iron Farm show in West Fargo, North 
Dakota, in September  2019. A US Embassy empl oyee will lead the two missions and organize 
business to business meetings.  
Strengthening Household Abilities for Responding to Development Opportunities 
III (SHOUHARDO III), SHOUHARDO (meaning "friendship ") – Bangladesh  
The goal of SHOUHARDO III is to imp rove gender equitable food security, nutrition and 
resilience of vulnerable people within Bangladesh for 549,000 poor and extremely poor people by 
2020. SHOUHARDO III is working in most vulnerable and food insecure villages of the chars areas 
in Gaibandha,  Kurigram, Jamalpur and Serajganj districts and areas of Kishorganj, Netrokona, 
Habiganj and Netrokona districts . SHOUHARDO III will be implemented in partnerships with six local 
NGOs . The Total Projected Investment is USD 80 million. T he programme  was ext ended in FY 2020 
to account for the COVID -19 pandemic . To achieve the overall goal - SHOUHARDO III will undertake 
the following activities:  
a. Provide training and technical assistance to increase agriculture productivity and market 
access;  
b. Improve enabling environment and opportunities for on -farm and off -farm income 
generating activities and assets protection;  
c. Increase access to savings and finance through capacity building and linkages;  
d. Improve access and availability to nutritious food by providi ng supplementary food rations 
and production of nutritious food;  
e. Improve water sanitation and hygiene infrastructure and services through community 
capacity building, awareness and linkages;  
f. Improve household health, hygiene, and nutrition behaviour  throug h social and behavioural  
change communication, and awareness;  
g. Provide training on disaster preparedness and help to improve disaster risk reduction 
capacities communities and committees;  
h. Develop communities capacity to climate -resilient livelihoods;  
i. Organi ze women and adolescent groups and strengthen their leadership and life skill 
capacity ; and 
j. Organize training, community mobilizations, advocacy support to village development 
committees, local government official and service providers.  
Food Security and L ivelihoods Trust Fund (LIFT) – Myanmar  
LIFT strengthens Myanmar 's resilience, particularly of the poor and vulnerable groups, through 
work on livelihoods, agriculture, food security and nutrition . LIFT organizes its program ming into 
four thematic areas : Nutrition ; Financial Inclusion ; Agriculture and Food Systems ; and Decent Work 
and Labour  Mobility, and currently has 70 activities countrywide through 61 partner organizations, 
many of which are US NGOs . Michigan State University is a LIFT strategic  research partner working 
on data -driven policy analysis with both the  public and private sectors . During 2010 -2020, LIFT has 
reached more than 9.2  million  people . The programme  is ongoing . IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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Stress Tolerant Rice in Vulnerable Environments  (STRIVE)  – Myanmar  
In order to meet the demand for quality rice seed that is adapted to local conditions (salt and 
water stress tolerant), IRRI implemented an activity to improve the availability of appropriate rice 
varieties to smallholder farmers . The activity worked with  rice farmers to identify stress tolerant rice 
varieties (farmer selection) . These varieties were scaled up via self -selecting seed growers . IRRI 
supported these growers to meet the quality criteria for selling seed, and arranged for the 
Department of Agri culture to inspect the seed and certify it . At the end of the activity, these seed 
growers were sustainably producing stress tolerant seeds for the local market . STRIVE ended in 
2018.  
Africa RISING – PHASE II  – Tanzania  
Africa Rising Phase II in Tanzania ended satisfactorily in FY 2019 . The programme  connected 
smallholder agricultural producers with resilient crop varieties, diversifying and increasing food 
supply and income sources, improving nutrition, and addressing soil and land degradation . Although 
Africa RISING Phase II is complete, USAID continues to support agricultural value chains and 
improve smallholder productivity through Feed the Future NAFAKA II . Higher yields mean higher 
incomes for these farmers ; and higher incomes mean the lives of farmers and their communities are 
enriched through increased food security, improved nutrition, and better access to health and 
education, ensuring progress for generations to come . 
Private Sector Driven Agricultural Growth (PSDAG) – Rwanda  
Through PSDA G, USAID assists and partners with private entities (seeds producers and 
multipliers) to produce quality high yielding Irish potatoes in a country where utilization of improved 
seeds is under 15 %. USAID utilizes technology ( e.g. GIS, databases, and other I T equipment and 
improved technologies) to help solve information constraints in the agriculture sector . PSDAG 
supported the Government of Rwanda to develop Agriculture Land Information System (ALIS I),  a 
web-based interface called the Investor Application ("Investor App ") to enable the Ministry of 
Agriculture and private sector to identify public land parcels that could meet the demands of 
prospective investors . This web -based tool makes available data such as : spatial data layers (aerial 
photos, satellite data, land, suitability analysis, and cadastral data for agriculture land) ; current 
investments (irrigation schemes and related cost, and large substantial private agricultural 
investment) ; current land use and proposed land use ; agricultural datasets ; soil types ; and rainfall.  
In FY 2019 , PSDAG supported the expansion of the functionality of ALIS I to ALIS II, which 
includes a simplified investor app for public use and the addition of a management application . ICT 
continues to be an important part of PSDAG 's M&E system to facilitate ease in data collection and 
reporting results of project activities implemented by various partners . For example, PSDAG 's 
partners use the Map and Track digital data collection system to register farmers and cooperatives 
as well as submit quarterly indicator results . PSDAG continued to use Map and Track to collect GPS 
coordinates of project activities implemented through various partners . PSDAG uses this information 
to generate ArcGis maps of project intervent ions. The live map can be found at 
http://arcg.is/2cpeuEx . 
PSDAG also facilitated private sector partners to pilot new improved technologies, 
management practices, and business models to boost farmers ' productivity wi th better plants and 
techniques . As a result of capital investments in equipment, technology and related technical 
assistance, most grantees have been able to expand to new markets, invest in international quality 
certifications and attract new investors . In FY 2018 , 35,633 of farmers and others have applied 
improved technologies or management practices as a result of US Government assistance . The 
project ended in FY 2019 and the technologies developed are currently used by the project 
beneficiaries (farmer s organizations, private small businesses and the Government of Rwanda 
Ministry of Agriculture.  
Creating Jobs and Increasing Production Capacity of Agribusinesses – Uganda  
The activity has provided various agro -processing technologies to its partners, with the view 
to create and or increase opportunities for over 10,000 youth to supply agricultural produce . For 
example, YLA Uganda has procured a solar dryer and hot pepper crusher for Anchor Foods Ltd., IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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  which has enabled the firm to diversify i ts chili products and recruit 1,500 youth as suppliers . Other 
technologies procured include a pasteurizer for a soy product company, a milling machine to process 
quality nutritious baby products, post -harvest technologies including maize shellers, moisture  
meters and grain -drying tarpaulins, a sealing and packing machine for blended pumpkin products, 
and a potato processing and drying machine.  
Working through private sector partners, YLA provided ten businesses with agro -processing 
technologies including in stalling a grain mill at St . Anthony 's School for the Deaf . This new 
technology will help create revenue to support approximately 70 deaf students at the school, as well 
as provide vocational training opportunities for at least 200 farmers in the surrounding community . 
This could potentially build a bridge between the deaf and hearing communities . As YLA is closing 
down in October  2020, it is transferring Chemonics ' software - Results Management System 
(RMS) - to 21 private sector partners . YLA use d RMS to help the private sector monitor economic 
opportunities for youth . This transfer will allow partners to continue monitoring youth engagement 
after YLA closes . In June 2020, YLA built the capacity of private partners and beneficiaries to utilize 
technology for a virtual closeout event while still observing COVID -19 prevention and containment 
measures . This event included a panel discussion on the US Embassy 's Facebook page, which 
garnered 3,400 views . In addition, the embassy shared a series of photo  essays and short videos 
from the event across its social media platforms.  
HarvestPlus Iron Fortified Beans & Orange -Fleshed Sweet Potatoes for Income and 
Nutrition – Rwanda  
USAID supported the production and dissemination of new iron bio -fortified beans s eeds and 
orange fleshed sweet potatoes planting materials for improved nutrition and food security purposes 
in a country where stunting is at 39 % of the population . In doing so, USAID partnered with the 
Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB), private seed producer s and multipliers, to promote, produce and 
disseminate improved seeds and planting materials . Improved vines of orange -fleshed sweet potato 
(OFSP) produced and distributed to 45,541 beneficiary households (HH), especially those with 
women of reproductive -age and children under five, with the goal of improving incomes and 
nutrition ; 533 metric tons of iron bio -fortified certified seeds produced and distributed to 59,763 
farming households . This programme  concluded  successfully  in FY 2019 . 
National Agricultu ral Technology Project Phase 2 (NATP -2) – Bangladesh  
USAID 's deve lopment objective of NATP –2 was  to increase agricultural productivity of 
smallholder  farms and improve smallholder farmers ' access to markets in selected districts . The 
USD 8 million  project implementation occur red over a six -year period in 56 of the country 's 
64 districts and in up to 270 of the country 's 493 sub -districts (or upazillas) . The project intended  
to deepen the interventions initiated under NATP -1 in existing upazillas  and expand the geographic 
coverage to include new districts and upazillas . In compliance with government policies and 
strategies, the primary target group for NATP -2 was smallholder farmers (with special emphasis on 
women) who account for over 90 % of the cou ntry's rural population and make up for the vast 
majority of Bangladesh 's poor . NATP-2 includes an agricultural research component and three 
sub-sector components : crops, livestock, and fisheries . This approach wa s expected to lead to a 
better integration between agricultural research, extension, and production . It is estimated that over 
1 million farming households directly benefit ed from project activities, including from improved 
extension services, stronger linkages with research, on -farm de monstrations of new technologies, 
capacity enhancement through training and skills development, as well as from co -funding 
productive assets . 
The project finalized  in September  2018 and the activity was closed successfully by OAA 
de-obligating the remainin g funds . This was a research activity and developed and tested 59 various 
agricultural technologies . Out of these 59 technologies, 11 technologies were finally selected and 
now being scaled out by various agencies such D epartment of Livestock Services  (DLS)-2, 
Department  of Fisheries (DoF) -3, Department of Agricultural Exte nsion ( DAE)-6. 
SEMEAR – Mozambique  
SEMEAR is a five -year seed replication project that builds upon years of USAID support to 
applied agricultural research, technology transfer and related capacity building . The activity uses IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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  win-win public -private partnership approaches to disseminate improved legume seeds (more than 
27 varieties of common bean, cowpea, groundnut, pigeon pea and soybean) and complementary 
crop management practices . Most of the new varieties are drought tolerant, resistant to endemic 
pests and diseases, have end -user preferred traits, and show significant increases in yields on 
farmers ' fields . Under the project approximately 10,000 tons of seed will be replicated and  
distributed . The project team reached over 100,000 beneficiaries and facilitated adoption of 
improved technologies on over 193  thousand  hectares  of land . Female farmers were specifically 
targeted and encouraged to invest in seed production, host field dem onstrations, and participate in 
training activities . The project terminated in  FY 2020 . 
Aflasafe – Mozambique  
The goals of USAID 's Aflasafe project were to reduce aflatoxin (toxin in foods) levels in the 
Mozambican national diet and provide additional ways  for farmers, regulators, input suppliers, and 
exporters to produce, trade and export groundnuts and maize to comply with aflatoxin standards 
set by CODEX Alimentarius through the development of a bio -control product, aflasafe -Moz, for 
aflatoxin mitigation . However, with the limited data available on aflatoxin prevalence in maize and 
groundnut in Mozambique, a strong initial focus was on mapping the incidence of aflatoxin in both 
crops . To support the development and registration of aflasafe, which has alre ady proved effective 
in Nigeria and other countries, a training programme  of national agricultural extension workers in 
the public and private sector followed by widespread training of smallholders was carried out . The 
introduction of aflasafe -Mozwas  accom panied  by the reinforcement of the use of existing aflatoxin 
reduction strategies with smallholders through a widespread training programme . Other project 
activities included the upgrading and equipping of laboratory facilities at UniLurio in Nampula for 
mycological work and mycotoxin testing . The project closed  in FY 2019 . 
Viable Sweetpotato Technologies in Africa (VISTA) – Mozambique  
Research and development investments over the past years have generated improved sweet 
potato technologies that can increase nutrition, income and food security in Mozambique . VISTA 
Mozambique is designed to improve nutrition, food security and incomes of beneficiary households . 
Increased production and better utilization of nutritious orange -fleshed sweet potato (OFSP)  
varieties will especially benefit children under five years of age and pregnant and lactating mothers . 
OFSP is a proven, cost -effective, tool to reduce vitamin A deficiency and provide additional vital 
nutrients to vulnerable populations . From 2014 to 201 9, approximately 74,000 households (55 % 
female -headed) were reached with OFSP planting material of 15 improved varieties, covering an 
area of 4,600 ha. Also, VISTA noted that from 2014 to 2019 vitamin A consumption has increased 
in the intervention househo lds compared to the control households . The project closed  in FY 2019 . 
