IP/C/W/646 
 
18 October 2018 
(18-6496)  Page: 1/42 
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 11 October 2018, from the delegation of the United States of 
America is being circulated pursuant to paragr aph 1 of the Decision on Implementation of 
Article 66.2 of the TRIPS Agreement (IP/C/28). 
Communications from other developed country Me mbers will be circulated as addenda to 
this document. 
 
_______________ 
 
 
 INTRODUCT ION .......................................................................................................... 2  
 GENERAL TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PROGRAMS , INCENTIVES, AND PARTNERSHIPS ... 2  
 EDUCATIONAL AND UNIVER SITY-LED PR OGRAMS ...................................................... 8  
 COMMERCIAL AND LEGAL PROGRAMS TO STRENGTHEN CAPACITY ........................... 10  
 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY PROTECTION (IPR) AND ENFORCEMENT CAPACITY 
BUILDING ......................................................................................................................  12 
 TRADE AND INVESTMENT POLICY, CAPA CITY BUILDING, AND INCENTIVES ............. 15  
 DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING AND INCE NTIVES THROUGH PRIVATE SECTOR 
MODELS ........................................................................................................................ . 18 
 PROGRAMS AND INCENTIVES RELATED TO AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND FOOD 
SAFETY AND SE CURITY .................................................................................................. 19  
 PROGRAMING AND INCENTIVES RELA TED TO ENERGY DEVELOPMENT ..................... 26  
 PROGRAMING AND INCENTIVES RELATE D TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ....... 30  
 PROGRAMMING AND INCENTIVES  RELATED TO HEALTH ......................................... 33  
 PROGRAMMING AND INCENTIVES RELATE D TO BUILDING LABOR CAPACITY ......... 40  
 PROGRAM AND INCENTIVES RELA TED TO TRANSP ORTATION ................................. 42  
 
  
  IP/C/W/646  
 
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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 20 February 2003 (IP/C/28). Consistent with this decision, developed 
country members shall provide yearly reports to least developed country (LDC) Members on actions 
taken or planned in pursuance of the commitments  of developed countries under 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 to 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 programs 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 o f  t e c h n o l o g y  t o  L D C  M e m b e r s .  N o  r e p o r t  c a n  
represent every activity that directly or indirectly incentivizes enterprises and institutions for the purpose of promoting and encouraging technology tran sfer, but this report attempts to describe the 
most significant activities and programs 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 strengthenin g 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) centers results in inventions or findings that 
contribute to the development of new technologi es 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 efforts of the TRIPS Council 
Secretariat and member states to organize discussions among the member states regarding Article 66.2 implementation. 
GENERAL TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PROGRAMS, INCENTIVES, AND PARTNERSHIPS 
The 2018 President's Management Agenda ( https://www.performance.gov/PMA/PMA.html) 
includes a Cross Agency Priority Goal to Improv e Transfer of Federally-Funded Technologies from 
Lab-to-Market.  
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 laboratories often partner with external organizations to 
conduct cooperative research and development. 
Federally Sponsored Rese arch and Development 
Federal initiatives on technology transfer are being implemented through the aforementioned 
Cross Agency Priority Goal to Improve Transfer  of Federally-Funded Technologies from Lab-to-
Market. New programs will streamline technology transfer and accelerate the pace of commercialization of federal research. Specific strategies are:  IP/C/W/646 
 
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• identify regulatory impediments and administrative improvements in Federal technology 
transfer policies and practices;  
• increase engagement with private sector technology development experts and investors;  
• build an entrepreneurial R&D workforce;  
• support innovative tools and services for technology transfer;  
• and improve understanding of global science and technology trends and benchmarks (see 
https://www.performance.go v/CAP/CAP_goal_14.html ).  
The National Science and Technology Council (N STC) 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 Institute of Standards 
and Technology prepares an annual report that summarizes government-wide technology transfer 
efforts. This 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 technology. The Federal Laboratory Consor tium 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 national network of approximately 300 US federal laboratories and centers 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 federa l 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 evalua tion. Moreover, the FLC encourages technology 
transfer and, through its member laboratories, seeks partners around the world. The FLC offers a broad set of tools including the ability to search available laboratory technologies, find laboratory 
expertise and facilities, and find available partne rship mechanisms for different agencies. The FLC 
Toolkit is available at https://www.federalla bs.org/T2-Toolkit .  
Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research 
The Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER) program directly supports 
scientists in USAID-presence countries through institutional research awards ranging up to 
USD 300,000. US scientific agencies such as National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA), National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), National 
Science Foundation (NSF), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Smithsonian 
Institution, US Forest Service (USFS), US Departme nt of Agriculture's (USDA) Agriculture Research 
Service, and US Geological Survey (USGS), as we ll 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 280 projects in 50 countries with a USAID investment of more than USD50 million. PEER aims to build capacity among local scientists and research institutions, strengthen research partnerships 
world-wide, and better translate data and evidence into policy. 
PEER site visits under project #3-100:  Building Mekong Genetic Biodiversity 
Network, Lao PDR 
The PEER participants study the genetic structure of Mekong River fish to improve fisheries 
management, to monitor fish populations, and to enable a better understanding of the impacts of 
hydropower development on fish populations. In June 2017, PEER grantees conducted their third 
annual meeting in Pakse, Lao PDR entitled 'Buildin g a Mekong River Genetic Biodiversity Research 
Network'. The purpose of the meeting was to review the grantees fisheries research results to date 
and to continue to build the capacity of for fish ery research scientists. The participants included 
researchers from Lao PDR, Viet Nam, Cambodia, and Thailand. IP/C/W/646  
 
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PEER Project: Delivering Crop Yield Nowcasts and Forecasts - Uganda 
Several PEER projects are using cutting edge di gital technologies to facilitate climate-smart 
agriculture. For example, in Uganda, Makerere Un iversity is partnering with California State 
University Monterey Bay, and the NASA Ames Resear ch Center for Earth Science and Technology to 
develop and deliver crop yield forecasts to farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa. These forecasts will 
integrate satellite data and advanced crop modelling. 
PEER Project: Optimization of SMC Deliver y and its Effects on the Acquisition of 
Malaria Immunity - Mali 
Through a PEER grant, a researcher in Bamako is studying the best way to deliver Seasonal 
Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC), a World Health Organization-recommended method for malaria prevention in children under five, across Mali. Throug h a series of randomized control trials supported 
by the PEER program and the US National Institut es of Health, the researcher has shown that a 
door-to-door approach to treatment administration increases antimalarial coverage by 14 %age points compared to a fixed-point distribution strategy. He has also identified effective methods for 
administering medicine and the optimal number of do ses. The results of this research are directly 
informing the government of Mali's roll-out of SMC through the National Malaria Control Program, which works directly with the US Presidential Malaria Initiative. 
Research and Innovation Fellowship Program 
The Research and Innovation Fellowships program connects early-career US researchers and 
scientists to hosting organizations in the developing world to conduct collaborative research projects. Projects span up to a year, and are funded by USAID and its partners at no cost to the hosting 
organization. Research and Innovation Fellows fill technical gaps with capacity that may not be 
available in-country. Ideally, each fellowship serves as a catalyst for continued engagement between stakeholders. Host organizations include governme nt ministries, non-governmental organizations, 
private sector companies, and universities in developing countries. More information is available at  
https://www.usaid.gov/RIFellowships  
Global Innovation Exchange 
Through the Global Innovation Exchange, a digital platform that connects innovators, donors, 
academia, and the private sector to innovative devices, data, technologies, approaches, processes and funding opportunities, USAID also facilitates support for innovations beyond what the Agency 
can directly provide. Since the launch of the Ex change in 2015, over 28,000 collaborators have 
registered, sharing over 7,300 promising inno vations and over USD400 million in funding 
opportunities. 
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 external partners, the Lab's missi on is two-fold: 1) To produce breakthrough 
development innovations by sourcing, testing, an d scaling proven solutions to reach hundreds of 
millions of people; and 2) To accelerate the transf ormation of the development enterprise by opening 
development to people everywhere with good ideas, promoting new and deepening existing 
partnerships, bringing data and evidence to be ar, and harnessing scientific and technological 
advances. 
The Lab uses two approaches to identify prom ising innovations, 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) program, a year-round grant 
program open to nearly any individual or organization for any sector in any country where USAID 
operates. Grants are awarded based on cost-effectiv eness, evidence of impact, and the potential to 
scale. The second approach, directed innovation, develops solutions to specific challenges, such as improving childhood literacy, providing energy for agriculture, and addressing the Ebola epidemic. The Lab's innovation discovery and testing prog ramming specifically seeks to engage local IP/C/W/646 
 