RAMA -BC – Mozambique  
USAID 's RAMA -BC programme 's overarching goal is to equitably increase agricultural 
productivity and climate resilience by increasing adoption of resilient agricult ural technologies and 
practices . Over the life of the project, RAMA - will implement activities under four component areas, 
to increase the adoption of resilient agricultural technologies in the Beira corridor . Components 1 
and 2 will increase demand by ra ising awareness and demonstrating effectiveness of key 
technologies and practices, including improved see d, conservation agriculture  practices, and water 
management and irrigation solutions . Components 3 and 4 will support supply -side improvements, 
leading  to increased availability, accessibility and affordability of inputs and other technologies, and 
improved private -sector led advisory services . The project will be ongoing until 2021.  
Ambassador 's Water Expert Programme  (AWEP) – Uganda  
In support of the President 's Global Water Strategy, the Ambassador 's Water Expert 
Programme  (AWEP) sends US hydrologists abroad to provide technical assistance for water security, 
by promoting sustainable infrastructure and services, science, technology, and informatio n. The US 
Department of the Interior 's International Technical Assistance Programme  (DOI-ITAP) manages 
AWEP, and the US Department of States Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and 
Scientific Affairs (OES) funds the programme . IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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DOI-provided ex pert trained 25 rural district participants from the Ministry of Water and 
Environment (MWE) how to use the Water Point Data Exchange software system - developed by US 
companies and provided to Uganda at no cost . This system enables MWE officials to use ru ral water 
data to make more informed water management decisions . 
Water Resources Integration Development Initiative (WARIDI)  
WARIDI promotes integrated water resources management and delivery of services across 
multiple sectors . The goal is to improve water resources management, access to water -supply, 
sanitation and hygiene services, and climate change adaptation in the Rufiji and Wami -Ruvu water 
basins . WARIDI works to : 1) increase utilization of sustainable multiple -use water, sanitation, and  
hygiene services ; 2) strengthen governance for sustainable and resilient management of water 
resources and services under a changing climate ; and 3) increase livelihoods through private sector 
investment opportunities for sustainable water services, agric ulture, and natural resources 
management.  
Centre  of Excellence on Sustainable Agricultural Intensification and Nutrition (CE 
SAIN) – Cambodia  
The objectives of CE SAIN are to coordinate and leverage Innovation Labs and other SAIN 
activities , build the huma n and institutional capacity of the Royal University of Agriculture, and to 
establish technology parks to highlight high -potential technologies and strategies to sustainably 
intensify smallholder farming systems . Funded by USAID, the USD 2.5 million  progra mme has six 
US government partners.  iDE Cambodia, IRRI, University of Tennessee, Kansas State University, 
and World Vegetable Cambodia have demonstrated their agriculture technologies in CE SAIN 
Technology Parks . CE SAIN runs between July 2017 and June 2021. 
Key successes of the activity in FY 2019 : 
a. Six US government  partners including iDE Cambodia, IRRI, University of Tennessee, Kansas 
State University, and ATEC private sector have demonstrated their innovative technologies 
in CE SAIN Technology Parks;  
b. Improved communication, coordination and knowledge sharing betwee n six US universities, 
US partners, four private sector companies and other projects within Cambodia;  
c. Provided 24 scholarships (11 females) , eight PhD, eight MSc, and eight BSc Degree 
scholarships;  
d. Provided six research grants to Royal University of Agricu lture (RUA) faculties to increase 
lab activities, teaching materials and tools;  
e. Provided 33 lecture series to 310 RUA 's students and faculty members ; and 
f. 1,270 people from USG partners, students, researchers, and farmers visited to CE SAIN 's 
Technology Parks.  
Key successes of the activity in FY 2020:  
a. Funded research and education at RUA : 17 scholarships for MS and PhD degrees, 12 
research grants to faculty, and 14 thesis grants for undergraduate students ; 
b. Partnered with industry : implemented USD 17 million  commerciali zation of aquaculture for 
sustainable t rade project with American Soybean Association ; and 
c. Applied research brought to market : launched the Borlaug Higher Education for Agricultural 
Research and Development partnership ; and awarded  four projects to help commercialize 
scientific research.  
USAID| REGIS -ER Land Tenure Security Sub – Award  
Land Tenure Security and Conflict Management component of USAID|REGIS -ER activity aims 
to strengthen partnership with the National Land Observatory (ONF -BF) and governmental 
structures in charge of land tenure issues to secure land tenure (focusing on women -owned sites 
and pastoral spaces) . The objective is to provide technical assistance to the Government of Burkina 
in the establishment, staffing, and effective operation of Rural Land Tenure Service (SFRs) offices in 
the communes and village land tenure committees to improve arbitration and mitigation of conflicts 
arising from agriculture, pastoralism, mining and other matters arising due to land issues through IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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  the use of the USAID Mobile Application to Secure Tenure (MAST) . Based on lesson learned from the 
pilot phase and the five initial communes targeted, USAID is extending the use of MAST tool in 12 
additional communes under a direct aw ard to ONF -BF for year 2020.  
Integrated Land Resources Governance Programme  (ILRG)  
USAID 's ILRG programme , managed by E3 's Land a nd Urban Office in Washington, wa s 
designed to provide technical assistance to improve land and resource governance, strengthen  
property rights, and build resilient livelihoods as the foundation for strong economic growth, stability, 
and self -reliance . ILRG's activities in Zambia are focused on building on momentum from previous 
USAID investments in supporting transparent customar y land documentation and governance 
through the Tenure and Global Climate Change (TGCC) project that was implemented from 2013 to 
2018. The ILRG programme  institutionalize d customary land documentation through policy and law ; 
facilitate d cooperation among ministries on rural development issues through participatory, spatial 
data collection processes ; and pilot ed community -based natural resource management approaches 
that reduce conflict, increase d biodiversity and carbon sequestration, an d generate d income for rural 
communities . The programme  targets we re the following:  
a. Improve district governance and integrated natural resource p lanning;  
b. Strengthen natural resource m anagement ; and 
c. Enhance household land documentation, administration, and use. 
USDA Millet Value Chain Project – Senegal  
During 2014-2020, USDA 's millet value ch ain project in Senegal transferred  expertise and 
know -how in the agriculture sector to improve local processing of millet . USDA's Food for Progress 
millet value ch ain programme  began in FY  2014 and closed in May 2020. The project worked with 
over 22,000 millet farmers over the course of the award . This USD 14 million  award focused on 
increasing the agricultural productivity of the millet value chain by : 1) developing processing 
systems ; 2) building capacity of producers to improve production and quality ; 3) training producers 
and processors in improved production tech niques, post -harvest handling, marketing, and seed 
production ; and 4) providing grants and loans for equipment and inputs . This programme  expanded 
the trade of millet by developing public -private relationships, facilitating trade relationships, 
researching  export opportunities, building agricultural extension capacity, and helping to address 
food safety issues and requirements . 
PROGRAM MING  AND INCENTIVES RELATED TO ENERGY DEVELOPMENT  
Privat e Financing Advisory Network (PF AN) 
PFAN is a multilateral public pr ivate partnership initiated by the Climate Technology Initiative  
and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNF CCC). It identifies and 
nurtures promising , innovative clean and renewable energy projects by bridging the gap between 
investors, clean energy entrepreneurs and project developers . PFAN mobilizes private sector 
expertise in financing climate -friendly projects and technologies to screen business plans and select 
projects that are economically viable, as well as environmentally and socially beneficial . For the 
selected entrepreneurs and businesses, PFAN provides guidance in areas such as economi c 
feasibility, project structure, investment and financing, preparation of the business plan, and 
introductions to investors . PFAN's partners and donors include : Australia 's Department of Foreign 
Affairs and Trade (DFAT) ; the Ministry of Economy, Trade and  Industry (METI), Japan ; the 
Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs ; the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency 
(SIDA) ; and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) . PFAN is hosted by 
the United Nations Industrial Develop ment Organization (UNIDO), and the programme  is executed 
in collaboration with the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP).  
Regional and Country Energy Initiatives  
US regional energy development program ming focuses on sub -Saharan Africa and South Asia . 
US agencies work closely with multilateral development banks, other US government agencies, the 
private sector, and local banks or financial institutions to engage on regional energy collaboration 
programme s. IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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Southern Africa Energy Programme  (SAEP)  
USAID 's SAEP works to advance energy policy and regulatory reform, and accelerate 
investment to increase power generation and access to electricity throughout the region . Through 
strengthening the enabling environment and facilitating publ ic and private transactions, SAEP 
leverages the momentum of private investment to help focus SAEP 's resources in ways that best 
support the reform of national and regional energy ecosystems . At the same time, SAEP produces 
the tangible results needed to cr eate a sustainable cycle of additional reforms, increased investment 
and continued political will . SAEP addresses the key constraints to investment in the Southern African 
energy sector by : improving regulation, planning, and procurement for energy ; improv ing 
commercial viability of utilities ; improving regional harmonization and cross -border trade ; 
demonstrating and scaling renewable energy and energy efficient technologies and practices ; and 
increasing human and institutional capacity.  
South Asia Regional  Initiative for Energy Integration (SARI/EI)  – Bhutan, 
Bangladesh, India, and Nepal  
USAID 's SARI/EI focuses on supporting greater regional energy integration  by promoting 
cross-border power trade in South Asia through harmonization of policy, legal, and re gulatory 
mechanism ; advancement of transmission system interconnections ; and establishment of a South 
Asia Regional Electricity Market . These will be catalysed  through three inte r-governmental task 
forces  established under the programme  with representation  from national governments, power 
transmission utilities, regulators, and other relevant representatives from participating South Asian 
countries.  
The project focused primarily on engaging decision makers in South Asia to build a consensus 
on moving the re gion from bilateral power trade to multilateral power trade . This was through 
number of interventions including providing inputs to the partner governments on their policies and 
regulations, organizing events to present the benefits on multi -lateral power trade in BBIN 
(Bangladesh -Bhutan -India and Nepal) and building the capacity of national institutions in 
Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal to prepare them to participate in the Indian power exchange through 
customized trainings . The project continued to engage regional institutions such as South Asia 
Association of regional Cooperation (SAARC), South Asia Forum of Infrastructure regulators (SAFIR) 
and Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi -Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) to 
promote regio nal energy cooperation and power trade . The project supported SAFIR Energy working 
group to identify regulatory interventions for grid discipline and reliability . It supported the 
development of the draft common minimum grid code under the aegis of SAFIR t o support enhanced 
cross-border power trade in South Asia . The project facilitated discussions of the U.S and Indian 
private sector with the South Asian policy makers on potential of renewable energy investments in 
their countries . The project was instrume ntal in initiating and facilitating power trade in the region.  
Going forward, the project will continue to focus on moving the region to 
multi-lateral/tri -lateral power trade and facilitating participation of neighbouring countries in Indian 
power exchange . This will through institutionalizing independent transmission and system operator 
association, to oversee and guide the process of coordinated transmission planning and uniform 
system operating procedures, as well as developing a forum for market partici pants to develop rules 
on market participation and monitoring . The project will continue to work with the regional 
institutions such as SAFIR, BIMSTEC and SAARC to push the agenda on harmonization of policies 
and regulations to support cross -border power t rade. The project will also partner with private sector 
and business associations to facilitate investments in regional energy and infrastructure projects in 
South Asia . It will focus on sharing cross -learnings between countries in the region, especially o n 
large-scale development of renewable power and energy efficiency . It will also continue to focus on 
building the capacity of energy stakeholders in Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.  
Foreign Government Official and Private Sector Applaud SARI/EI  
The Secretary of Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation of the Government of 
Nepal, in a workshop on Power Trading through Power Exchange in Nepal, thanked USAID for its 
continued support in the region through its SARI/EI programme . He mentione d of several positive 
changes including new and modification of policies and regulations aimed to support cross -border 
power trade, which can be attributed to SARI/EI.  IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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The Chairperson of Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, Government of India, in a 
workshop on Regional Energy Integration and Cross Border Energy Trade in New Delhi thanked 
USAID and the SARI/EI project for their work towards enhancing cross -border power trade in the 
South Asia region . He further stated that transitioning the power trad e in region from bilateral to 
multi-lateral trade will further strengthen cooperation and boost regional power market . Mr Samdrup 
Thinley CEO, Bhutan Electricity Authority, Bhutan in the same conference highlighted that the 
opportunity to participate as ob server in public hearing process in India organised by SARI/EI was 
a great learning experience to the regulators in other countries.  
MINIGRID project : Feasibility study and pilot project – Madagascar  
A USTDA grant to Henri Fraise Fils & Cie funds a feasibility study to develop solar PV minigrids 
with battery storage for a remote area off -grid. The study includes the design and implementation 
of a new 83 -kilowatt peak solar minigrid with 315 kilowatt hours of battery storage pilot project in 
Belobaka,  Madagascar . US firm NantEnergy, Inc. is completing the study, and the project includes 
participation from the US companies Caterpillar (Peoria, IL) and First Solar (Perrysburg, OH) . The 
study and pilot project s are underway and expected to be completed in  2021.  
Power Africa – Djibouti  
USAID/DJIBOUTI supported the Djibouti Office for the Development of Geothermal Energy 
(ODDEG) in capacity building training for drilling geothermal fields . Twenty -six staff from ODDEG 
have received a five day training on dril ling techniques led by experts who have years of experience 
in drilling . The skills acquired through this training could have been used for the drilling of eight 
geothermal production wells at Lake Assal (Northern Djibouti) which will generate clean energy  for 
the country . However, the Ministry of Energy informed USAID/DJIBOUTI that it did not approve the 
implementation of project and the project was terminated.  