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  innovators. Through 2016, the Lab fostered over 600 development innovations through DIV, Grand 
Challenges for Development, and other programs.  
Science and Technology Agreements 
The United States utilizes science and techno logy (S&T) agreements as frameworks for 
increased international collaboration by facilitating cooperation 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 re lationships 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 supports programs that strengthen institutional capacity to translate research into commercial activity, while 
improving individual capacity to enter labor markets (see https://www.state.gov/e/oes/stc/ ). 
Through these efforts, US scientific and technical agencies and their counterparts promote economic 
growth and jobs creation. 
Programming to Advance Entrepreneurship 
The Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) is a unique opportunity for the Administration to 
promote American economic prosperity and innovati on around the globe. This White House-led event 
combines entrepreneurs, investors, educators, and business representatives who embody the full 
measure of entrepreneurial talent from diverse backgrounds across the United States and the world, including the developing world. There have been eight GES' total with the first of the Trump Administration taking place this past November in  Hyderabad, India with a theme of "Women First, 
Prosperity for All." GES 2017 focused on supporting women entrepreneurs, elevating their important 
role as innovators and drivers of economic grow th. More than 52 % of the final 1,500 attendees 
were women, for the first time in GES history. Preceding GES' have taken place in Turkey, the United 
Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Morocco, Kenya, Silicon Va lley, and India. An estimated 21,000 participants 
from all corners of the world have attended the eight Global Entrepreneurship Summits.  
Regional Programs 
Smart Infrastructure for the Mekong  (SIM) - Lower Mekong Initiative  
Founded in July 2013, the Smart Infrastructure for the Mekong (SIM) program offers 
governments participating in the Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI) an array of technical advisory, capacity building, and support 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 agreement, 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 is working with the 
University of Minnesota to build capacity for improved One Health (human-animal-environmental) coordination. The capacity building activity fo cuses on training using the One Health Systems 
Mapping and Analysis Resource Toolkit (OH-SMART) , a US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and 
University of Minnesota developed product covered by a no-cost copyright and available to anyone 
who has been trained in its use. OH-SMART fost ers working across organizational and disciplinary 
lines when preparing or responding to disease outb reaks or addressing other complex challenges by 
creating a visual representation of communication and coordination lines in local, regional, and 
national levels of governance. All five LMI countries have undergone tr aining on the use of the toolkit. 
OH-SMART Praised by Minister from Myanmar 
At a training in Myanmar (May 1-2, 2018), the Union Minister for Health for Myanmar gave an 
opening speech in support of the toolkit and confirmed its value for his country. Meanwhile, the minister's deputies indicated that  OH-SMART will be applied as Myanmar implements its One Health 
National Action Plan. IP/C/W/646  
 
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  Government Officials Laud LMI  
At a LMI Senior Officials' Meeting in Singapore, LMI partner country representatives lauded the 
success of the May 3-4 LMI/FLM (Friends of the Lower Mekong) Regional Working Group Meeting in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, which achieved working level consensus on the LMI restructuring and laid 
the groundwork for increased cooperation between the FLM and the Mekong River Commission 
(MRC).  
Cambodian officials expressed appreciation for the LMI's support in addressing the "daunting 
development challenges that [Cambodia is] facing.  
At the May 3 Eleventh LMI Regional Workin g Group (RWG) in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, the 
Myanmar Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General for International Organizations and Economics thanked the United States for leading the LMI. He further noted that cooperation under the LMI has 
empowered the people of the Mekong to manage shared resources, specifically recognizing the 
progress of the Sustainable Infrastructure Partne rship (SIP) and the Mekong Water Data Initiative 
(MWDI). 
Country Projects 
Smart Infrastructure for the Mekong (SIM ) - Fish Passage Monitoring Technical 
Assistance – Lao PDR 
During a Lao PDR-specific project offering Fi sh Passage Monitoring Technical Assistance 
(November 28-December 9, 2017), the Xayaburi Dam in Lao PDR became the first of several planned hydropower projects on the main-stem of the Lower Mekong River, and has implemented fish 
passage systems to allow for upstream and downst ream passage of fish. US Department of the 
Interior provided technical assistance on the monito ring of those fish passage systems using acoustic 
camera technology to determine the success of th e fish passage system and potentially recommend 
improvements at this and other sites. 
mHero Mobile Communications Platform for Health Workers – Liberia 
US Agency for International Development (USAID) works with the Ministry of Health (MOH) in 
Liberia to improve its ability to communicate priority information with frontline health workers. 
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 of minutes. Today, mHero is used on a regular basis by a variety of departments within the MOH to 
inform health governance and service delivery. 
WAHO West African Health Informat ics Team (WAHIT) - Burkina Faso 
USAID works with the West African Health Organization and Economic Community of West 
African States (ECOWAS) Member States 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 model 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 while building local software engineering capacity to support long -term sustainability of health information systems 
in the region. 
Government Officials Praise WAHIT 
A Benin MOH informatics team (IT) official said that WAHIT's three biggest strengths are 
"...preparation of the mission by seeking inputs from the country, division of tasks within the WAHIT 
team, and very good willingness to share knowledge."  
A Togo MOH IT official also talked about WAHIT's three biggest strengths: "explanations of the 
benefits and disadvantages of the proposed solutions,  availability of WAHIT, courtesy of WAHIT team 
member in their explanation." IP/C/W/646 
 
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A Benin MOH IT official commented on the overall satisfaction with WAHIT: "Benin is satisfied 
with this valuable mission and awaits further su pport to improve the capacity and performance of 
its IT staff." 
Cyber Security for Transparency  International – Madagascar  
State Department's Bureau of Information Re source Management provided cyber-security 
training for Transparency International staff, a locally based international non-governmental organization working to combat global corruptio n and prevent criminal activities arising from 
corruption. Training in cyber-security incorporated local context and threats and resulted in a request 
for additional training on advanced topics. The fo llow-on training was a day-long course taught to 
technical managers focusing on techniques to secu re the network from threats and methods to build 
strong business processes and internal controls. 
Project Number: OTA2040 – Myanmar 
The purpose of this USD 257,651 project is to stre ngthen the Ministry of Planning and Finance's 
role in monitoring State-owned Economic Enterpri ses (SEE). US Department of Treasury produced 
a SEE performance monitoring procedures manual in 2017 and trained the Budget Department and 
SEE staff. The Treasury Department advisor will co ntinue working on SEE prod uctivity and efficiency, 
training, and developing financial indicators for SEEs. In coordination with the OTA Infrastructure 
Finance team, the advisor will provide tr aining on public-private partnerships. 
Project Number: OTA2064 – Myanmar 
This project of USD 303,852 assists the Burmes e Ministry of Planning and Finance with 
strengthening the current and capital budget proc ess, through developing  and implementing new 
budget procedures. It also aims to establish stro nger linkages between current and capital budget, 
provide training to the staff of the Budget Department in applying the new procedures, and to analyze budget requests and capital projects, conduct risk assessments, and submitting 
recommendations. Funding for this project is thro ugh the State Department's Fiscal Transparency 
Innovation Fund.  
Access to Finance – Rwanda 
USAID funded, together with other donors, the Access to Finance in Rwanda to support and 
create an enabling environment to design and im plement an agricultural insurance scheme. The 
agriculture insurance scheme will develop mainly Multi-Peril Crop Insurance products, which may cover yield losses due to non- preventable risk s such as drought, flood, pests and diseases, 
landslides, natural fire and lightening, storm and localized risk like hailstorm. This kind of product is 
new to the Rwandan market and envisioned to create new opportunities to enhance resiliency and enable greater investment. The product will be used by 10,000 farmers in 2018 (40% being women 
and 60% men) and reach 75,000 farmers of the same ratio during this pilot phase. 
Access to Information (A2I) – Bangladesh 
USAID's A21 programme aims to increase transparency, improve governance and reduce the 
time, difficulty, and costs of obtaining government services for under-served communities of 
Bangladesh. The objectives are to strengthen existi ng 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 amon g the general public. The programme also forges 
strong policy and strategy links to ensure implem entation of needed legal and regulatory changes 
in support of the activity. The total projected investment in this project is USD 6,100,000. 
Echelon Asia Summit - Singapore, June 26-29, 2018 
The US Department of State partially funded a project to support local technology startup 
companies to prepare sales pitches during the Top 100 program of the Echelon Asia Summit in Singapore June 26-29, 2018 (a 5,000-participant technology conference). The event involved 
inviting e27, a technology innovation medi a and events company, who organized the 
Top 100 program to organize company sales pitc hes in Cambodia in January, and a networking IP/C/W/646  
 