First Solar and Neon – Zambia  
USAID and Department of State supports and OPIC finances a solar p roject from American 
firm First Solar and French firm Neon . The project supports the development of a 47.5 -megawatt 
(MW) solar photovoltaic power plant . The project is Zambia 's first utility scale solar plant . The solar 
plant was formally commissioned and went online in FY 2019, and is Zambia 's first utility scale solar 
plant. Zambian President, Zambian Minister of Energy, the US Ambassador, and the French 
ambassador joined the inauguration . In 2020, the project was completed and the plant is running 
and loading into the grid the amount anticipated which has helped ZESCO (Zambian utility) to 
navigate a bit better the load shedding.  
Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Development (RERED II) Progr amme  – 
Bangladesh  
RERED II, a multi -donor trust fund, administered by the World Bank, aimed  to support the 
Government of Bangladesh 's vision of providing universal access to electricity by 2021 . The es timate 
for the project wa s USD 8 million. U SAID's contr ibution to the RERED -II programme  supported the 
Government of Bangladesh 's objective to bring the entire country under electricity service with 
improved reliability and quality . USAID supported the development of solar energy applications 
including off -grid solar home systems, water pumping solutions and mini grids . The programme  also 
contributed to USAID 's strategic approach to develop and scale up integrated, smart, secur e, 
profitable and stable energy sectors in the Indo -Pacific region a nd to attract increased levels of 
private sector investment and create associated enabling environments to facilitate and sustain 
those investments . The programme  ended successfully  attaining all its goals  on 30 June 2019. 
USTDA Award to eleQtr a – Mozambiq ue 
The USTDA awarded a grant to Power developer eleQtra for a feasibility study to assess the 
viability of a 120 -megawatt wind power plant, developed in two phases of 60 MW each, located in 
southern Mozambique . This will be the first Wind Power project in Mozambique, creating the 
benchmark for this industry in this country . The valu e of the grant was USD 1.1 million. T his will be 
the first Wind Power project in Mozambique, creating the benchmark for this industry in this country . 
The project is o ngoing.  IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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USTDA Small Hydropower Projects - Zambia : Chimpili, Chilongo, and Zengamina  
A USTDA grant to Hydro Electric Power Limited, a privately -owned renewable power developer 
and operator in Zambia, is funding a feasibility study for the development of a p ortfolio of 
hydropower projects in the country, including two greenfield small hydropower projects for 
application under the Zambia GET FiT programme  and the expansion of an existing small hydropower 
project . The feasibility study is underway and is expect ed to be completed in 2021.  
USTDA Gas -Fired Power Project – Sierra Leone  
USTDA awarded a feasibility study grant to CECA SL Generation Limited to support the Western 
Area Gas Power Generation Project, an approximately 83.5 -megawatt combined cycle gas power  
generation plant in Freetown, Sierra Leone . USTDA 's study will define the technical requirements, 
project economics and regulatory requirements for the new power station, as well as upgrades to 
existing substations.  
Solar Energy Transformation (SET) Fund LLC – Central African Republic  
During FY 2021 (delay due to COVID -19 Pandemic) SET will provide a loan to IN1 Holding 
Investments Limited ( 'CREI') to finance the development, construction, and operation of a solar 
energy solution to Orange Centrafrique, a mobile network operator that is looking to outsource the 
management of power production for their telecom towers . The project will enable access to 
affordable, clean energy by switching from diesel to solar . The implementation of the Project is 
expected to  decrease fuel consumption from an estimated amount of 480 to 92L/site/month and to 
result in CO2 emissions savings of ~1,300 tons per year . The SET Fund is providing a USD 5.2 million  
loan to CREI RCA to finance the development of a solar energy solution for a telecommunications 
provider . CREI RCA has secured an energy service company agreement with Orange Centrafique to 
modernize its existing diesel -powered solutions and put in place hybrid power/pure solar energy 
solutions in the 106  sites Orange Centrafique currently has across the Central African Republic.  
SPEED+ - Mozambique  
USAID 's technical assistance to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MIREME) 
established precedent for successful transactions and clarify and secure the rules for private power 
producers to attract increased investment in independent grid -connected generation . Expected 
outputs include improved ability to successfully conclude agreements such as Concess ion 
Agreements, to manage the renewable energy feed in tariff regime, and to clarify the legal 
framework for independent power producers . Speed+ 's Expected outcome is a stronger energy 
sector with more megawatts generated at lower prices to consumers . The programme  is 
implemented by DAI Global LLC, with sub -partners Nathan Associates, Inc. ; SAL & Caldeira 
Advogados Lda ; and CIMPOGEST Lda and  the programme  is ongoing until  2021. 
Climate Services for Agriculture – Rwanda  
Developed by IRI, a member of the CGIA R (a consortium of research agricultural research 
institutions) and funded by USAID in Rwanda, Maproom is a collection of maps and other figures 
that monitor climate conditions at present and in the recent past . With USAID support, Rwandan 
authorities now employ a tool that facilitates various weather -related analysis and forecasting . 
Maproom makes the following data available online:  
a. Historical climate information (daily precipitation analysis, historical onset and cessation 
date, historica l seasonal totals);  
b. Historical and forecast information for agriculture; 
http://maproom.meteorwanda.gov.rw/maproom/Agriculture/#tabs -1; and 
c. Under development is the Water Ba lance Maproom, which will be used to monitor crop yield 
and forecast food security in Rwanda 
http://maproom.meteorwanda.gov.rw/maproom/Agriculture/#tabs -2. 
This tool has hel ped disseminate data derived from merging weather/climate data from 
physical stations and surface weather observation data from satellites to fill the gaps in Rwanda 's 
historical weather data records . Now, Rwanda has historical weather data for more than 6 0 years . IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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  The plan is to make weather and climate Information accessible to all government institutions as 
well as private institutions . Because the project ended  in December  2019, the implementing partner 
has already secured  additional funds from WISER, a  DFID funded project, to continue supp orting  
the development of new  features . The implementing partner has already secured additional funds 
from WISER, a DFID funded project, to continue supporting the development of new features.  
Minigrids Feasibility Study – Sierra Leone  
A USTDA grant to the Sierra Leone Ministry of Energy funded a feasibility study to determine 
the technical and financial information necessary to implement approximately 40 minigrids for 
community -use and approximately five  minigrids for communities using commercial and industrial 
facilities as anchor loads . The Ministry of Energy selected WindGen Power USA as the US contractor 
to complete this study . The project is expected to bring energy access to more than 8,630 
househol ds and businesses in Sierra Leone . The feasibility study has commenced.  
Programme  for Scaling -Up Renewable Energy (SREP) for Low Income Countries  
SREP focuses on deploying renewable energy to increase energy access in several developing 
countries, including  LDC pilot countries Bangladesh, Benin, Cambodia, Haiti, Lesotho, Madagascar, 
Malawi, Mali, Nepal, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, the Solomon Islands, Tanzania, Uganda, Vanuatu, 
Yemen, and Zambia . To date, USD 264 million  is approved and under implementati on for 23 projects 
and programme s, expecting approximately USD 1.9 billion  in co-financing from other sources.  
PROGRAM MING  AND INCENTIVES RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION  
Since 2009, the United States has engaged in a wide range of activities with devel oping 
countries, with the goal of promoting the development and deployment of climate -friendly 
technologies and practices, and responsible management of the environment and environmental 
resources.  
US Programme  on SilvaCarbon  
SilvaCarbon is a technical coo peration programme  under the Global Climate Change Initiative, 
and a US contribution to the Global Forest Observation Initiative of the intergovernmental Group on 
Earth Observations  SilvaCarbon works with 24 tropical forested countries to build capacity in 
measuring, monitoring, and reporting changes in forest and terrestrial  carbon, and collaborates 
globally to identify, test, and disseminate good practices and cost -effective technologies . 
SilvaCarbon draws on the strengths of cooperating US government  agencies including the 
Department of State, the Environmental Protection A gency, NASA, USAID, USDA , Forest Service 
(USFS), and the US Geographical Survey (USGS) of the Department of Interior, as well as variety 
of non -governmental, academic, and industry partners (see www.silvacarbon. org/). 
SilvaCarbon advances low -emission development and increases transparency through 
technical assistance and training on the use of free and open -source tools and methods for accurately 
tracking land use change . For example, in the first half of FY 201 8, working with Google Earth Engine, 
Boston University, Oregon State University, USFS and USGS, SilvaCarbon delivered customized 
training to seven countries in Latin America and Africa to support the uptake of state -of-the-art 
forest monitoring technologie s tailored to country needs . SilvaCarbon has also contributed to the 
development and dissemination of the Collect Earth Online forest monitoring platform, and facilitated 
the uptake of the Agriculture and Land Use National Greenhouse Gas Inventory Software  tool in 
numerous countries including Viet  Nam, which has officially adopted the tool at the national level . 
SilvaCarbon has worked with counterparts in Nepal and Cambodia to update national forest and land 
cover maps to increase accuracy and transparency and meet the needs of multiple users and 
stakeholders  
Government Officials  and Public Sector  Praise SilvaCarbon  
A representative of the Nepal Ministry of Environment noted that SilvaCarbon has contributed 
significantly to the development of new skills and technologies in Nepal, and played an important 
role in enhancing the capacity of Nepali technicians in forest carbon measurement, monitoring, and 
reporting and REDD+.  IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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A representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Ministry of the Envir onment and 
Sustainable Development noted that SilvaCarbon training has benefitted technical staff and raised 
the level of scientific knowledge in soil analysis, carbon capitalization, and forest zoning.  
Mr Soukanh Bounthabandit, Deputy Director of the Fore st Inventory and Planning Division 
(FIPD) in Lao PDR and SilvaCarbon focal point : "We have got training on how to use open software 
from SilvaCarbon project ; the satellite imagery data is very important for our work ; the exchanged 
knowledge and lessons lea rned with other countries ; we have got more formed solidarity with all 
countries and SilvaCarbon project. " 
Mr Somphavy Keoka, FIPD technical expert involved in FREL (in Lao PDR) : "Collaborating with 
SilvaCarbon is significantly help me and my organization such as the data on Tree Cover Gain and 
Loss from SilvaCarbon are use in our latest Forest Type Map which help to reduce the workload of 
the officers in charge, furthermore the trainings that SilvaCarbon provided was a big help in solving 
difficulty of dis tinguish Regenerating Vegetation with MD forest, there is also the training on forest 
degradation as well as many country are facing this issue etc. " 
Mr Chittana Phompila, Lecturer at the Faculty of Forestry, National University of Lao  PDR: "I 
have been co llaborating with SilvaCarbon for the last five years since 2016 . There are lots of benefits 
from SilvaCarbon 's support to myself and our university in terms of capacity buildings . Several 
trainings were organized and supported by SilvaCarbon, for example R emote Sensing trainings on 
forest cover change monitoring, deforestation detecting or mapping, forest stand height estimation 
and new proposed steps for gradual improvement of forest degradation . These are really useful for 
our country 's technical capacity  building needs, to fulfil the government commitments and efforts 
on combating deforestation and degradation, especially REDD+ scheme . SilvaCarbon have provided 
great opportunities for our university to work with, to learn and gain knowledge and skills on 
advanced remote sensing technology . These are extremely important to help enhance the capacity 
of our university in order to further develop and improve our human resources. " 
DRC Secretary General of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development,  Benjamin 
Toirambe : "as you may r ecall, the SilvaCarbon programme 's support on capacity building for 
terrestrial carbon accounting supported the General Secretariat for Environment and Sustainable 
Development (ESD) through the Directorate of Forest Inventories and Management (DIAF) in the 
processing of field forest inventory data, the training of technicians and other partners of the said 
Directorate in the statistical analysis of these inventory data as well as the estimation of forest 
degradation . I also note the support through scholarships of two staff members of the General 
Secretariat for ESD who are currently undergoing postgraduate training at ERAIFT. " 
Zambia Government POC thanked SilvaCarbon for supporting the development of emission 
factors  for the Forestry Sector through the technical support of US Forest Service Experts.  
International Forestry Management Program me 
US Forest Service (USFS) promotes capacity building for sustainable forest management and 
biodiversity conservation internation ally by linking the skills of the field -based staff with partners 
overseas . These activities cover a wide range of topics, many of which are co -funded with the 
Department of State and USAID 
(http://www.fs.fed.us/about -agency/international -programs/program -topics ). This work involves a 
variety of partners, including intergovernmental organizations, international research and 
conservation organizations, and other environme ntal NGOs . USFS scientists and other agency 
technical experts contribute specialized technical assistance to existing projects, conduct training, 
facilitate research, and publish technical guides to promote sustainable forest management and 
biodiversity co nservation . These activities encompass many of the most pressing forestry issues, 
including fire management, climate change adaptation and mitigation, forest monitoring and remote 
sensing, forest health and invasive species, migratory species and habitat m anagement, watershed 
management, protected areas and ecotourism, and sustainable forestry practices.  