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  reception hosted by the US Ambassador at his reside nce. It was followed by a trip of 10 local tech 
startup companies to join the final sales pitch ev ent in Singapore in June ; and coordinating their 
meetings with US tech companies such as Facebook, Google, Sales Force, Microsoft, and Venture Capital Inc., in Singapore. The project has two objectives: to open market access for Cambodian 
tech-startup companies to the region by connectin g them with US tech conglomerates in Singapore 
and to engage the Cambodian government on the tech sector through the Echelon Asia Summit. 
Ongoing grants on technology and entrepreneurship - Benin 
US Embassy in Benin's Public Affairs Section (PAS) has implemented numerous programmes 
focusing on training young Benine se, in particular young women, on  using technology to facilitate 
opening new businesses/enterprises. These grants ha ve primarily gone towards sponsoring training 
on coding, app development, business planning, and financing. Approximately 90 % of those trained 
either own businesses that are currently operational, or have received higher positions in large 
organizations due to the training that they have re ceived:  over 100 young Beninese trained in using 
technology for business in multiple new businesses formed in Benin, based primarily in eCommerce. 
EDUCATIONAL AND UNIVERSITY-LED PROGRAMS 
US agencies such as the Department of State and USAID work closely with universities to 
encourage student exchanges and other programs th at promote technology transfer and knowledge 
through harnessing the intellectual power of st udents to address challenges including climate 
variability, food security, and global health. 
Educational Enrolment in the US University System 
The US university system constitutes a major ave nue for technology transfer. Foreign students 
employ acquired knowledge and skills in their home countries.  
University Enrolment by Foreign Students 
During the 2016-2017 academic year, there were 32,278 students from LDCs enrolled in US 
institutions of higher education, representing an increase of 10 % over the 2015-2016 academic 
year, and 3.0 % of the total US higher education international student enrolment. US institutions of higher education hosted many students from LD Cs, including large numbers from Nepal (11,607 
students) and Bangladesh (7,143 students). The top five most popular fields of study for 
international students in the United States in academic year 2016-2017 were Engineering (230,711); 
Business and Management (200,754); Math and Computer Science (167,180); Social Sciences (83,046); and Physical and Life Sciences (76,838).  
Exchange Programming 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 programs that increase mutual 
understanding between people of the United States and the people of other countries 
(see https://eca.state.gov/ ). 
Programming from ECA  
Through its programs, ECA enables students, ex change alumni, and young adults to pursue 
higher education, leadership, and professional development opportunities globally. The Fulbright Program 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 programs included participants in 
FY 17 (AY17-18) 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 programs generally return to their 
home countries, thereby bringing back knowledge and training.  IP/C/W/646 
 
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Higher Education Solutions Network 
USAID's Higher Education Solutions Network (HESN) launched in 2012 is a constellation of eight 
development laboratories that promote the creation  and application of new science, technology, and 
engineering approaches to solve the world's most  challenging development problems. With USD137 
million over five years from USAID and leveraging nearly equal investments 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 instit utions 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/).  
Common Practices for University -Led Technology Transfer 
Common practices that encourage technology transfer from US universities include: 
• 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; 
• interaction between creators and users of new knowledge (e.g. through professional 
meetings, conferences, seminars, industrial liaison programs and other venues); 
• collaborative research projects; 
• entrepreneurial activity of faculty and students outside the university without involving 
university-owned IP; and 
• licensing of IP to established firms and new start-up companies. 
 
Regional and Country Programs 
Department of State English La nguage Training – Madagascar 
The US Department of State supports multiple initiatives to increase English language training 
in order to increase access to the internet, training opportunities and business. For example, US Embassy in Madagascar funded a full-time English Language Fellow for one year and placed two 
fellows at the University of Antananarivo. 
USAID Education Recovery Suppo rt Activity (ERSA) – Mali 
USAID's ERSA designed the curriculum for the accelerated learning centers. As part of the 
curriculum, ERSA uses interactive audio instruction through USB/MP3 solar-powered radios to 
enhance literacy and math instruction. With 177 facilitators trained in interactive audio instruction 
(IAI), each received a solar-powered radio and a set of IAI guides, containing three series of 120 programs downloaded to a USB/MP3. Approximately 4,500 students in 142 accelerated 
education centers benefited from this first IAI support. ERSA simultaneously works to build the 
capacity of the Ministry of Education and local partners to adapt and strengthen the educational 
system to be more resilient. 
Environment Global Learning and Observat ions to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) 
– Togo 
On June 4, 2018, the US Ambassador to Togo an d 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 
Program is an international science and education program managed by US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) with support from the National Science Found ation (NSF), National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Department of State. GLOBE provides students 
and the public worldwide with the opportunity to participate in the collection of scientific data. The US Embassy facilitated Togo's joining of the GL OBE network in 2018. In the coming months, GLOBE 
activities will take place at several pilot schools. GL OBE activities will also be implemented by MoLab, 
the US Embassy's mobile science lab. IP/C/W/646  
 
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MoLab – Togo 
MoLab is the 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 ru ns as a non-profit organization. Its mission is to 
bring STEM education to under-resourced rural schools, and it has a full calendar of activities. By next year, it expects to be fully financially in dependent through private sector and crowd-sourced 
donations. 
Female Tech Camp – Togo  
Since 2014, the US Embassy's Public Affairs Sectio n 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 significant private sector support, including a major contribution from TogoCom, the country's biggest internet operat or. 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. The next edition will be in May 2019.  
Robotics Bootcamp – Togo 
US Embassy's Robotics Bootcamp program 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 absent. The project aims to train 50 participants in robotics. 
COMMERCIAL AND LEGAL PROGRAMS TO STRENGTHEN CAPACITY 
US agencies such as the Commercial Law Development Program (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 programs are 
demand-driven and customized to address priority issues in countries' business climates. The 
programs help improve the commercial, legal, and regulatory environments to attract foreign 
investment and promote private sector-led growth and technology transfer. 
Programming from the National Inst itute of Standards and Technology 
NIST provides a coordination role for interagency efforts through Lab-to-Market and various 
other working groups. NIST's Technology Partnerships Office is responsible for preparing reports on 
technology transfer for the Department of Commerce and for summarizing the technology transfer activities reported by federal agencies and their federally-funded R&D centers (see 
https://www.nist.gov/tpo/federal -laboratory-interagency-techno logy-transfer-summary-reports) . 
NIST has research laboratories, user facilities, and other programs focused on advancing 
measurement science, standards, and technology. In particular, NIST's Guest Researcher Program 
and NIST's Cooperative Research and Developm ent Agreements (CRADAs) enable work with 
technical experts on projects that use NIST laboratories and equipment, staff, and research tools. NIST guest researchers (or their employing institutions) may retain rights to inventions conceived by the researcher while working with researchers at  NIST. Each year, NIST hosts hundreds of foreign 
guest researchers at its facilities. In 2018, NIST hosted guest researchers from the following LDCs: 
Bangladesh (4); Benin (2); Burkina Faso (2); Democr atic Republic of the Congo (1); Ethiopia (4); 
Madagascar (1); and Nepal (6); Senegal (1); and Yemen (1) (see 
https://www.nist.gov/iaao/forei gn-guest-researcher-program ).  IP/C/W/646 
 
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Country Projects  
Borlaug International Agricultural Scie nce and Technology Fellowship Program – 
Myanmar 
USDA's Borlaug Fellowship Program promotes agricu ltural productivity, food security, trade and 
economic growth by providing tr aining 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 cond uct research on pest risk assessments (PRA) and 
provide insight into how the United States does PRAs, so they can 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 enhanc e the confidence of the US inspection and food 
safety system to Myanmar officials. In the long ru n, such trust and confidence will greatly promote 
cooperation and facilitate trade. This will benefi t the food industry in Myanmar that seeks export 
markets, and in turn increase imports of US goods, which is an initiative of national interest.  
Department of State Criminal Justice Reform/Law Enforcement Development – 
Myanmar  
State Department's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) 
provides financing to implementing partners (Mya nmar'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 crimin al 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 Burmese criminal justic e system to fight transnational criminal activity 
and corruption, and promote a more predictable justic e system rooted in the rule of law and aligned 
with international standards.  
Counter-Narcotics and Transnational Organized Crime – Benin 
In April 2016, the Department of Justice / Of fice of Overseas Prosecutorial Development 
Assistance and Training (DOJ/OPDAT) organized an INL-funded Conference to bolster transnational 
cooperation and information sharing in Counter Narcotics/Transnational Organized Crime investigations, specifically along the Abidjan to Lagos corridor. In early 2016, OPDAT completed its 
Best Practices Manual (BPM) in CN investigations and prosecutions, and conducted a distribution 
tour across Benin in July-August 2016. In Feb/ March 2017, OPDAT begun to deliver curriculum 
development to its core group members and specialized trainings to law enforcement units and 
courts most directly involved in high-level narcot ics cases, emphasizing the portions of the BPM most 
relevant to their respective roles. To date, OPDAT trained close to 1,000 mid-level to senior level Police Officers at the Advanced Police Academy and to some 24 court clerks and magistrates at the 
Court of First Instance in Abomey-Calavi and has distributed 2,500 of the 5,000 which it has 
published. OPDAT's signature BPM project in Benin (2016-2018) has provided financial and technical support for the drafting and dissemination of th e CN procedural manual to harmonize and elevate 
the national practice for investigating and prosecuting narcotics cases. 
USAID Advancing Transition to Peaceful Democracy through Participation of Civil 
Society and Media (CSM-II) – Myanmar  
USAID's CSM-II program promotes the participation of civil society and locally owned 
independent media in strengthening democratic governance and social justice to advance the 
transition to peaceful democracy in Myanmar. The Program will support civil society and media actors in two areas, which include availability of and access to quality information to the public including 
vulnerable populations about democratic reform an d peace processes, and ability of civil society and 
media actors to influence decision-making of St ate and non-state actors through constructive 
engagement. The key sectors covered by the Program include peace and national reconciliation; intercommunal conflict, harmony, and religious freedom; and legal and policy environments. 
 IP/C/W/646  
 