USFS  - International Union of Forest Research Organizations Partnership  
USFS and the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) signed a multiyear 
partnership agreement in 2014 to enhance the contribution of forest science to international IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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  forest -related policy processes and implementation of sustainable fore st resource management, 
particularly in economically disadvantaged countries . The agreement achieves technology transfer 
through strengthening national forest research systems in Africa, Asia and Latin America, particularly 
through capacity development, as sistance to scientists, and institution -building . Further, the 
initiative supports IUFRO 's global initiatives on mobilizing and disseminating forest -related 
information through Internet and ICT -based channels 
(see http://www.fs.fed.us/research/partnerships ). IUFRO has a long history of providing support to 
the forest science community in Africa, Asia and Latin America . IUFRO implements capacity building 
activities through its Special Programme  for Development of Capacities (IUFRO -SPDC) . These 
activities strengthen research programmes and enhance the development and implementation of 
sound forest management policies and practices through the generation and dissemination of 
quality -research  results on forests and trees . IUFRO -SPDC 's capacity -building activities concentrate 
on assisting forest research institutions in partner developing countries to effectively contribute to 
shaping national and local forest policies and sustainable forest ma nagement systems 
(see http://www.iufro.org/science/special/spdc ). 
Supporting Information Services and Knowledge Dissemination  
The United States supports the provision of information services to sci entists and policymakers 
in developing countries through the Global Forest Information Service (GFIS) . GFIS provides a 
framework for sharing forest -related data and information through a single gateway and promotes 
the dissemination and sharing of forest i nformation and knowledge by developing a common 
information exchange platform, building capacity, and enhancing partnerships among forestry 
information providers and users (see http://www.gfis.net ). 
Country  and Regional  Programmes  
USFS Inter -Agency Agreement – Zambia  (EDEV)  
This activity supports USFS assessments to identify priority issues that address climate 
change, biodiversity, forestry and other natural resource management . Technical assistance to the 
Government of Zambia (GRZ) includes training in cartography, use of Geographic Information 
Systems software for analysis, and in remote sensing . Ongoing targets : facilitate short -term 
technical assistance to the Zambia Environm ent Management Agency (ZEMA) through embedding 
an Environment Advisor to help with Greenhouse Gas Inventory reporting ; provide technical 
assistance to the Zambia Forestry Department (ZFD) by embedding a REDD+ and Forestry Advisor 
to support forest monitori ng, reporting, and verification systems ; short-term technical assistance on 
forest management, including workshops for provincial and district staff, and fire management 
training to enhance their capacity ; facilitate technical expertise in GIS and forest b oundary 
delineation as well as procurement of topographic maps for all the nine districts at the Forestry 
Department in Eastern Province.  
In FY 2019,  USAID embedded both the Environment Advisor in ZEMA and the REDD+ and 
Forestry Advisor in ZFD . The Advisor  to ZEMA has  already begun  working across the Zambian 
government to support the compilation, analysis and reporting of the greenhouse gas inventory, 
and the development of the Nationally Determined Contribution Implementation Plan . Working with 
the ZFD, US AID supported numerous workshops and trainings that increased ZFD capacity on 
boundary delineation and forest cover change mapping, as well as for fire management . The Advisor 
has also led efforts on emission factor development.  
In FY 2020 , the USFS has pr ovided:  
a. Technical support to ZEMA for Zambia 's International Commitments & Reporting for the 
sectors in which the Government of the Republic of  Zambia works to advance completion 
and submission of all components of multiple outputs to the United Nations Fr amework 
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) for the third National Communication, including 
the Greenhouse Gas inventory, Nationally Determined Contributions and Biennial Update 
Report;  
b. Strategic Planning, Organizational Development & Resource Mobilizati on in form of capacity 
building related to project management,  financial sustainability, change management, 
monitoring & evaluation (M&E) and resource mobilization;  IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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  c. Support for the development of a REDD+ registry to allow the Forestry Department to better 
oversee and manage REDD+ initiatives in Zambia ; and 
d. Support to USAID towards activity development of the Alternatives to Charcoal activity and 
other REDD+ related matters that needed technical expertise . 
Keo Seima Conservation Project - Cambodia  
USAID 's Keo Seima project aims to improve biodiversity conservation and ecosystem health 
in the Eastern Plains Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary (KSWS) and its corridors . This includes support 
to local authorities to mo nitor law enforcement effectiveness and adapt management using Spatial 
Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART) GIS technology . Also, the project establishes sustainable 
financing mechanisms, such as Payment for Ecosystem Services and sale of carbon credits, and 
sustainable intensification of agriculture . The programme  is ongoing in FY 2020 and updates will be 
available at the end of October  2020. The key success of the activity in FY 2019 are the following:  
a. Revealed 762 hectares  of deforestation inside KSWS u sing remote sensi ng analysis from GIS 
technology;  
b. Discovered second otter species in KSWS,  confirmed by camera trap photo;  
c. Completed a Non -Timber Forest Product (NTFP) value chain assessment in seven villages in 
KSWS . Facilitated dialogue between private c ompanies and the Community Protected Area 
(CPA) management committee and bamboo entrepreneur group to match bamboo demand 
and supply, and form a long -term strategy for bamboo in the CPA;  
d. Improved facilities for ecotourism at Jahoo Gibbon Camp and conducted  hospitality  training 
to community members ; and 
e. Supported Andoung Kraloeng in the rejection of an application by outsiders to clear land 
within their indigenous communal land title (ICT).  
Africa and Middle East Region  
In the Africa and Middle East Region ( AME), the US Forest Service (USFS) works in over 30 
countries to address natural resource challenges in the least and most forested countries in the 
world . USFS partners with a suite of organizations including US government entities (USAID, State 
Departmen t, Department of Defence , Department of Justice, Department of Interior ), host country 
governments, academic institutions, and non -governmental organizations to promote technology 
transfer and the exchange of best practices to enhance natural resource management, economic 
development, disaster management, and improve community resilience.  
Specifically, the AME region provides targeted , long -term technical support and technology 
transfer to our partners on monitoring, reporting and verification for greenhouse gas emissions 
accounting for agriculture, forests and other land uses including systems development, land cover 
mapping, and land  use change analyses . USFS also supports broader US Government  efforts at 
mitigating  conservation  crime in the region by providing training on law enforcement and 
investigations, and wood identification techniques and technologies for countering illegal lo gging . 
The Agency draws on its deep domestic expertise to assist countries in the AME region with landscape 
restoration – from seed sourcing and management, to cutting edge science/technology for 
nursery/plant production, to best practices for planning and  implementing restoration projects at 
different scales . Across Africa and the Middle East, USFS helps host country governments provide 
adequate support to local populations during and after fire and all -hazard disasters by supporting 
institutional strength ening and capability for national and on -site incident management, emergency 
operations and coordination, firefighting, post -incident response, and pre -preparedness, using USFS 
systems and technologies adapted for host -country contexts . Lastly, the Agency assists partners 
with watershed management at different scales, sharing tools and technologies from the US that 
can be adapted to help partner countries include landscape -level water conservation as part of water 
security strategies . 
Climate Fellows (CF) Programme  – Congo  
The CF programme  provides technical assistance to the Government of Congo for sustainable 
management of forest resources and national efforts to reduce emissions and enhance removals of 
greenhouse gases in the forestry and other land use sectors . A CF (technical expert) has been 
embedded within the Ministry of Forest Economy and provides training and capacity building to IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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  technical staff of the National Centre for the Inventory and Management of Forest and Wildlife 
Resources (CNIAF) and  the Directorate General of Sustainable Development in the Ministry of 
Tourism and Environment . Specific areas for capacity building and training include : remote sensing, 
interpretation of satellite images, forest inventory and management, Geographic Infor mation 
System (GIS), Greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting and other relevant technical and policy 
processes/issues related to the sustainable management of forests, avoided deforestation and forest 
degradation, conservation and enhancement of forest carbon stoc ks (afforestation and 
reforestation) . The programme  runs between 2018 -2022 in collaboration with the Ministry of 
Environment and Sustainable Development . 
High Level Policy Dialogue Agricultural Biotechnology (HLPDAB) and APEC Two 
Part Workshop : Agricultura l Biotechnology Regulatory Cooperation and Genome Editing  
USDA 's workshops involve discussions about the current environment of agricultural 
biotechnology including issues and concerns along with the successes and the uses of the technology 
in response to climate change, scarce resources and food security . USDA provided USD 50,000 in 
annual funding to support these workshops worldwide and the programme  is ongoing.  
Lacey Act – Illegal Logging – Myanmar  
A US NGO, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), collaborates wit h the Thailand -based Centre  for 
Peoples and Forests on a Myanmar  initiative as part of the Responsible Asia Forestry and Trade 
programme , partially funded by the Department of State (a small part of a larger grant to TNC of 
USD 700,000 from 2013 -2018) . TNC recently concluded a multiyear in -depth study of production 
and trade cycles and forestry sector reforms to identify actions that can stabilize and restore 
Myanmar 's production forests, with a focus on multi -stakeholder processes and civil society 
engag ement . While the grant has concluded, TNC continues to work with stakeholders in Myanmar . 
US agencies, especially the US Department of Justice (DOJ), are actively exploring opportunities to 
build the capacity of counterparts in Myanmar through training on law enforcement related to natural 
resources, with a focus on forest crimes . DOJ (Environment and National Resources Division ENRD) 
organized workshop to Combat Illegal Timber Trafficking in March  2019 and will do another 
workshop in Mandalay in September . The workshop will include judges and pros ecutors, with UAGO, 
Forest Department , the Supreme Court, and Forest Police sharing their experiences . A second 
workshop  to be held  in Mandalay  was postponed indefinitely due to the COVID -19 pandemic.  
Community Wil dlife Protection (CWP) Project  
The CWP Project is implemented over 2019 -2021 in Mumbwa and Namwala Game 
Management Areas (GMAs), two of the nine Game Management Areas that together with the Kafue 
National Park form the Greater Kafue Landscape (GKL) . The ai m of the project is to increase 
community action for combating poaching and other illegal activities in order to reduce poaching 
and increase conditions for communities to realize benefits from wildlife -based enterprises such as 
sustainable tourism, huntin g and game ranching conservation, thereby contributing to the broader 
effort to conserve the GKL . The project targets are:  
a. Strengthen the Namwala and Mumbwa CRBs to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of 
Law Enforcement Operations and curb wildlife crime in the area ; 
b. Create an Intensive Patrol Zone (IPZ) of approximately 1,700  km2 in the western section of 
the Mumbwa GMA and the north -western Section of the Namwala GMA for increased 
anti-poaching operations ; and 
c. Improve fire management in Mu mbwa and Namwala GMAs.  
Strengthening Earthquake Resilience in Bangladesh (SERB) – Bangladesh  
USAID 's SERB programme  is implemented through a Grant Agreement with Asian Disaster 
Preparedness Centre  (ADPC) . The project aims at earthquake capacity building of  the Government 
of Bangladesh . This capacity building will be accomplished by enhancing the capacity of the hospital 
management staff (doctors, nurses, administrative staff, et al.) in 25 public hospitals in the cities of 
Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet, Gazipur , Mymensingh, Narayeangonj, Manikgonj, Rangpur, Tangail, 
Cox's Bazar, Bandarban and Rangamati for preparedness to manage mass casualties after an 
earthquake . Additionally, the capacity of Fire Service and Civil Defence  (FSCD) will strengthen by IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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  providing e quipment to volunteers for conducting search and rescue operations . The total projected 
investment f or the programme  is USD 1.9 million; w ill train 660 hospital personnel and will provide 
171 sets of rescue and search equipment to FSCD . The programme  will conclude in November  2019 
and is in partnership with Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre , Ministry of Disaster Management and 
Relief, Directorate General of Health Services, and Fire Service and Civil Defence  Directorate . SERB 
was extended to  account for the COVID -19 pandemic.  
Coastal City Adaptation Project – Mozambique  
The goal of the Coastal City Adaptation Project (CCAP) was to increase climate resilience in 
selected Mozambican coastal cities . In partnership with the United Nations Human S ettlements 
Programme  (UN Habitat) and USAID, CCAP worked in the cities of Pemba and Quelimane to construct 
24 model houses that are low cost, made of local materials, and resilient to high winds, flooding, 
and other climate related natural hazards . A key c omponent of the activity was to disseminate the 
construction techniques to home builders, students, designers, government officials, and other 
decision makers across Mozambique . The project closed  in FY 2019 . 
USAID Wildlife Sanctuary Support Programme  – Cambodia  
USAID 's Wildlife Sanctuary Support Programme  promotes biodiversity conservation and 
ecosystem health in the Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary (PPWS), Srepok Wildlife Sanctuary (SWP), 
and their extended lan dscapes . The programme  consists of : monitoring population and density of 
ungulate species such as banteng, wild pig, and muntjac ; monitoring deforestation trends and 
challenges in managing and preserving PPWS and SWS ; ensuring timely responses to threats 
impacting SWS and PPWS, such as poaching and logging ; and providing support to provincial 
authorities for effective law enforcement and Protected Area management, including patrolling with 
forest rangers and compiling case evidence for courts . The key succe sses in FY 2019  are the 
following:  
a. 217 checkpoints set up to strategically and effectively monitor and halt illegal forest and 
wildlife activities;  
b. A line transect survey in PPWS and SWS was conducted in 2018, which revealed a decrease 
in population size o f 66% for banteng and 39 % for muntjac, and an increase of 5.7 % for 
wild pig compared to 2016 data ; and 
c. An acoustic survey of the yellow -cheeked crested gibbon was undertaken and a 
comprehensive survey finding report is expected and will be shared with the relevant 
stakeholders by December  2019. 