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USAID Borlaug International Agricultur al Science and Technology Fellowship 
Program – Myanmar 
USDA's Borlaug Fellowship Program promotes agricu ltural productivity, food security, trade and 
economic growth by providing training and colla borative 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 cond uct research on pest risk assessments (PRA) and 
provide insight into how the United States does PRAs, so they can 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 enhanc e the confidence of the US inspection and food 
safety system to Myanmar officials. In the long ru n, such trust and confidence will greatly promote 
the cooperation and facilitate trade. This will benefi t the food industry in Myanmar that seeks export 
markets, and in turn increase imports of US goods, which is an initiative of national interest.  
USAID Promoting the Rule of Law Program – Myanmar 
USAID's Promoting the Rule of Law Program supports the development of rule of law institutions 
that are transparent, accessible, and efficient. It also supports civil society to engage with 
government institutions accountable to the public, as well as local civil society organizations to 
increase access to justice, educate the public on their rights, and provide legal aid.  
USAID Myanmar Transition Initiative/Kann Let II – Myanmar  
USAID's Myanmar Transition Initiative enhances the ability of key stakeholders to: engage in 
the peace process; facilitate public engagement in the reform process; reduce the influence of drivers 
of inter-communal conflict; and enable survivors of explosive ordnance and Persons with Disabilities 
in conflict-affected areas to participate in social and economic life. 
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY PROTECTION (IPR) AND ENFORCEMENT CAPACITY 
BUILDING  
US agencies, including the Department of State, the Department of Commerce's International 
Trade Administration (ITA) (see http://www.trade.gov ), the Department of Homeland Security 
(DHS), US Patent and Trad emark Office (USPTO) (see http://www.uspto.gov ) and others deliver IPR 
technical assistance programs to LDCs to strengthen IPR protections and thus increase the likelihood 
of foreign direct investment (FDI). 
USPTO Training and Techni cal 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 a ssistance efforts of international organizations 
such as with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the World Intellectual Property 
Organization (WIPO). For example, USPTO works with WIPO on its Re:Search  and WIPO Green 
programs, to promote access to IPR and technical know-how for relevant policy concerns, including 
neglected tropical diseases and envi ronmentally-friendly technologies 
(see http://www.wipo.int/research/en/ , and https://webaccess.wipo.int/green/ ). USPTO also 
collaborates with ASEAN on Intellectual Property (I P) Capacity-Building Programs, covering all areas 
of IP, in which LDCs participate. 
USPTO Global Intellectual Property Academy (GIPA) 
USPTO provides IPR training at its state-of-the-a rt GIPA in Alexandria, Virginia and throughout 
the world. USPTO delivers targeted training to fore ign IP office administrators, examiners, judges, 
prosecutors, customs officers, and other government and law enforcement officials.  
In FY 2018 GIPA conducted more than 85 training , technical assistance, and capacity building 
programs for over 3,500 participants from over 74 different countries, including the following LDCs: 
Bhutan, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Nepal, Rwan da, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. (For 
more information about GIPA, see www.uspto.gov/gipa) . IP/C/W/646 
 
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USPTO IP e-Learning Modules 
USPTO GIPA produces and hosts 31 free IPR e-Learning modules available to the public. These 
modules cover six different areas of Intellectual Prop erty, and are available in five languages: Arabic, 
English, French, Russian, and Spanish. By late FY  2018, the e-learning modules had received over 
75,000 hits. In FY 2018, GIPA produced an updated Patents video (see 
https://www.uspto.gov/learning-and -resources/global-intellectual -property-academy-gipa/uspto-
webinars-and-ip-e-learning ; see also USPTO GIPA's YouTube Playlist at http://bit.ly/USPTOGIPA). 
 USPTO Intellectual Property Attaché Training and Technical Assistance 
USPTO posts IP Attachés at select US embassi es 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 programs. Programs have focused on IPR enforcement, as well as patent, 
trademark, and copyright policy engagement and best practices (see http://www.uspto.gov/ip/global/attache/index.jsp) . 
USPTO Patents for Humanity Program 
The USPTO Patents for Humanity program encourag es assistance to LDCs by providing business 
incentives for patent owners and licensees to appl y their technology towards humanitarian purposes. 
Participants submit descriptions of how they are im proving lives in five broad categories of global 
challenges: household energy, living standards, medicine, 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.uspto.gov/patentsforhumanity). The 
latest award winners were announced in August 2018. They include:  
• US National Institutes of Health for creating a low-cost, temperature tolerant rotavirus vaccine 
and teaching Indian manufacturers how to produce it, with 3.8 million doses ordered by the 
government of India's childhood immunization program;  
• Sanivation LLC. for designing a waste processi ng plant that transforms human waste into 
sanitary briquettes that replace wood and charcoal for heating and cooking, with four plants 
serving 10,000 people in Kenya by the end of 2018;  
• Because International for distributing 180,000 pairs of resizable shoes in over 95 countries, 
with local manufacturing taking place in Ethiopia and plans for Haiti and Kenya;  
• Brooklyn Bridge to Cambodia Inc. for creating an affordable rice planting device that helps 
Cambodian farmers improve their crop yields, and which minimizes the number of farmers, 
mostly women, who have to work in the most exhausting and unhealthy conditions;  
• Russell Crawford for creating tools for low-cost drilling of water wells to reach deep aquifers 
free from soil contaminants;  
• Little Sparrows Technologies for creating a portable low-cost phototherapy device for treating 
jaundice in infants, which causes 100,000 newborn deaths a year;  
• Kinnos Inc. for creating time-sensitive color chemicals to ensure proper disinfection 
procedures by health workers in Ebola treatment centers and other health care settings;  
• Solight Design for designing a portable solar light that has been distributed to over 200,000 
people worldwide including many in refugee camps;  
• and Medtronic for creating a portable, low-water kidney dialysis machine for potential use in 
a wide variety of care settings, including those that lack the infrastructure required for traditional dialysis. 
 Country Projects  
Capacity-Building on Inte llectual Property – Nepal 
Working with Embassy Kathmandu, the USPTO New Delhi Attaché Office has taken steps to 
strengthen the overall IPR regime and incorporate strong IPR as part of high-level industrial policies IP/C/W/646  
 
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  in Nepal. The goal of the capacity building is to he lp shape and implement an IP regime that promotes 
innovation and the commercialization of creative content. The program is centered on consultations and trainings that facilitate exchange of best prac tices, experiences, and knowledge on IP awareness 
among the public sector, private sector, and educational institutions. 
 Capacity Building Program for IP Stakeholde rs with focus on enforcement officials 
– Bangladesh 
The USPTO New Delhi Attaché office has taken steps to strengthen overall IPR regime and 
incorporate strong IPR as part of high-level industrial policies in Bangladesh. The objective is to 
implement provisions in a way that it promotes innovation and the commercialization of creative content. Events to date include: 1) two trainings on Madrid protocol both in-country and at headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, 2) IPR enforcement training program for Customs, 3) 
roundtable discussion for IP stakeholders, and 4) Bangladeshi officials participation in Digital 
Bangladesh. In addition to above program, USPT O has also shared its comments on the draft IP 
policy with Department of Patents, Designs and Trademarks (DPDT), and 5) South Asia IP 
enforcement program in Hong Kong. The targets of th e program are: to facilitate exchange of best 
practices, experiences and knowledge on IP awareness among the public, businesses and educational institutions of both countries; facilitate exchange and dissemination of best practices, 
experiences and knowledge on IP between and amon g the industry, universities, R&D organizations, 
enforcement officials and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises.  
USPTO IPR Training – Uganda 
USPTO, with the support of the Department of  State, provided training to the Uganda 
Registration Services Bureau (URSB). The Tradem ark Examination training equipped URSB staff to 
improve protection of IP in order to benefit US co mpanies - and all businesses – investing in Uganda.  
Department of State Programming - IPR Unplugged Event – Cambodia 
On World Intellectual Property Day, the Bophana Center held a USD 2.200 US Department of 
State funded concert in celebration. Focusing on  empowering women in i nnovation and creativity, 
the event featured popular Cambodian singer-songw riter Nikki Nikki who played music and talked 
about the importance of IP protections. The au dience 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. 
Global Cybercrime, IPR, and Cybercrime  Foreign Law Enforcement Training and 
Technical Assistance Initiative – Bangladesh 
A USD 3,450,000 INL-funded, DOJ-led cybercrime and IPR training is administered 
cooperatively by Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development Assistance and Training (OPDAT) and 
the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Se ction (CCIPS). OPDAT provides justice sector 
assistance around the world through bi-lateral and regional development programs to build the 
capacity of partner law enforcement agencies to combat a number of international crimes, including 
cybercrime and IPR crime, through close partnership with CCIPS. 
These programs enable the Department of Justice to continue to support existing Intellectual 
Property Law Enforcement Coordinators (IPLECs) as  they coordinate and deliver IPR and computer 
crime prosecutorial and judicial training and technical assistance; deliver regional training workshops 
to foreign enforcement officials to improve their capacity to cooperate with US law enforcement in the sharing of electronic evidence; and enable th e IPLEC Network to coordinate delivery of US 
government regional cybercrime training workshops to foreign law enforcement officials to improve 
their capacity to cooperate with US law enforcement in cybercrime investigations and prosecutions 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 crop protection IP/C/W/646 
 