Environmental Governance Reform for Sustainable Development (EGR) – 
Cambodia  
The objective of EG R is to assist the Royal Government of Cambodia to facilitate environmental 
governance reforms and create an enabling policy and legal environment for conserving and 
protecting environmental resources at risk . This will be achieved through operationalizing  a new 
structure of the Ministry of Environment (MOE), a new National Council for Sustainable Development 
(NCSD) Organizational Structure and Authorities, enacting a new Environmental Code, and 
developing and operationalizing integrated ecosystem mapping . The total estimated cost is 
USD 3.5 million and funding is from USAID.  
Key successes of the activity in FY 2019 : 
a. Installation of a new Human Resource Management system is underway to increase 
accountability for staff performance;  
b. Produced the final technic al draft of the Environmental and Natural Resources Management 
Code and submitted it to the Ministry of Environment in April 2018. The MOE and NCSD are 
leading inter -ministerial coordination in preparation to submit the Code to the Council of 
Ministers and  National Assembly for enactment;  
c. Ecosystem mapping : Created a Decision Support System (DSS), GIS portal which will assist 
decision makers in visualizing and identifying areas suitable for specific uses, such as areas 
for (i) intensified conservation and p rotection efforts, (ii) community tenure, and (iii) 
developmental activities ; and IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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  d. Produced and endorsed a Strategy and Action Plan for the MOE GIS department to expand 
the application of the data in decision making using the DSS.  
Key successes of the activ ity in FY 2020:  
a. Developed a harmonized national reading packages for upper -preschool, grade 1 and grade 
2, which integrates inclusive education tenets into the design of the materials and teacher 
training . The in-service early grade reading packages are officially adopted by the Ministry 
of Education and are being integrated in the pre -service teacher training programme  at 
Teacher Education Colleges and Provincial Teacher Training Centres ; and 
b. Developed training manuals and coaching/mentoring  materials for school directors and 
literacy coaches for ongoing school mentoring support to teachers . Approximately, 800 
school directors were trained in USAID supported  areas.  
PROGRAMME AND INCENTIVES RELATED TO HEALTH  
Health research through biomedical and behavioural  funding activities of US agencies, 
including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), USAID, and Centres  for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC), have contributed to technology transfer and research capacity strengthening in 
many LDCs . For new technologies developed by US scientists, NIH licenses biological materials 
and/or patent rights, to institutions that can bring products to the market in or for LDCs.  
National Institutes of Health (NIH)  
In FY 2019 , the NIH invested in over 1, 550 research projects in low - and middle -income 
countries (LMICs) countries most of which were led by US Principal Investigators (PIs) who, in turn, 
collaborated with LMIC scientists at a myriad of research institutions throughout the world . These 
projects were s upported by 23 of the 27 NIH Institutes and Centres  (ICs), led by the National 
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the Fogarty International Centre , the National Institute 
of Mental Health, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Develop ment, the National Cancer 
Institute, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the National Institute of Diabetes and 
Digestive and Kidney Diseases, and 16 other ICs . Many of these projects involved technology 
transfer.  
Innovative Mobile Health (mHeal th) 
NIH encourages exploratory/developmental research applications that propose to study the 
development or adaptation of mHealth technology specifically suited for LMIC s and the 
health -related outcomes associated with implementation of the technology . The most sought after 
are well -designed multidisciplinary  projects that focus on tools or interventions for chronic diseases 
or technology for disease agnostic/cross -cutting applications . Innovative, well -designed, 
multidisciplinary projects are of highest interest and aim to generate generalizable knowledge for 
the field.  
Health Information Systems for HIV Epidemic Control and Health Security – Uganda  
As Uganda approaches HIV epidemic control and improves capacity to prevent, detect and 
respond to outbreaks, the US Government continues to provide substantial resource and technical 
support for building health information system (HIS) capacity . Through th e President 's Emergency 
Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) programme s, US 
government staff, local NGOs, and the Government of Uganda officials have developed electronic 
medical records, laboratory information systems, an d specimen and commodities tracking systems . 
These analytical tools and dashboards help health professionals from community to national levels 
provide quality patient care, and monitor disease outbreaks and responses . Health Information 
Exchanges have enab led the automatic relay of data via the internet from remote health facilities 
across nationwide to a national repository dashboard to monitor priority tests, such as early infant 
diagnosis of HIV and TB . The programme  is on target and runs 2016 -2021.  IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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Africa Laboratory Information System – Uganda  
To simplify, standardize, and maintain good laboratory practice towards accreditation, the 
Ministry of Health (MOH), with Centre  for Disease Control support, custom ized the open source 
Computing f or Good Basic Laboratory Information System software, renaming it the Africa 
Laboratory Information System (ALIS) . ALIS captures real time laboratory testing data used for both 
clinical decision -making and health indicator reporting . Using automated laboratory equipment , the 
MOH enhanced ALIS ' capabilities enabling automatic relay of data over the internet from remote 
health facilities across the country to a central national repository used to populate dashboards for 
monitoring diseases, such as HIV and TB . ALIS is in p rocess of being rolled out in Uganda, and will 
be adopted by the other four East African Community countries as a regional disease management 
information system . Over 50 % of laboratory hubs and high volume sites in Uganda use ALIS . The 
programme  started in  2016 and is still ongoing . The other four East African Community countries 
plan to implement ALIS as a regional disease management information system.  
Building Capacity for Lab Equipment Maintenance – Uganda  
Building in country capacity for lab equipment maintenance has significantly reduced 
equipment breakdowns and downtime (from more than a month to less than a week), thereby 
minimizing testing interruptions . With funding from the President 's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief 
(PEPFAR), the Ministry of Healt h (MOH) established a national lab calibration centre  at the Central 
Public Health Laboratory . Ugandan biomedical engineers and technicians are now able to provide 
equipment calibration services to health facilities across the country, a service that previ ously had 
to be outsourced . This programme  also supported the MOH to establish regional equipment 
maintenance workshops that are able to maintain lab equipment within their catchment areas at a 
fraction of the outsourcing cost . The capacity built serves th e needs of the PEPFAR programme  and 
benefits Global Health Security, and other laboratory surveillance systems . Started in 2019 and 
ongoing, this programme  supported utilization of existing capacity to support COVID -19 testing and 
temperature monitoring, without interrupting continuity of HIV -related testing for viral load, Early 
Infant Diagnosis, TB, and other HIV -comorbidities . The capacity built through this project serves the 
needs of the PEPFAR programme  and benefi ts the GHSA and other laboratory surveillance systems.  
The Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa) Initiative  
H3Africa is a partnership between NIH, the African Society of Human Genetics, and the 
Welcome Trust through the Alliance  for Accelerating S cience in Africa (AESA) . H3Africa fosters 
genomic and epidemiological research in African scientific institutions . Many Institutes and Centre  
across NIH have partnered to support H3Africa, and NIH leadership on the Initiative comes from the 
NIH Common Fund , and NIH 's National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) and Fogarty 
International Centre . By FY 2019, H3Africa, funded at USD 180 million  over ten years, and is focused 
on capacity building, as well as specific scientific goals . These research grants are awarded directly 
to African institutions where principal investigators are based, which allow African scientists to 
develop and direct their independent research agendas . The programme  encourages the formation 
of intracontinental collaborations and development of specific infrastructural elements, i.e., 
African -based biorepositories and a pan -African bioinformatics network . H3Africa also includes 
training programmes aimed at retaining African scientists on the continent to help build a 
sustainabl e, critical mass of researchers . H3Africa has funded research and training in the following 
LDC countries : Benin, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, The Gambia, 
Malawi, Mali, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambi a. H3Africa is making a 
major contribution to technology transfer in sub -Saharan Africa . The goal is to ensure good science 
can be pursued in African countries.  
Biomedical Engineering Programme  - Zambia  
CDC's Biomedical Engineering Programme 's goal is to establish three National Laboratory 
equipment repair and calibration centres . These centres  are refurbished and are being equipped and 
mentored to calibrate or repair selected equipment from diagnostic laboratories . The centres  will 
ultimately  self-sustain by charging fees for services and/or internal charge back . Twenty -seven 
biomedical technicians have been trained, provided with repair and calibration equipment, and are 
beginning to utilize the facilities to service selected Ministries of He alth ( MOHs) equipment . CDC, 
through the Association of Public Health Laboratories, will continue to work with MOH in FY  2020 IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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  and FY 2021  to co-manage the calibration centres  and establish a target date for full hand -over to 
MOH. Ultimately, the systems wil l enable MOHs to have sustainable laboratory equipment 
management programme s. 
Growing eHealth expertise knowledge and skills – Papua New Guinea  
CDC PNG has continued its ' strong partnership with the Papua New Guinea (PNG) National 
Department of Health (NDo H) to expand on technology solutions in the eHealth space . The 
deployment of PNGs first lab information system for viral load testing has resulted in reduced 
turn-around times and significantly improved the management of people living with HIV (PLHIV) on 
treatment to achieve viral load suppression . The GEEKS (Growing eHealth expertise knowledge and 
skills) programme  coordinated by CDC has delivered the first decentralized disease surveillance 
system in the country while building technical capacity within NDoH . CDC PNG 's second cohort of 
GEEKS trainees will be leading the development of a National HIV Data hub that will integrate all 
HIV data systems into the national health information system to give near -real time access to case 
based disease repor ting at the sub -national and national level . The programme  had a major impact 
on the monitoring, coordination , and effectiveness of the HIV response  in FY 2019 . 
Integrated Decision and Analytics Support (IDeAS) for Zambia unde r Broadreach 
Inc. – Zambia  
Broadreach, in collaboration with CDC, supports the MOH in Zambia to develop and maximize 
the application of health information systems for data management through the increase data use 
by all cadres in the health sector to improve quality of data for evidenc e-based policy and 
decision -making . It supports the national electronic health record system (SmartCare) and has 
harnessed mobile technology to enhance the use of the EHR to support community services using 
handheld  devices ; in addition to linking the elec tronic health records (HER) with other systems like 
Laboratory Information Systems and Electronic Logistic Management Information Systems . Its 
targets are increasing access to and use of data from HIS for programme  planning, policy and 
decision making in t he health sector, to improve programmes in country using evidence -based and 
data driven approach, as well as to improve the quality of health care to help achieve the best 
possible outcomes for HIV/TB (tuberculosis) patients . In 2018 , the Zambian Government officially 
adopted SmartCare as the primary electronic health record system for Zambia and it has since been 
rolled out to nearly 700 health facilities all over Zambia with plans to reach 1,029 facilities by the 
end of FY  2020. CDC, through Broadreach, is currently in the early stages of integrating the EHR 
with a fingerprint  Biometric identification system in order to improve unique patient identification . 
This system is being deployed initially to ten high volume sites in FY  2019 before further roll out to 
additional targeted sites countrywide in FY  2020. Currently, Broadreach is enhancing 290, 
high-volume, SmartCare sites with advanced decision -support features for improved clinical 
management at the point of care ; a biometrics ide ntification system for authentication and tracking ; 
and, a National Help Desk to monitor in real -time HIS incidents for mitigation . Zambia 's health 
information systems are supported by a National Data Warehouse for the routine receipt, storage, 
and product ion of data using electronic health information exchange, systems interoperability, and 
advanced analytic and visualization tools . A key focus at this time is the facilitation of HIS skills 
transfer to the MOH, local institutions, as a last -mile step towar ds the sustainability of 
implementation beyond HIV/TB epidemic control.  
Fogarty International Centre  
NIH's Fogarty International Centre  is dedicated to advancing the NIH by supporting and 
facilitating global health research  conducted by US and international investigators, building 
partnerships between health research institutions in the United States and abroad, and training the 
next gene ration of scientists to address global health needs . These long -term investments in science 
help to promote technology transfer to LMICs.  
NIH Research Training Programmes for Low -and-Middle -Income -Countries  
NIH's Fogarty International Centre  supports sever al research training programmes that include 
training for LMICs biomedical researchers and research institutions and contribute to technology 
transfer and capacity building . Programmes include the Global Infectious Disease Programme , the 
Fogarty HIV Research Training Programme  and the Health Professional Education Partnership IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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  Initiative . The programmes involve researchers and health professionals from LMIC countries (see 
https://www.fic.nih.gov/Programs/Pages/default.aspx ). 
District Health Information Software 2  (DHIS2)  
DHIS2 is a free and open source health management data platform used by multiple 
organizations and governments worldwide.  
DHIS2 – Mali 
USAID deployed DH IS2 under the Measure Evaluation programme . The programme  continues 
to work with the MOH to improve the National Health Information Management System for the 
purpose of getting real -time data for decision making . DHIS2 includes indicators of all Health 
Programmes  and provides timely, quality and comprehensive data, as well as replaces the use of 
paper forms and cell phone technology for this purpose in FY 2019 . In FY 2016, USAID/Mali through 
its projects continued the expanded use of cell phones for data collection and reporting in the regions 
of Mopti, Segou and Kayes . This data collection method is still in use for early detection of malaria 
cases in these epidemic -prone regions and helps provide information in a timely manner for prompt 
medical res ponse . The deployment of DHIS2 has been completed in all the health facilities in Mali . 