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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 communiti es 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 educ ation 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 scratched, 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.  
IPR Enforcement Coordination 
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement/Ho meland Security Investigations (HSI) leads 
the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordinati on Centre (IPR Centre), which works to protect 
public health and safety and the US economy, and to stop predatory and unfair trade practices that 
threaten the global economy. The IPR Centre brings together 23 partner agencies, consisting of 
19 federal agencies, INTERPOL, EUROPOL, and the governments of Canada and Mexico in a task-
force setting. The task force structure enables the IPR Centre to effectively leverage the resources, 
skills, and authorities of each partner and prov ide 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 enfo rcement 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 bu ilding training to many countries, including LDCs. 
National IPR Coordination Center (IPR Center) 
The National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) works closely with 
partner agencies, overseas IP Attachés, and US em bassies to deliver training and support capacity 
building. In FY 2018, the IPR Center participated in 16 international trainings in support of country-specific and regional programs that are funded by INL. From September 12-14, 2017, the 
IPR Center, 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 Training for customs, 
police officers and prosecutors from Benin, Guinea , Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone and The Gambia. 
With the approval of INL and the aforementioned co untry officials, this training was combined into 
a joint regional training for all countries in Dakar, Senegal. Participants received presentations from HSI, DOJ, and Customs and Border Protection (CBP ) subject matter experts, as well as industry. The 
training emphasized; 1) health and safety issues related to IP crime; 2) the need for cooperation 
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 Center participated in 
77 international outreach events.  
StopFakes.gov 
The Department of Commerce developed and main tains a website that hosts online resources, 
including information about key US agencies and programs (see http://www.stopfakes.gov/)  aimed 
at helping businesses protect IPR. The IPR Training Module, hosted on STOPfakes, is available in 
English, French, and Spanish. The United Stat es encourages LDCs to use the module, which 
familiarizes small businesses with IP issues, and pr ovides 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 enforcemen t. Additionally, STOPfakes 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 owne d by the private sector, technology transfers 
are often private sector decisions. Technology transf er should not be required as a precondition for 
investment.  IP/C/W/646  
 
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Investment and Trade Policy Negotiations 
US bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements aim to improve the protection and 
enforcement 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 f unds, investor-state dispute arbitration rights, 
limitations on specified performance requirements, non-discriminatory treatment, protection against 
expropriation, and transparency in governance. Thes e treaties improve the climate for FDI in partner 
countries that can lead to the transfer of techno logy and know-how. To date , the United States had 
s i g n e d  f i v e  B I T s  w i t h  W T O  M e m b e r  L D C s :  B a n g l a d e s h ,  D e m o c r a t i c  R e p u b l i c  o f  t h e  C o n g o ,  
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, the United 
States has launched 13 trade and investment agre ements in sub-Saharan Africa, including three 
bilateral TIFAs with LDCs: Angola, Mozambique, an d Rwanda. Additionally, the United States has 
launched regional TIFAs with the Common Market fo r Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), East 
African Community (EAC), the Economic Communit y 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, Nepal, and Yemen, as well as with ASEAN and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). To gether, these agreements cover 30 WTO LDC 
Members: Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Beni n, 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/ ).  
Trade Preference Programs 
The United States views trade as an effective means to encourage broad-based economic 
development. Trade constitutes an important means of sustaining momentum for economic reform 
and liberalization. It affords developing countries  access to technologies that would otherwise be 
difficult to obtain, and simultaneously opens new market opportunities for US companies. 
US Generalized System of Preferences Program 
The US Generalized System of Preferences (G SP) program, established in 1976, promotes 
economic development by providing duty-free access to the US market for a wide range of products 
from developing countries. GSP promotes sustainable development in beneficiary countries via trade 
with the United States. President Trump rene wed the GSP program by signing into law the 
"Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018" which, in addition to providing full-year federal appropriations through September 30, 2018, extended GSP with retroactivity for goods imported 
from January 2, 2018 through December 31, 2020. GSP benefits 122 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, chemic als, minerals, and building materials (see 
https://ustr.gov/issue-areas/trade-developmen t/preference-programs/generalized-system-
preference-gsp ). IP/C/W/646 
 
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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 suppo rting progress toward good governance, poverty 
reduction, and respect for human rights through its eligibility criteria. Since the enactment of AGOA 
in 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 legislation for its longest ex tension period to date, through 2025. The US 
Government has actively promoted AGOA througho ut Africa, developing trade capacity-building 
programs to help African governments and both African and US firms identify and develop new 
market opportunities through AGOA (see https://agoa.info/about-agoa/ ). As of August 2018, 
40 countries are eligible for AGOA: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, 
Cape Verde, Central African Repu blic, Chad, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, eSwatini, Ethiopia, 
Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau,  Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, 
Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Rwanda 
(limited benefits), Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Afri ca, Swaziland, Tanzania, 
Togo, Uganda, and Zambia. 
Programming from the US Trade and Development Agency 
US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) advances US economic development initiatives in 
developing and middle-income countries. USTDA fund s feasibility studies and technical assistance 
(e.g. early investment analysis, pilot projects, training, reverse trade missions, and business 
workshops) that support the development of mode rn infrastructure and a fair and open trading 
environment. USTDA promotes public-private partnerships and provides grant funding for 
infrastructure development projects that support economic growth in partner countries.  
Recognizing the importance of trade to LDC growth, USTDA works closely with other US 
government agencies and regional and multilater al development banks to develop trade capacity 
and apply private-sector solutions to development challenges worldwide. Thus far, in FY 2018, 
USTDA has obligated or reserved USD 3,209,359 in appropriated funds and USD 475,637 in transfer 
funds to support assistance activities designed to  create an enabling environment for increased trade 
and investment in LDCs. Transfer funds were allocated from the Department of State (US-Africa Clean Energy Finance Initiative - ACEF). 
USTDA Wind Power Plant Feasibility Study 
An example of a recent USTDA assistance activity benefitting an LDC is a USD 1,061,081 
feasibility study to assess the technical, financial, and economic viability of a wind power plant 
estimated to be 120 megawatts and developed in two phases of 60 MW each, located in the 
Namaacha District in the southern part of Moza mbique. EleQtra (Moçambique), Limitada, the local 
entity of international power project developer el eQtra Ltd., is the grantee. This will be among 
Mozambique's first utility-scale wind power plants, thus helping to demonstrate the cost and 
performance of wind energy for the country.  
USTDA Reverse Trade Missions  
Another example of USTDA's commitment to prom oting and encouraging technology transfer to 
LDCs is through reverse trade missions (RTMs). RT Ms bring key foreign decision makers to the 
United States to observe the design, manufacture, and operation of US equipment and technologies 
in advance of major procurements. Thus far this fiscal year, USTDA has committed funding to the 
following RTMs in LDCs: 
• Senegal Liquefied Natural Gas Reverse Trade Missi on: public and private sector officials from 
Senegal's power sector will be introduced to  US liquefied natural gas (LNG) technologies, 
services, and equipment to support the implementation of LNG projects. 
• West Africa Smart Grid Reverse Trade Mission: officials from Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Senegal, 
and the West Africa Power Pool will be introduced to technologies that can support the implementation of smart grid and microgrid projects in West Africa. IP/C/W/646  
 
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  • East Africa Cybersecurity Reverse Trade Mission : public and private sector representatives 
from Kenya and Rwanda will learn about technologies, services, and best practices in cybersecurity for financial institutions that ca n support the implementation of cybersecurity 
projects in East Africa. 
Country Projects  
USAID Mobile Solutions, Technical Assi stance, 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 pa yments, 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 enrolled to receive mobile money sa lary 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 education facilities in 
their communities. 
Live Free Under EGPAF and Integrated De cision and Analytics Support (IDeAS) for 
Zambia under Broadreach Inc. – Zambia 
Broadreach, in collaboration with US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), supports 
the MOH 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 evidence-based policy and decision-making. It supports the national electronic health record 
system (SmartCare) and has harnessed mobile techno logy to enhance the use of the EHR to support 
community services using hand held  devices; in addition to linking the electronic 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 program planning, policy and decision maki ng in the health sector, to improve programs 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. 
USAID Development Innovations – Cambodia 
USAID's Development Innovations enables innovation by building civil society's capacity to 
design and implement information and communicati ons 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 gr ants include the development of smart phone app 
"Khmer Smart Keyboard" which enab les Cambodians to type in Khmer, thus granting them wider 
access to information, and a grant to promote the use of cell phones for widely disseminating fees 
for public services, in order to counter corrupt ion and promote transparency. 26,018 beneficiaries 
(including 163 CSOs) are using ICT-based solutions because of engagement with the US 
government. Through this approximately USD 10,000,000 program, 50 ICT solutions were developed and implemented, and reached more than 1.4 million direct beneficiaries, of whom 39 % 
were female.  
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING AND INCENTIVES THROUGH PRIVATE SECTOR MODELS 
Through the use of the public-private partnershi p (PPP) model, US development agencies have 
gained additional financial resources for develo pment activities, as well as new technologies, 
intellectual capital and technical and managerial  expertise that address emerging development 
challenges. 
Development Assistance Pr ogramming from the Millennium Challenge Corporation 
(MCC) 
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 goals such as reducing poverty throug h sustainable economic growth. MCC has approved 
over USD 13 billion in programs worldwide that support projects in agriculture and irrigation, IP/C/W/646 
 