In FY 2019, Measure Evaluation will improve the ability of Ministry of Health officials to collect, 
analyse and use routine health data for real -time decision -making . They will also build country 
capacity to self -manage the health information systems, resources and staff . The Measure Evaluation 
programme  closed at the end of 2019 and DHIS2 was handed over to the Ministry of Health, which 
is still receiving limited techni cal assistance from the Global Fund.  
DHIS2 – Guinea  
In Guinea, DHIS2 was implemented  from the national to the prefecture level  in FY 2019 , with 
active participation and technical assistance from USAID and CDC partners . DHIS2 has now  become 
the surveillance data system for the management of all routine surveillance data (e.g. malaria, 
diabetes, HIV, etc.) as well as those collected during emergencies (e.g., Ebola, Yellow Fever, 
Meningitis, Measles).  
DHIS2 COVID -19 - Guinea  
The IT team  of the CDC -funded Field Epidemiology Training Programme  (FETP) assisted the 
Ministry of Health National Agency for Health Security (ANSS in French) in the adaptation and use 
of the DHIS2 COVID -19 module to collect and analyse  all COVID -19 data. The FETP IT team 
incorporated the module in the existing DHIS2 platform, adapted it to Guinea 's needs, and trained 
users . The module collects data on cases and their contacts including information about their 
identification, testing, hospitalization, and recov ery. The system also automatically sends the results 
of tests to the cases/contacts . It is the first time that DHIS2 is used to document an epidemic . The 
initiative played a significant role in strengthening the existing DHIS2 system and solidify its use b y 
health organizations, epidemiologists, contact tracers, and laboratories . The project promoted a wide 
use of tablets for the collection of data in the field.  
DHIS2 – Angola  
The Government of the Republic of Angola (GRA) decided to join 60 other countries in 2017 
and adopt the District 2 Health System Information (DHIS2) platform . In FY 2019 , USAID, through 
the President 's Malaria  Initiative (PMI), supported the GRA with USD  942,413 in assistance for the 
implementation of DHIS2 . In FY 2018 , the GRA also adopted an Electronic Logistics Management 
System (eLMIS) to improve the management of its supply chain for health -related items . USAID 
supported this activity with an investment o f USD  582,934 from PMI and Family Planning funds . In 
FY 2018 , CDC, through the President 's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), supported the GRA 
with over USD 250,000 in assistance for implementation of the HIV portion of DHIS2 . IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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Additional Country Programme s 
Construction of National Reference Laboratory – Liberia  
The Department of Defence  is assisting the Government of Liberia with the design, 
construction, and operationalization of a National Reference Laboratory (NRL)  in Monrovi a, Liberia . 
This effort is designed to establish a Liberian capacity to facilitate the detection, diagnosis, and 
reporting of pathogens and diseases of potential security concern . This effort also provides for safe 
and secure short -term storage of pathogen s of potential security concern . In coordination with other 
US agencies, including USAID, the CDC, and the NIH, the US Government will also continue to train 
the technical staff and leadership of the newly established National Public Health Institute of Li beria 
to operationalize the laboratory facility, which will be completed by 2020 . Construction is tentatively 
scheduled to be completed in April 2021. 
Defeat Malaria – Myanmar  
USAID 's Programme  "Defeat Malaria " supports comprehensive coverage of at -risk populations 
in three states covering three  million  people with malaria prevention, diagnosis and treatment 
interventions . Key objectives include strengthening the malaria surveillance system to monitor 
progress a nd respond to outbreaks ; support the National Malaria Control Programme ; and promote 
the involvement of communities, private healthcare providers, and state -owned enterprises in 
malaria control and elimination initiatives . Defeat Malaria will support Myanm ar to introduce and 
demonstrate the effectiveness of new Rapid Diagnostic Te st (RDT) technology for malaria during 
August  2016 - August  2021. 
Maternal and Child Survival Programme  – Myanmar  
USAID 's Maternal and Child Survival Programme  aims to improve maternal and child health in 
selected townships and communities by creating an enabling policy environment through support 
for development of policies, as well as improve the quality and effectiveness of midwifery in -service 
training, etc. T his inc ludes support to introduce and scale up the use of anatomical models and 
related health care technology for improving skills -based training for nurses, midwives, and other 
health providers in managing labour , delivery and neonatal care . The programme  concluded 
successfully in June 2019. 
Access to Health Fund  - Myanmar  
Access to Health  is a multi -donor fund  that pools  contributions  from four 
donors:  the United  Kingdom, Sweden, Switzerland and the United  States . 
USAID contributed  USD 19.9 million  to support sub -grants to international and national NGOs for 
work on maternal and child health and health systems strengthening, with the overall aim of 
improving the delivery of essential services to poor, underserved, marginalized and vulnerable 
people,  and strengthening the health system 's capacity to sustain essential health services . The 
programmes  spans over January  2015 - January  2023. 
Maternal and Child Health Survival Programme  (MCSP) – Tanzania  
USAID 's MCSP field support programme  completed in FY 2019 , but left a lasting impact on 
maternal and child health in Tanzania . With technical assistance from MCSP from 2014 -2019, the 
Government of Tanzania created one of the most advanced health information exchanges in 
sub-Saharan Africa, au tomating and exchanging tens of  thousand s of health records every month . 
The Tanzania Health Information Mediator, an interoperability layer, allowed an exchange of data 
among 13 data systems, including the electronic logistics management information syste m, vaccine 
information management system, health data repository and health facility registry . As a result, it 
increased informed decision -making for managers at all levels of the health system . Strong 
government leadership and the establishment of a multi -partner technical working group were 
critical to the success and sustainability of the national health system, leading the government to 
take ownership and increase its capability to maintain the system independently . IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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Joint USAID & UN Programme  on HIV/AID S – Myanmar  
The programme  aims to advance access to HIV prevention and treatment, through support to 
civil society organizations (CSOs), and work with government and CSOs to promote a multi -sectoral 
response to injected drug use that includes access to HIV prevention and treatment and other 
services . USAID provided USD 23.5 million  in funding to support the programme . The programme  
spans over September  2017 – September  2022. 
The Three Millennium Development Goals Multi -Donor Trust Fund (3MDG) – 
Myanmar  
USAID funds support sub -grants to international and national NGOs for work on maternal and 
child health and health systems strengthening, with the overall aim of improving access to quality 
health services . USAID funds leverage funds from six other donors,  including programme in HIV, 
TB, and malaria . This project ended in December  2018; in January  2019, USAID launched a 
follow -on fund, the Access to Health Fund, in partnership with Britain, Sweden and Switzerland . This 
USD 215 million fund operated by UNOPS improves access to essential health services by 
underserved vulnerable people living in conflict -affected parts of the country.  
Global Health Procurement & Supply Management  
USAID, along with Chemonics, supports the MOH to strengthen and unify the pu blic health 
supply chain, and provide logistics technical assistance as well as procurement of selected 
commodities in support of malaria, HIV and TB programmes  to improve the availability of essential 
medicines and supplies.  
Global Health Supply Chain Tec hnical Assistance - Tanzania  
USAID 's Global Health Supply Chain Technical assis tance, running between 2019 -2023, will 
improve the health commodities supply chain in Tanzania . The activity is expected to lead to better 
commodity availability and improved health outcomes for Tanzania . This activity already  improve d 
the health commodities supply chain by : 1) assisting the Tanzania Ministry of Health to implement 
relevant strategic plans ; 2) establishing a governance platform to manage future system 
changes/updates to the electronic logistics management information system ; 3) supporting key 
supply chain actors to use the Logistics Management Unit 's performance monitoring plans for gr eater 
accountability ; 4) strengthening the governance of the supply chain system at the district level by 
tracking stock availability ; 5) institutionalizing supply chain data quality and use ; 6) supporting the 
rollout of results -based financing in the coun try; and 7) assisting the Ministry of Health 
Pharmaceutical Services Unit and Policy Planning Unit to better budget for health commodities.  
HIV Rapid Diagnosis Test (RDT) – Burundi  
In FY 2019  - FY 2020 , RDT provided  HIV testing and counselling  in five supported provinces 
in Burundi . The USD 540,000 USAID programme  procured  the tests and managed  the supply chain, 
as well as provided  training for clinical staff of the Government of Burundi as well as civil society 
clinicians . In addition, USAID s upported  development of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and 
support supervisory visits to ensure quality . Implementation of the project resulted  in 485,000  
Burundians being tested for HIV and provide d the Government of Burundi and civil society 
organi zations with capacity, equipment, and procedures to continue HIV testing . USAID partners 
with clinical staff of the Government of Burundi as well as civil society clinicians  
HIV Self Tests – Burundi  
This PEPFAR programme  provided  in FY 2019  - FY 2020  HIV testing in hard to reach populations 
such as female sex workers and men who have sex with men . USAID supported  training of public 
clinic staff and peer educators by NGO implementers to teach key populations how to administer the 
test and link themselve s to clinics for confirmatory reactive tests . The implementation of the project 
result ed in 10,000  Burundians in hard to reach populations being tested for HIV and knowledge 
transfer to government and NGO staff on administering the test and ensuring proper  follow -up. 
USAID partners with public clinic staff and peer educators by NGO implementers.  IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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Abbott Viral Load and Early Infant Diagnosis tests – Burundi  
This USD 450,000 USAID  and Department of Defence  programme provided  in FY 2019  – 
FY 2020 Viral Load and Early Infant Diagnosis tests in five supported provinces . USAID procures the 
test material and oversees the supply chain to ensure there are no stock -outs, and provides training 
of both public and civil society lab staff to conduct the test s and report the results back to patients . 
Implementation of the project resulted in 2 0,000 Burundian infants of infected mothers with HIV 
being tested and the Government of Burundi and civil society organizations having the capacity, 
equipment, and proced ures to continue testing . USAID and DOD partners with civil society laboratory 
staff. 
Measure Evaluation Phase IV – Mali 
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has been collaborating with Mali for 
almost 30 years on research related to malaria, vector biology, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and other 
infectious diseases of interest . This longstanding partnership has led to increased research capacity 
and the training of over 150 Malian researchers at laboratories in Mali and on the N IH campus . Most 
of the trainees have returned to Mali and have been embedded within the NIH programmes  in Mali 
as contractors to the University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako (USTTB), which 
is NIH 's main partner in Mali . The collaboration between NIH and USTTB has allowed the publication 
of over 450 articles that have been published in very well reputed international journals to share 
research results.  
EQUIP Consortium – Zambia  (USAID Health)  
USAID and EQUIP Consortium work to  advance state -of-the-art models of [HIV] Anti -Retroviral 
Therapy (ART) service delivery, implement Test and Start strategies, and incorporate innovative 
approaches to support viral load scale -up. It also develops strategies and technologies to more 
effect ively identify and link ART patients to treatment and foster ongoing adherence and retention, 
while targeting methods that address the needs of key populations . The targets are to provide 
experience and technical expertise in high -quality HIV services deli very, innovate new approaches 
to service delivery, scale -up viral -load technology, and analyse  cost and outcome data to optimize 
cost-effectiveness of HIV programm e. EQUIP has developed and continued to scale -up a Centralized 
Dispensing Unit (CDU) . The CDU is a semi -automated health commodity warehouse and delivery 
system that delivers HIV treatment drugs to private pharmacies of a patient 's choosing . By allowing 
patients to pick up drugs at locations that are convenient to them, they are more likely to stay on 
lifelong treatment . The project is still ongoing in 2020.  
Promoting the Quality of Medicines (PQM) – Bangladesh  
The overall goal of the PQM is to provide technical assistance to the Directorate General of 
Drug Administration (DGDA) under the MOH & Family Welfare to improve pharmaceutical regulatory 
system through the strengthening of the DTL . The ultimate goal is for the drug testing laboratory 
(DTL) to obtain either WHO prequalification or ISO 17025 -laboratory accreditation . The programme  
intends t o implement a robust system that ensures the reliability of the data produced by the DTL, 
improve the safety of medicinal products through the strengthening of the DTL to conduct quality 
sample testing of pre-and post approval samples in order to address q uality -assurance related 
aspects of procurement . Its goal is to improve the compliance of selected pharmaceutical 
manufacturers with regard to good manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and support them in dossier 
preparation for WHO prequalification systems for public health medicines, such as MNCH and TB 
drugs . The USD 6 million  programme  also fosters collaboration with SIAPS to expand the availability 
of quality -assured medicines and support system strengthening efforts directed toward improving 
the quality of medicines at the country level, and tests medicine samples, as needed, for USAID and 
USAID 's collaborating partners . The programme  will also develop pharmacopeia monographs and 
reference standards, as well as new medicines quality assurance tools, approaches, and 
methodologies as needed and successfully  conclude in September  2019. Promoting Quality of 
Medicines Plus (PQM+) Activity re placed PQM and will end in 2024  IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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Advancing Universal Health Coverage (AUHC) – Bangladesh  
USAID 's AUHC Project provides people of Bangladesh with high -quality essential health and 
family planning services, while offering financial protection for those who ca nnot pay for services . 
The specific objective of the project is to support a transition of 399 Smiling Sun (Surjer Hashi) 
clinics to a unified, sustainable, gender sensitive pro -poor social enterprise through developing 
innovative business models, expandin g evidence -based quality  health -service packages, and 
experimenting with new health -service delivery options that will increase access to a wider range of 
services . Another goal is encourage systemic use of scientific evidence and technical knowledge to 
design, develop, test, and evaluate potential new products and services to advance Universal Health 
Coverage (UHC) in Bangladesh . With a to tal investment of USD 90 million , the project will support 
Bangladesh 's journey towards UHC by improving access for the  poor to an expanded range of 
essential services offered by a social enterprise in a financially sustainable model . The project is on 
track to be completed in 2022.  
Research for Decision Makers – Bangladesh  
The purpose of the activity is to conduct impleme ntation research in response to G overnment 
of Bangladesh (GOB) priorities, provide advisory services to GOB for health policy work, and build 
health -sector research capacity in country . As the GOB plans its next health sector plan and USAID 
plans its next five -year health strategy, the need to improve and support the utilization of evidence 
for health sector decision -making becomes even more critical . The purpose of the award is to provide 
evidence -based policy analysis and program matic guidance to ass ist the GOB, USAID, and partners 
in strategic decision -making on health.  
The activity has three primary elements : 1) conduct implementation research on priority 
health, nutrition and population issues and facilitate use of research findings ; 2) provide pol icy 
analysis and other advisory services to GOB/USAID/USAID partners to assist in health planning and 
decision making ; 3) and build capacity within Bangladesh to implement high quality research and 
effectively communicate research findings among various st akeholders . The research and related 
activities examine policy and programm atic issues that will identify and support effective strategies 
for increasing access, use, quality and impact of maternal health, new-born and child health, 
nutrition, population, and family planning/reproductive health, TB and selected non -communicable 
disease services in rural and urban areas of Bangladesh . This USD 15 million  project will promote 
evidence based policy analysis and programm atic guidance that will assist the GOB, U SAID and its 
partners to align their programme s in effective strategic directions to support the GOB 's 
USD 10 billion health sector programme . The project is on track to be completed by 2022.  
Cooperative Biological Engagement Programme  – Uganda  
The Department of Defence  (DOD) Defence  Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) provided lab 
equipment, renovation, and training for six labs and facilities throughout Uganda . Since 2016, DTRA 
partners with the U ganda Virus Research Institute, Uganda Wildlife Authority . The programme  aims 
to improve biosafety and biosecurity standards ; enhance Uganda 's capability to detect, diagnose, 
and report infectious diseases ; and facilitate collaborative research focused on dangerous pathogens . 
Cambodia Malaria Elimination Project (CMEP) – Cambodia  
USAID 's CMEP objective is to develop a scalable, evidence -based malaria elimination model in 
Sampov Loun and support its dissemination and replication for malaria elimination in Ca mbodia . The 
project supports a scale -up of high quality malaria control and prevention interventions, and works 
to strengthen national malaria surveillance systems and monitoring & evaluation appropriate for 
malaria elimination and control activities . CMEP also builds the capacity of MOH to manage, intensify, 
and sustain malaria control and elimination efforts.  
Through this USD 16.5 million  programme  funded by USAID, the key successes of the activity 
in FY 2019  are: 
a. Tested 46,883 people for malaria , of whom 16,285 were positive;  
b. 100% of cases were treated ; Distributed 37,277 insecticide treated nets ; and 
c. Reached 277,710 people with health communication activities.  IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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The key successes of the activity in FY 2020 are : 
a. The National Malaria Programme  used evide nce-based results in Sampov Loun to replicate 
elimination activities in five health operational districts;  
b. 773 health workers were trained on malaria case management and early diagnosis and 
treatment ; and 
c. Over 99 % of suspected malaria cases were tested in all target areas, and all cases with 
positive results (100 %) received a proper treatment.  
NOURISH /Save the Children  – Cambodia  
SAID's NOURISH programme  works to reduce anaemia  in women and children and the age of 
stunting among children through promoting diversified food intake . Through this USD 19.2 million  
programme  funded by USAID, Community Agents conducted community  Growth Monitoring 
Promotion sessions for 59,305 children under two years of age, of whom 29,774  are girls . A total of 
15,782 "first 1,000 Days " household members attended integrated nutrition education sessions by 
caregiver group facilitators who have been empowered by NOURISH with new knowledge and skills.  
The key successes of the activity in FY 20 19: 
a. Stunting rates among children under five years old reduced from 34.3 % in 2015 to 27.8 % 
in 2018 ; 
b. Diarrhea incident among children under  five years old reduced fro m 37% in 2015 to 16.9 % 
in 2018;  
c. Children 6 -23 months received minimum Acceptable Diet increased from 25.5 % in to 49.9 % 
in 2018 ; 
d.  30,548 (F=15,846 ; M=14,702) people gained access to a basic sanitation service, 15, 846 
are women ; 
e. 26,388 (F=13,279 ; M=13,109) children under two reached with community -level nu trition 
interventions;  
f. Households us ing an improved latrine increased from 37 % in to 63.3 % in 2018 ; and 
g. 73 villages are certified as Open -Defecation Free communities.  
The key successes of the activity in FY 2020 are:  
a. 36,052 households benefited directly from US Government 's assistance;  
b.  9,856 (F= 4,954 ; M= 4,902) people gained access to a basic sanitation service ; and 
c. 37,521 (F=20,261 ; M=17,260) children under two reached with community -level nutrition 
interventions.  
Quality Health Services (QHS) – Cambodia  
USAID 's QHS progra mme works to strengthen and improve the quality and availability of 
services in public health facilities by continuing training and coaching on a range of quality 
improvement methodologies in nine intervention provinces . QHS moved forward with several key 
training/coaching guidelines in maternal and new-born care, such as the poster on signs of sick 
new-borns , updates of existing eclampsia/severe pre -eclampsia posters, and revision of the birth 
partograph . The programme  closed successfully . This USD 16.5 million programme  recorded the 
following key successes in FY 2019 : 
a. The number of children under five whose nutritional status was assessed increased markedly, 
from 353 ,795 in 2016 to 452,695 in 2018;  
b. The n umber of women giving birth who received uterotonics in the third stage of labour  
increased from 91,444 in 2016 to 531,693 in 2018 ; 
c. The n umber of women/ new-born pairs who received at least three  post national care visits 
increased from 25 ,423 in 2016 to 1 81,347 in 2018 ; and 
d. Trained 95 % of health centre  staff in target provinces in intra -uterine device (IUD) and 
reached 73 % of staff with implant training . IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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President 's Malaria Initiative (PMI) support to the MOH for entomologic 
monitoring – Zambia  (USAID Heal th) 
Entomologic monitoring is an essential component of malaria vector control programmes  such 
as indoor residual spraying (IRS) campaigns . Entomological activities assess the impact of IRS on 
vector density and behaviour ; evaluate the quality of operations ; and determine mosquito 
susceptibility to insecticides . At the district level PMI provided capacity building to district -level 
environmenta l health officers and human landing collectors to manage entomological data collection 
in six sentinel sites in four high malaria burden provinces . At the national level PMI provided training, 
mentorship and infrastructure development to the entomology lab oratory . The National Malaria 
Elimination Centre  can now conduct its own analyses such as speciation of malaria vectors, 
sporozoite rates, and cone bioassays of insecticide longevity, which were previously outsourced . In 
response to changing epidemiologic patterns and programmatic  needs, PMI supported the 
establishment of four new entomologic monitoring sites in Eastern, Luapula and Copperbelt 
Provinces in 2019 . The PMI VectorLink activity is implemented in Luapula Province and will continue 
to advance ento mologic monitoring throughout the Province, generating information on insecticide 
resistance, residual efficacy of pesticide, and biting and infectivity rates . This information is vital to 
adjust vector control campaigns.  
Eradicate Tuberculosis, Support to  Ministry of Health for TB elimination  
In order to be able to reach the remotest areas, during 2017 -2022, USAID and CDC ' Eradicate 
TB will use a proven OneStop TB Clinic with a multifunctional EasyDR X -ray that is capable of 
screening more than 300 people per day . The EasyDR X -ray is powered by a battery/inverter set 
that allows operation for six-eight hours independent from the electrical grid . The batteries will be 
charged by solar panels on the roof of the OneStop TB Clinic, strongly reducing cost for ge nerator 
fuel. The key Innovation is in the software with today 's digital X -ray systems, a high -quality chest 
radiograph is presented on a computer screen within few seconds . This has created new 
opportunities to detect TB cases faster and at lower cost . Computer Aided Detection software for TB 
(CAD4TB) automatically analyses digital images with superior performance.  
Government Official Lauds GLOBE Initiative  
US Embassy in Senegal supported the Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the 
Environment (GLO BE) Initiative 's Engaging Citizens in the Forecasting and Observation of Mosquito 
Threats programme  over the past year . In October  2018, the Embassy and representatives from 
Senegal 's Ministry of Environment participated in a GLOBE training workshop, distr ibuting research 
kits and providing instruction to more than 30 students at the African Institute for Development 
Studies in Dakar . In April 2019, the US Ambassador attended a demonstration of mosquito research 
techniques by GLOBE -trained high school stude nts in the northern city of Saint -Louis. In her official 
report for 2019, Senegal 's National GLOBE coordinator noted that Senegal 's zika vector results were 
singled out at the GLOBE regional conference in April as the best on the African continent.  
Global Health Security Agenda - Emerging Pandemic Threats (EPT)  - Guinea  
The activities under the Emerging Pandemic Threats Programme  (EPT2) strengthen animal 
health laboratory capacity and networks, build surveillance systems in Guinea to quickly detect, and 
respond to important livestock and zoonotic diseases . EPT2 is implemented by the Food and 
Agricultural Organization (FAO) in Guinea . The livestock sector struggles with timely reporting of 
disease outbreak, often due to the use of paper format tools and in efficient information flow . Event 
Mobile Application (EMA -i), an electronic app developed by FAO under the USAID funded EPT2 
activity, has been made available for public and private veterinarians to facilitate quality and real 
time reporting of animal dise ases in the field and in remote areas, allowing improved direct 
communication between stakeholders and quick decision making . EMA-i was introduced in 
January  2019 for the first time in four pilot prefectures (Dabola, Koundara, Koubia and Nzerekore) 
with th e participation of 37 public agents and 48 private veterinarians . Using smartphones, animal 
disease information is collected with EMA -iapp from the field . The data, which is geo -referenced, is 
entered into the app . The app generates a report that is sent i n real -time to the Global Animal 
Disease Information System (EMPRES -i) database for data storage . The data is verified and 
validated, and the submitter of the information can be contacted if necessary . To date, over 60 
veterinary agents from the public and  private sectors have received EMA -i App equipped 
smartphones and report information from 22 of the 38 prefectures in Guinea . The goal in the coming IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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  years will be to cover all prefectures and enable an efficient reporting system that informs decision 
makin g for both human and animal sectors . This project is ongoing.  
Government  Official  and Private Sector  Doctor  laud EPT  
A Senior Adviser to the Minister of Livestock noted : "EMA-i improves greatly the transmission 
of health information from the district to th e central level . We have a better understanding of 
epidemiological realities in the field, which enables quick decisions and collective action. " 
A private veterinarian in Faranah said : "Today, the reporting of diseases becomes really easy 
with this tool. Prior to EMA -i, we could spend days or weeks before disease outbreak information 
reached the central level . With the EMA -i tool on my phone, everyone in the veterinary network 
connected to the app is informed . This tool is more efficient because othe r prefectures are aware of 
an outbreak or a reported case instantly . The tool is user friendly and is customized for veterinarians . 
No need to print, it is cheaper and easier for reporting . I have installed the tool on two other phones 
for my staff . I am able to record GPS locations even without network  availability . In remote areas, 
I am able to input information without need for network . As soon as I reach town, I can send out 
the report to the highest level and receive timely feedback . 
Laboratory Project  Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) – 
Tanzania  
Running during 2016 -2020, CDC 's Laboratory Project ECHO is a distance learning and 
mentorship model designed to build capacity for health care workers through satellite training . Using 
the hub and spoke approach, CDC provides training and technical assistance to two facilities (hubs), 
and the more than 40 health f acilities (spokes) in Tanzania . As of June 2020, the CDC -supported 
programme  has trained more than 1,000 MDR tuberculosis management experts, and more than 
4,700 HIV  rapid testers . This support involved more than 200 mentoring and training sessions . 
Participants are evaluated after each distance learning session and continue to show measurable 
gain in knowledge . This support involved more than 100 mentoring and training sessions . The target 
for Lab Project ECHO is to train more than 15,000 HIV testing personnel at testing points in health 
facilities . Plan are also underway to expand Project ECHO to multiple hubs with the inclu sion of all 
district hospitals as spoke sites.  
COVID -19 Training – Democratic Republic of the Congo  
USAID, in partnership with Ministry of Health, is working with international health partners so 
that target hospitals and health centres  have the basic tool s and training, equipment and material 
needed to prevent and control COVID -19 infection at the health facility level . The programme  was 
initiated in April 2020 and is ongoing . The focus provinces are : Sud Kivu, Tanganyika, Haut Katanga, 
Lualaba, Haut Lomam i, Kasai Central, Kasai Oriental, Lomami, Sankuru.  