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  anticorruption, business environment improvements, education, health, enterprise development, 
finance, land rights, trade and transport, and water supply and sanitation initiatives. MCC is currently implementing compact agreements or threshold programs with seven WTO LDC Members: Benin, Liberia, Malawi, Nepal, Niger, Sierra Leone, and Zambia. In the past, MCC has implemented compact 
and/or threshold programs with Benin, Burkin a Faso, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique, 
Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, an d Vanuatu. Currently, MCC is developing new 
programs with Burkina Faso, the Gambia, Lesotho, Senegal, and Togo (see http://www.mcc.gov/ ). 
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 USAID's development impact. 
Country Projects  
Tworore Inkoko Twunguke – Rwanda 
University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture (UTIA), implementing partner of a USAID funded 
poultry Global Developmen t Alliance "Tworore Inkoko Twunguke, " provided technical training on 
broiler chicken production technologies and valu e 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 were 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 behavior, and change communication. As a result of this activity, availability of 
extension services for broiler farmers in Musanze Di strict have increased and 162 new broiler farmers 
in vulnerable households in Musanze District were trained and are applying new broiler technologies.  
E-Conta Smartphone App – Mozambique 
Funded through a USD 25,000 Department of State, Public Affairs Section at the US Mission in 
Mozambique, E-Conta is a US public diplomacy grant. This grant is for a young entrepreneurs association that launched a financ ial management smartphone application on May 16 to respond to 
the needs of women small-business entrepreneurs in Maputo. The Application sparked a 
collaboration between an innovation hub at a publ ic university, a tech company that developed the 
application, and a bank as a future funding sour ce. The grantee organization's focus on long-term 
sustainability during the pre-award phase and performance period proved essential to the 
application's development. 
Sproxil Public Private Partnership – Mali 
USAID and CLDP support Sproxil®, a global leader in mobile-based brand protection and 
consumer engagement technology that is opening a country office in Mali. Sproxil® uses mobile 
technology and a proprietary fraud detection plat form to launch secure, data-driven consumer 
engagement programs globally. Sproxil's mult i-award winning soluti ons are deployed by 
multinational manufacturers and brands across multiple industries to prevent supply chain fraud, 
amplify brand awareness, and optimize marketing expe nditure. With teams of experts in Africa, Asia 
and America, Sproxil has executed projects across five continents and can offer services in over 100 countries worldwide. Sproxil is the only consumer loyalty and brand protection expert with both 
ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certification. 
PROGRAMS AND INCENTIVES RELATED TO AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND FOOD 
SAFETY AND SECURITY 
Agricultural Technology Transf er Programming from the USDA 
To facilitate technology transfer, USDA uses contractual instruments such as Cooperative 
Research and Development Agreement (CRADAs), invention licenses and material transfer 
agreements, and supports public dissemination of re search results. USDA pursues patent protection 
and licensing only when a private sector partner is needed for effective technology transfer. IP/C/W/646  
 
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  Generally, this occurs when the complementar y assets needed to manufacture, market, and 
distribute a new technology are provided by a commercial partner that must protect 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 Transf er Programming from the ARS 
By sharing knowledge and technology throug h close collaboration with national and 
international research institutions to increase 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 res ilience to shocks like drought or extreme weather. 
As a result, food aid can be used for unforeseen cata strophes rather than for chronic food insecurity 
or predictable cycles of drought or flooding. Te chnical experts in nutrition have been brought 
together from agencies including ARS and USAI D, 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-s ecurity-through-feed-future ). FTF catalyzes technology transfer 
through agricultural-led economic growth and deve lopment by bridging the gap between innovative 
agricultural productivity solutions and sust ainable market demand; improving the enabling 
environment for market led growth; and linking large commercial institutions with smallholder 
partners.  
Rice and Diversified Crops – FTF Bangladesh 
The FTF Bangladesh Rice and Diversified Crops (R DC) activity improves food security through 
facilitating systemic changes that increase rural incomes. RDC catalyzes changes in market systems 
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 (mustard, sunflower, ground nuts and sesame) and pulses 
(lentils and mung bean). The initiative targets 500 ,000 farmers from the FTF zone in southwestern 
Bangladesh. 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 fo r women and youth. The USD 1.5 million Market 
Accelerator Fund will support strategic public-private partnerships with national and regional agribusinesses and business 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 intensity required. 
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 techno logy 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 tool s, based on evidence of their impact: (1) precision 
agriculture (including sensor tec hnology), (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 programs, capacity building for Feed 
the Future teams, and strengthenin g the knowledge base on best pr actices and is focused primarily 
on Feed the Future target countries.  IP/C/W/646 
 
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NASA/USAID SERVIR Program 
A joint development initiative of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) 
and USAID, SERVIR works in partnership with le ading 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 makers 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 adap tation to 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 data to address 
not only critical challenges in food security, but also in water resources, weather and climate, land 
use, and natural disasters. SERVIR develops inno vative solutions to improve livelihoods and foster 
self-reliance in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. 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 br ings the science; with 19 research collaborator 
teams located 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 
the world, hand in hand with developing count ry organizations and scientists to leave behind 
increased technical capacity and societal benefit. See https://www.servirglobal.net/ .  
For example, in 2017, SERVIR and the Regional Center for Mapping of Resources for 
Development worked with the Kenyan State Departme nt of Agriculture to release updated cropland 
maps that were co-developed with USAID's Famine Early Warning Systems Network—a leading provider of early warning and analysis on food insecurity. The completed cropland maps provide 
information on the locations of the major and minor crops being grown, and if rain-fed or irrigation-
systems are being used. This information allows for rapid identification of changes in crop development, helping the Government of Kenya be tter plan where to deliver village-level food 
assistance during droughts, flooding, and other food security crises. 
Country Projects  
Zambia's Private Sector Applau ds SERVIR's Geospatial Tools 
A director of Sunny Money Zambia (the largest seller and distributor of high quality solar lights 
in Africa, where over 600 million people lack access to electricity) applauded the geospatial tools: 
"We showed our CEO the information from the Geos patial and he was excited and was hoping this 
is something that we could also do in Malawi. We are finding that some of the areas are pretty 
difficult to get to by road, but at least we have the information to try."  
CEO of Muhanya Solar Zambia (a company that provides sustainable energy solutions to the 
public through the use of renewable energy technologies) praised the program: "The Geospatial 
model has pointed out the locations where we ca n deploy our solar home system (SHS) and the 
least cost method for rural electrification." 
Amanager of SupaMoto Zambia (SupaMoto, an energy company, makes pellets out of 
sustainable forestry waste and we sell stoves that run on pellets instead of charcoal), felicitated the 
geospatial tools: "It has changed our company's operations. Previously we used to do a lot of group 
sales, but now it has actually help ed us with a new focus to rely on agent networks, to know where 
to specifically target, where there is potential grow th especially with population density. This fits 
well with our strategy of agent-led sales." 
Other Government Officials and Private Sector Praise SERVIR 
Around the world, government partners to SERVIR are pleased with SERVIR's ability to 
improve capacity and promote the transfer of tec hnology. For example, a Professor of Agriculture, 
Kabul University noted that "with SERVIR's support on GIS and remote sensing applications, we have enhanced our capacity in analyzing and generating useful climatic and hydrographic 
information for water resource management in agriculture and various other fields.''  IP/C/W/646  
 
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A senior official in Nepal's Ministry of Agricultural Development said: "Our newly developed 
food security information system will help us  compile, analyze and disseminate important food 
security information, and assist local authorities to identify, prepare and provide aid to vulnerable people in a timely manner. In the long run, this system will help us formulate policies and relief 
efforts based on reliable and current data. This system is a positive step forward to mitigate the 
adverse effects of hunger and food insecurity in Nepal." 
A researcher at the Remote Sensing and Info rmation Technology Center (RITC), Forest 
Inventory and Planning Institute (FIPI) in Viet Nam, expressed that he plans to apply the knowledge 
from this workshop and previous SERVIR-Mekon g and the United Nations Food and Agriculture 
Organization (FAO) trainings to monitor and measure the forests in Viet Nam for FIPI. In addition, he plans to teach at his old university, Hanoi Univ ersity of Science, to build students' technical 
knowledge: "I am happy to work with SERVIR-Mekong. Trainings such as this have allowed me to 
have new visions to produce fast and quality mappi ng to be applied to my work and research." 
Strengthening Household Abilities for Re sponding to Development Opportunities 
III (SHOUHARDO III), SHOUHARDO (meani ng "friendship") – Bangladesh 
The goal of SHOUHARDO III is to improve gend er equitable food security, nutrition and 
resilience of vulnerable people within Banglade sh 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. To achieve the overall goal- SHOUHARDO III will  undertake activities such as: provide training 
and technical assistance to increase agriculture productivity and market access; improve water 
sanitation and hygiene infrastructure and services  through community capaci ty building, awareness 
and linkages; organize women and adolescent groups  and strengthen their leadership and life skill 
capacity; and improve enabling en vironment and opportunities for on-farm and off-farm income 
generating activities and assets protection. The Total Projected Investment: USD 80 million. 
Commercial Horticulture and Agricultural Marketing Program (CHAMP) – 
Afghanistan 
CHAMP works with leading Afghan processing an d export firms to enhance the supply chain, 
marketing, and export promotion of Afghan frui ts and nuts. CHAMP supports traders through its 
trade offices located in New Delhi, India and Dubai, UAE to boost Afghan agricultural exports in these 
and other major regional markets. CHAMP works to  strengthen the capacity of local packaging 
manufacturers, improve the skills of exporters in business administration and finance, establish an Agricultural Export Knowledge Management Unit th at will disseminate reliable data on agricultural 
exports, promote investment in cold storage and pack house facilities, expand quality standards 
certification, and support freight and logistics facilitation to promote agricultural trade. These efforts will stimulate the growth of Afghan exports to re gional wholesale markets and supermarkets by up 
to 15,000 metric tons (MT) annually. 
CHAMP facilitated exports of more than 52,000 metric tons of fresh and dried fruit and nuts 
worth an estimated USD 57 million since 2010 to international markets including Pakistan, Bahrain, Canada, India, the United Arab Emirates, Russia and Saudi Arabia; benefitted 38,400 Afghan 
households through activities ranging from esta blishing commercial orchards to exporting high 
quality produce; created more than 7,840 full-time jobs through opportunities afforded by increased production, quality improvement and export facilitation; increased 19,714 farmers' incomes 4.5 fold 
by assisting them to switch from annual crops to pe rennial horticultural crops;  helped 19,500 farmers 
to plant more than 2.85 million fruit saplings, po megranate and grape rooted cuttings, and converted 
6,170 hectares previously used for cereal crops to fruit orchards and vineyards; assisted 2,900 
farmers to trellis 600-hectares of existing vine yards in Kabul, Parwan, Logar, Ghazni, Zabul, 
Helmand and Kapisa provinces, realizing yield in creases of more than 100 % and a significant 
increase in quality over traditional method of letting vines lay on the ground. 
Afghan Red Pomegranate (ARP) Praises CHAMP 
CHAMP signed a grant agreement with ARP on May 1, 2018, to support their efforts to establish 
a controlled atmosphere cold storage facility. CHAMP's contribution was approved in the amount of USD 149,855, with USD 210,400 matching contribution from the company. CHAMP is currently IP/C/W/646 
 
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  working with ARP to procure a wide range of equipment including: refrigeration units; wall and ceiling 
sandwich panels and frames; a controlled atmosp here plant; controlled atmosphere windows and 
gas-tight doors; ventilators and humidifiers; lighting; a remote monitoring system; transformer; flooring; and accessories. In addition, funds are allocated, under ARP's responsibility for 
construction, installation, training, equipment transp ortation, insurance, import duties and personal 
protection equipment. Mahmoud, owner of ARP, credits USAID's CHAMP program with his ability to 
build a cold storage facility that allows him to expand his business. At the same time – because 
USAID shared the risk for the cold storage – he wa s able to also finance concentrate manufacturing 
equipment, which enabled him to win a co ntract with POM Wonderful in the UK. 
Food Security and Livelihoods Trust Fund (LIFT) – Myanmar 
Through LIFT, USAID increases food availability  and incomes for over two million poor people 
through improved production and post-harvest tec hnologies, as well as improved access to inputs 
and markets. The program also increases profitabili ty and enhances food security for smallholder 
farmers through the introduction and di ffusion of new fertilizer technology. 
Stress Tolerant Rice in Vulner able Environments – Myanmar  
USAID's Stress Tolerant Rice program contributes to resilience to drought, flooding, and 
cyclones by reducing rice crop losses to improve the ability of communities to recover from natural 
disasters. 
Africa RISING Agricultural Rese arch and Development – Zambia 
Africa RISING and USAID work with international agricultural research institutions to build the 
capacity of Zambia's own agricultural research institutions to increase productivity, promote the 
adoption of climate-smart agricultural systems, improve crop varieties, and offer low-cost 
technologies for smallholder farmers. The activity has improved delivery of seed of new legume varieties of groundnuts, soybean, cowpea and pi geon pea through breeder, foundation and certified 
seed production schemes. It established on-farm de monstration/learning plots to impart knowledge 
and enhance adoption of improved varieties and cr op management practices for target crops. In 
order to reduce aflatoxin contamination in grains, a bio-pesticide called Aflasafe was developed. Its 
registration dossier has been completed and final registration by ZEMA awaits approval for the 
"Proudly Zambian" Logo by the Ministry of Commerce and Trade. 
Private Sector Driven Agricult ural Growth (PSDAG) – Rwanda 
Through PSDAG, 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 %. Thanks to PSDAG, ten local private businesses produced various categories of 
Irish potatoes seeds: 16,800 vitro plants, 196,000 mini-tubers, 96,000 stems, and 835 metric tons 
certified seeds. 
PSDAG supports AgriLift (a Rwanda-based information technology company) to use drones to 
provide advance crop monitoring services to memb ers of the Imbaraga Cooperative Federation. The 
Spatiotemporal Apps Framework (SAF) that AgriLift has built is intended to monitor and provide 
early warning for crop health during a particular season. Accurate yield projections generated by the system are possible, but will take time. A baseline is  gathered followed by crop health and yield data 
over several seasons. Information regarding crop stress is then pegged to specific yields actually 
recorded. As data are collected season after season, SAF will begin to automatically and more 
accurately predict yields. Yield projections in the beginning of a project (such as now), are a rough estimate based on the plot sizes. 
Agriculture Development Fund – Afghanistan 
USAID's Agricultural Development Fund in Afghanistan facilitates access to specialized credit 
lines, including financial products designed specifically for business women and farmers. USAID is 
also helping new agribusinesses grow and enabling farmers to improve the quality and quantity of 
their products. USAID supported more than 5,100 agri cultural enterprises and farmers with loans to 
support and expand their businesses. Since 2010, U SAID has provided USD 84 million in loans to IP/C/W/646  
 
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  farming households and agribusinesses, creating thousands of full time jobs and facilitating over 
USD 158 million in domestic and international sales of agricultural goods.  
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 seeds and 
orange fleshed sweet potatoes planting materials fo r improved nutrition and food security purposes 
in a country where stunting is at 39 % of the po pulation. In doing so, USAID partnered with the 
Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB), private seed prod ucers 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 5, 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. 
Abiotic Stress Tolerant Rice and Wheat – Bangladesh 
USAID supports Arcadia Biosciences Inc. to conduct abiotic stress tolerant crop research in 
conjunction with the Bangladesh Rice Research Inst itute (BRRI) to enhance crop productivity through 
the development of salinity tolerant rice seed varieties. This is a new and innovative public-private 
partnership for genetically engineered (GE) rice linking a US private company with a Bangladeshi 
public research institute. The activity aims to th e development of national research capacity and a 
corresponding enabling environment conducive to  the development, management and use of 
genetically engineered tool to improve household food  security. The specific objectives of the project 
are the transfer of genetically engineered (GE) pl ant materials, greenhouse tests, validation tests, 
as well as seed production, establishment of regulatory system for science-based use and 
management of GE varieties, research capacity bu ilding through short-term  and long-term training, 
public awareness building, licensing and release of GE salinity tolerant rice varieties. The total 
projected investment in the project is USD 2,697,488. 
Agricultural Value Chains (AVC) – Bangladesh 
Through the AVC project, the USAID goals is to  improve food security through strengthened 
agricultural value chains. Agricultural value chains in Bangladesh are typically fragmented, and lack investment and inclusion of vulnerable groups. Additionally, Bangladeshi farmers often lack the knowledge or resources to engage in higher value (more competitive) and more nutritious crop value 
chains. The total projected investment for the project is USD 34,233,348 which will strengthen 
agricultural markets systems as well as local ca pacities. In addition, the AVC project will ensure 
effective gender integration and youth participation. 
National Agricultural Technology Pr oject Phase 2 (NATP-2) – Bangladesh 
USAID's development objective of NATP - 2 is to increase agricultural productivity of 
smallholder farms and improve smallholder farmers'  access to markets in selected districts. The 
USD 8,000,000 project implementation will occur over a six-year period in 56 of the country's 
64 districts and in up to 270 of the country's 493 su b-districts (or upazillas). The project intends 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 will be smallholder farmers (with special emphasis 
on women) who account for over 90 % of the country'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 is expected to lead to a better 
integration between agricultural research, extension, and production. It is estimated that over 1 million farming households will directly benefit from project activities, including from improved 
extension services, stronger link ages with research, on-farm demonstrations of new technologies, 
capacity enhancement through training and sk ills development, as well as from co-funding 
productive assets.  IP/C/W/646 
 