COVID -19 Testing – Malawi  
CDC, in collaboration with the Malawi Ministry of Health, is capacitating molecular laboratories 
to do COVID -19 real time reverse transcriptase (RT) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing is 
essential to facilitate crucial public health interventions such as self -isolation for those with 
COVID -19 infection and self -quarantine for those exposed . These are crucial COVID -19 pandemic 
control activities . The CDC regional l aboratory expert transferred the technical capacity to implement 
the COVID -19 RT-PCR testing to Malawi MOH Community Health Sciences Unit (CHSU) in Area 3, 
Lilongwe in March  2020. The CDC also provided initial supplies for COVID -19 testing and optimized 
the PCR platforms to implement the new COVID -19 PCR assays . 
COVID -19 Activities  (CDC, DOD, USAID)  – Senegal  
Since Senegal activated the  Public Health Emergency Operations Centre  (PHEOC ) on 
2 March  2020, CDC has deployed  three experts  to the  PHEOC to support the government with  
COVID -19 case investigation, data analysis, and contact tracing to respond to the  COVID -19 
outbreak . CDC has also deployed its Resident Advisor to support the response . Through existing  
Global Health Security Agenda  (GHSA ) coope rative agreements,  CDC has provided more than 
USD 270,000 in emergency funding to support the PHEOC 's efforts  and more than USD 93,000 to 
bolster WHO efforts in Senegal.  IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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In addition to supporting the PHEOC at  the central level,  CDC and USAID  staff are 
working directly with the  regional health officials . Since day one of the crisis, CDC personnel have 
been deployed alongside Senegalese counterparts to hotspots where they were needed most : 
initially to  Touba, and now to the regions of Dakar and  Thies.  
USAID i s strengthening monitoring and contact tracing at the community level to provide a 
clearer picture of where infection hot spots are or could be in the future . Through USAID assistance, 
private healthcare providers are being trained on COVID -19 protocols, a nd USAID partners are 
mapping where private health workers and supplies could be mobilized to support Government of 
Senegal  efforts . 
In October  2019, the United States donated two deployable field hospitals and associated 
training worth  more than USD 8.5 million  (USD 6.5 million  in equipment and approximately 
USD 2 million for associated training)  to the Senegalese Armed Forces through the Africa 
Peacekeeping Rapid Response Partnership . The Senegalese military deployed one of these hospitals 
and personnel to the city of  Touba  to assist in the emergency response to the COVID -19 pandemic . 
In Thies, the CDC and other US agencies have also supported the  National Public Health 
laboratory, including USD 1.96 million  in funding for its renovation, equipment, and staff salaries.  
The CDC 's Field Epidemiology Training Programme  trained 212 regional and district -level 
health personnel at the Ministry of Health and Social Action on basic field epidemiology principals 
and techniques . Another 12 national level health personnel completed US programme s on 
intermediate field epidemiology principals and techniques . Through CDC 's community -based 
surveillance programme , a total of 724 community health  worker committees have been trained to 
detect diseases symptoms of Senegal 's priority infectious diseases  
The United States has also provided Senegal with COVID -19 test kits and equipment worth 
nearly  USD 95,000. 
PROGRAM MING AND INCENTIVES RELATED TO BUILDING LABOR CAPACITY  
US agencies, including the US Department of Labour  (DOL) and Department of State, seek to 
ensure that workers around the world are treated fairly and are able to share in the benefits of the 
global econom y. DOL has developed international projects and joint efforts that aid other countries 
and international organizations to better understand the problems facing workers throughout the 
world and to strengthen international labour  standards and worker protect ions. These programmes  
build capacity in global labour  markets and help to level the playing field among trading partners.  
Country Programmes  
SAVABE Project – Madagascar  
DOL funded  USD 4 million  SAVABE project during November  2016 – July 2020 whereby the 
International Labour  Organization (ILO), with its implementing partner the Sustainable Vanilla 
Initiative, works to sustainably reduce child labour  in the production of vanilla as Madagascar 
produces 80 % of the world 's supply . The project s eeks to fully implement the Vanilla Code of Conduct 
throughout the supply chain by, investing in education about child labour  issues, ensuring capable 
systems for monitoring and addressing child labour  issues, and investing in improving the livelihoods 
of vanilla producing communities including educational and vocational training opportunities for 
youth . The project will conclude in 2020 . 
Madagascar Government Officials Applaud SAVABE  
Officials from the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Labour  wrote two letters to DOL 
saying that the SAVABE project is "relevant and will support the implementation of the National 
Action Plan to eliminate the worst forms of child labour ." 
In October  2018, the Prime Minister and staff from the project team collaborated in the launch 
of Alliance 8.7 Pathfinder Country in Antananarivo . In a meeting with the Department of Labour  in 
August  2019, the Prime Minister also praised the project.  IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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Strengthened Capacities for Improved Coordination, Protection and Prosecu tion 
on Trafficking in Persons – Madagascar  
International Organization for Migration is implementing a USD 750,000 grant from the US 
Department of State 's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (J/TIP), in order to 
institutionalize victim -centred investigations and prosecutions of TIP cases and national TIP referral 
mechanisms between government actors and civil society, as well as develop and strengthen TIP 
data collection and reporting mechanisms . 
USAID has received USD 2,500,000 in emergency  response funding (ERF) to support the GOM 
response to the threat of the infectious disease COVID -19 . This funding is being programme med 
through four projects implemented by three US -based Non -Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and 
one locally registered NGO . In FY 202 0, USAID has received USD 62 million  USD to support the 
GOM's health system to improve malaria prevention, detection and treatment ; improve maternal 
and child health (MCH) outcomes, with special attention to family planning (FP) an d immunization 
services ; and to increase the number of Malagasy households with access to improved drinking water 
and sanitation  (WASH) services . To ensure that these investments are protected during the 
COVID -19 pandemic , USAID has received permission to divert USD 2.2 million  in MCH, FP and WASH 
funding through five projects to further address the COVID -19 pandemic . Thus, the total funding 
currently being used to support COVID response is USD 4.7 Million . USAID will support strengthening 
Laboratory Diagno stics; promotion of Risk Communications and Community Engagement (RCCE) ; 
infection prevention and control (IPC) and surveillance, rapid response and emergency operations, 
especially at regional, district and community level . The project will conclude in 2020.  
Cambodia Countering Trafficking in Persons (CTIP) Programme  – Cambodia  
USAID 's CTIP enhances national and local strategies to prevent TIP by focusing on root causes 
of trafficking relating to education, employment opportunities, and livel ihoods . The programme  
provides strengthened survivor protection and services for all forms of TIP through victim 
identification strategies and reintegration options for men, women, and children . It also increases 
the likelihood of successful  prosecutions o f TIP and reduced impunity for offenders . There are 356 
partners in this USD 10 million  programme  (private sector partners, NGOs, IOs) providing material, 
in-kind, technical and financial support towards TIP prevention.  
Key successes in FY 2019 : 
a. 249 partne rs (private sector partners, NGOs, IOs) providing material, in -kind, technical and 
financial support towards TIP prevention ; 
b. New online job seeking platform Bong Pheak for low skilled and unskilled workers . Thus far, 
780 Cambodians have secured e mployment through this platform;  
c. 23,801 new and existing Information Education and Communication (IEC ) materials on TIP 
disseminated ; and 
d. 845 vulnerable  people to TIP . 
Key successes in FY 2020:  
a. New job seeking platform Bong Pheak (for low skilled and unskilled workers) . There were 
190 registered companies, 5,292 registered job seekers, and 15,134 positions advertised 
through Bong Pheak;  
b. 24,470 (13,703 males and 10,767 females) vulnerable people received assistance ; and 
c. 19 (16 males and three  females) TIP victims assisted.  
Rehabilitation and Prosthetics Programme  for Persons with Disabilities – 
Cambodia  
Funded by USAID, the objectives of the programme  are to ensure the quality of services and 
devices, and to build the cap acity of three rehabilitation centres  for people with disabilities (PWDs) . 
It also intends to provide  equalization of opportunities, poverty reduction, and social inclusion of 
PWDs through community -based rehabilitation (CBR) activities . In 2018, 2,725 PWD s received 
services and 15 trainings occurred in order to build the capacity of staff delivering rehabilitation IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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  services . The total estimated  cost for this programme  is USD 1.9 million. T he programme  closed 
successfully . Here are the key successes recorded  in FY 2019 : 
a. 5,388 persons with disabilities (PWDs) received physical rehabilitation services from three 
physical rehabilitation centres  in Phnom Penh, Prey Veng and Kratie;  
b. 712 PWDs supported through community -based rehabilitation activities (such as through 
small grants for income generation, self -help gr oups, skill training referral);  
c. 2,049 assistive devices (prosthetics, orthotics, and wheelchairs) were p roduced and 
distributed to PWDs;  
d. Eight Disabled People 's Organizations (DPOs) provided financial  and technical support to 
strengthen their representati on for PWDs in their community ; and 
e. Three physical rehabilitation centres  (in Phnom Penh, Prey Veng, and Kratie) were 
successfully transferred to the Cambodian Government . 
Nyenyo City – Togo  
The embass y's decentralization hackathon in June 2018 led to the creation of a promising 
online platform to help local governments deliver good services . The implementation of the model 
will occur during the "Nyenyo City " project . It will take place over eight month s in the district called 
Zio about 45 minutes from Lome . A group of young civil society activists and coders will work hand 
in hand with the local authorities of Zio to integrate the platform and put it into use . Evaluation of 
success  is if tracking of services provided improves and if services themselves become more efficient . 
Since its launching, the platform has received wide support in the cities where it has been 
implemented and is still expanding . To build upon this successful mo del, the Embassy applied for 
funding in April 2020 to implement this project in other cities . Pending the availability of funds, the 
project will be implemented during FY 2021 . 
Workers ' Empowerment Programme  (WEP) – Component 1 – Bangladesh  
WEP will improv e labour  conditions in Bangladesh by strengthening the ability of independent 
worker organizations to represent their rights and interests both inside and outside the factory . The 
WEP has discrete components consisting of a USD 3.1 million  total projected investment, it will 
support the formation of independent worker organizations in the ready -made garment industry and 
strengthen the capacity of such organizations to defend their rights and collectively negotiate with 
employers . WEP Component 1 will specif ically work to improve worker representation in the 
workplace through establishing active worker organizations in targeted factories, increasing skills of 
factory workers to represent their rights and interests in their workplace, and improving 
understandi ng of constructive labour  relations . WEP Component 1 end ed in September  2019 and 
was replaced by the second component, Workers Empowerment and Participation, that will end in 
2023.  
PROGRAMME AND INCENTIVES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION  
The Department of State and Department of Transportation (DOT), in coordination with US 
agencies, su pported the overarching goal of the Safe Skies for Africa (SSFA) programme . The SSFA 
is based on the premise that "Safe Skies " are a prerequisite for African economic development 
through increased trade and investment . Safe Skies for Africa programme  concluded successfully at 
the beginning of FY 2020.  
SSFA works to promote sustainable improvements in aviation safety in Africa as a means of 
advancing economic development and increased investment in Africa . The overarching goal of the 
programme  is to increas e the number of African nations meeting International Civil Aviation 
Organization (ICAO) standards . Through the programme , the DOT has directly trained African 
experts through the US Federal Aviation Administration, both in the United States and in -country . 
These capacity -building efforts have resulted in  thousand s of personnel receiving state -of-the-art 
training to address airworthiness, operations, air navigation, aviation security (in partnership with 
the Transportation Security Administration), as well as accident investigation processes and 
procedures (in partnership with the US National Transportation Safety Board) . Since its inception, it 
has yielded significant aviation safety and security accomplishments, and has been recogn ized as 
an important programme  in the broader US - Africa partnership . IP/C/R/TTI/USA/1  
 
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Connectivity Squared Project - Liberia  
In July 2017, in support of the US global strategy for Ebola emergency response, USAID, 
Google, and the Government of Liberia launched the Google Project Link to bring best -in-class, 
reliable, and affordable broadband infrastructure to Liberia 's capital city of Monrovia . Through a 
USD 12 million  co-investment of cash and in -kind support, this public -private partnership provides 
access to information and communications technology systems needed to prevent and detect future 
disease outbreaks before they start, to help Liberia transition from response to recovery and 
preparedness . The initiative serves to strengthen essential health, educatio n and government 
systems through expansion of internet access across the capital, and could ultimately unlock the 
potential of the digital economy for Liberian citizens . Currently, only 5% of population has internet 
access . As of March  2019, the CSquared p artnership has laid over 200 km of fibre infrastructure in 
Monrovia . With an additional USD 8.2 million  of support through USAID 's Digital Liberia and 
Electronic Governance Activity, internet connectivity has been brought to 51 government 
institutions, inc luding two public hospitals . CSquared is also wi lling to invest an additional 
USD 10 million in Liberia for the creation of a national telecom backbone . CSquared plans to install 
a second undersea cable called the Google Equiano project . Liberia currently relies on one undersea 
internet cable for its internet needs . Liberia could potentially hook up to this second cable which is 
due to extend from Lisbon, Portugal through Lagos, Nigeria to Cape Town, South Africa . This 
public -private partnership p rovides access to information and communications technology systems 
needed to prevent and detect future disease outbreaks, and transition from response to recovery 
and preparedness . The ongoing initiative serves to strengthen essential health, education an d 
government systems through expansion of internet access across the capital, and improve the 
potential for Liberian citizens to take part in the digital economy.  
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