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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 
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. 
Aflasafe – Mozambique 
The goals of USAID's Aflasafe project are 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 in compliance with aflatoxin standards set by CODEX Alimentarius through the development of a bio-control product, aflasafe-Moz, for 
aflatoxin mitigation. However, with limited data available on aflatoxin prevalence in maize and 
groundnut in Mozambique, a strong initial focus will be on mapping the incidence of aflatoxin in both 
crops. To support the development and registration  of aflasafe, which has already proved effective 
in Nigeria, a training program of national agricultural extension workers in the public and private 
sector followed by widespread training of smallhol ders will be carried out. The introduction of 
aflasafe-Moz will be accompanied by the reinforc ement of the use of existing aflatoxin reduction 
strategies with smallholders through a widespread training program. Other project activities will be 
the upgrading and equipping of laboratory facilities  at UniLurio in Nampula for mycological work and 
mycotoxin testing.  
Viable Sweetpotato Technologies in Africa (VISTA) – Mozambique 
Research and development investments over th e 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 nu tritious 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. During FY17, 36,143 farmers applied improved technologies or 
management practices as result of USAID's assist ance, exceeding the 2017 target by 23 farmers. 
RAMA-BC – Mozambique 
USAID's RAMA-BC program's overarching goal is to equitably increase agricultural productivity 
and climate resilience by increasing adoption of res ilient agricultural technologies and practices. Over 
the life of the project, RAMA - will implement activi ties under four component areas, to increase the 
adoption of resilient agricultural technologies in the Beira corridor. Components 1 and 2 will increase 
demand by raising awareness and demonstrating e ffectiveness of key technologies and practices, 
including improved seed, conservation agriculture (CA) practices, and water management and irrigation solutions. Components 3 and 4 will suppo rt supply-side improvements, leading to increased 
availability, accessibility and affordability of in puts and other technologies, and improved private-
sector led advisory services. 
Center of Excellence on Sustainable Agricu ltural Intensification and Nutrition (CE 
SAIN) – Cambodia 
The objectives of CE SAIN are to coordinate and leverage Innovation Labs and other SAIN 
activities, build the human and institutional capacity of the Royal University of Agriculture, and to establish technology parks to highlight high-poten tial technologies and strategies to sustainably 
intensify smallholder farming systems. Funded by USAID, the USD 2,500,000 program has six US 
government partners. iDE Cambodia, IRRI, Universi ty of Tennessee, Kansas State University, and 
World Vegetable Cambodia have demonstrated their agriculture technologies in CE SAIN Technology 
Parks. IP/C/W/646  
 
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PROGRAMING AND INCENTIVES RELATED TO ENERGY DEVELOPMENT 
Private Financing Advi sory Network (PHAN) 
PFAN is a multilateral public private partnership initiated by the Climate Technology Initiative 
and the United Nations Framework Convention on  Climate Change (UNFCCC). 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 economic 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 Mi nistry 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 Development Organiza tion (UNIDO), and the program is executed in 
collaboration with the Renewable Energy an d Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP). 
Regional and Country Energy Initiatives  
US regional energy development programming 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 programs. 
Southern Africa Energy Program (SAEP) 
USAID's SAEP works to advance energy polic y and regulatory reform, and accelerate 
investment to increase power generation and access to electricity throughout the region. Through 
strengthening the enabling environment and facili tating public 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 create 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, plan ning, and procurement for energy; improving 
commercial viability of utilities; improving regional harmonization and cross-border trade; 
demonstrating and scaling renewable energy and ener gy efficient technologies and practices; and 
increasing human and institutional capacity. 
South Asia Regional Initiative for Energy Integration (SARI/EI) 
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 regulatory 
mechanism; advancement of transmission system interconnections; and establishment of a South 
Asia Regional Electricity Market. These will be catalyzed through three inter-governmental task 
forces (TFs) established under the program with representation from national governments, power transmission utilities, regulators, and other relevant representatives from participating South Asian countries.  
The project has undertaken focused analyses to develop framework which would support 
power trade in the region such as regional regula tory guidelines, regional grid code framework, 
dispute resolution mechanism, Model Power Tr ade Agreement and Model Transmission Service 
Agreement, open access guideline, and a broad roadmap for each South Asian country. The project 
has also undertaken a mock simulation of regional power exchange to assess feasibility of a regional exchange, develop market rules and build the capaci ty among stakeholders from Nepal, Bhutan and 
Bangladesh to work on an exchange platform. The program will support regional institutions such as 
South Asia Association of regional Cooperation (SAARC) and South Asia Forum of Infrastructure 
regulators (SAFIR) to get energy regulators on a common platform to harmonize regulations and legislations. The program will also focus on developing institutional set up for coordinated 
transmission planning, development of common po wer system operating procedures and exchange IP/C/W/646 
 
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  based platform. It will also partner with regional  institutions such as SAARC-Chambers of Commerce 
and Industries for setting a focused private sect or working group to address barriers and promote 
investments on regional energy projects 
SARI/EI is also supporting two key bilateral powe r trade initiatives i.e. India-Nepal and India-
Bhutan. The program will prepare the institutional capacity of the Governme nt of Nepal and Bhutan 
to undertake power-trading, operate in a market  platform, design/plan a hydro-power plant and 
conduct due diligence of large-hydro-power projec ts. The capacity building focuses on sharing of 
best practices between private-and-public sector system and transmission operators, as well as 
electricity traders in South Asia and the United States. The program will also provide support to India-Bangladesh power trade through customized training and handholding to the Government of 
Bangladesh.  
Foreign Government Officials Applaud SARI/EI 
Director General, Department of Hydropower, Mi nistry of Economic Affairs, Government of 
Bhutan, expressed appreciation for US support for SARI/EI program and made an appeal for 
additional US funding, suggesting that a fifth ph ase of programming would bring the entire project 
to a strong and successful conclusion. The Roya l Government of Bhutan has been an active 
participant in the SARI/EI program, both in pl anning and implementati on. Bhutan has greatly 
benefited from the various capacity building initiatives under SARI/EI, including customized skills 
development programs, e.g. planning for hydro-po wer plants; due diligence of large hydro-power 
plants; power trading; and tariff designing. Furthe r, strengthening of regional bodies, that will 
support coordination of regulations, policies, transmission planning for energy cooperation and 
establishment of an exchange based power market under SARI/EI will enable Bhutan to actively 
participate in regional power trading and export power to Bangladesh, and perhaps beyond, in future. 
A Secretary of the Ministry of Power and Re newable Energy, Government of Sri Lanka, 
mentioned in the project steering committee meeting of SARI/EI in March 2018 that initiatives like SARI/EI could play a very important role by helping to bring political cohesions on energy integration 
issues in the region. There are certain things which can be done by formal process but SARI/EI kind 
of initiatives are very helpful in pushing the agenda. The movement of SARI/EI should keep moving till the target achieved.  
Minister of State for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, Government of Bangladesh, said 
in an event to release the report on Macro-economic benefits of power trade between India-
Bangladesh: "Open markets, strong policy and regulatory frameworks will help in promoting power trade in the region. India can take a lead in regional power trade within BBIN. The role being played 
by SARI/EI and IRADe Institute supported by USAID is commendable." 
Southern Africa Energy Program – Madagascar  
USAID's Southern Africa Energy Program selected Madagascar as a Focus Country. The 
Program will support expanding access to on-grid and off-grid power for rural communities, 
improving government processes in the energy se ctor and enhancing the capacity of key energy 
sector institutions. 
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 drilling techni ques led by experts who have years of experience 
in drilling. The skills acquired through this training will be used for the drilling of eight geothermal 
production wells at Lake Assal (Northern Djibouti) which will generate clean energy for the country. 
If successful, the first phase will allow the construc tion of a 15 MW plant which will upgraded to a 
50 MW in the later phases. Our assistance will allow the use of a new technology which will provide 
energy security and job creation for the country. Geothermal energy will provide baseload power as 
well for the country.   IP/C/W/646  
 
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First Solar and Neon – Zambia 
USAID and Department of State supports and OP IC finances a solar project from American 
firm First Solar and French firm Neon. The pr oject supports the development of a 47.5-megawatt 
(MW) solar photovoltaic power plant. The project will be Zambia's first utility scale solar plant. 
Rural Electrification and Renewable Ener gy Development (RERED II) Program – 
Bangladesh 
RERED II aims to support the Government of Bangladesh's vision of providing universal access 
to electricity by 2021. USAID's contribution to  RERED II focuses on the development of solar 
renewable energy in rural areas focusing on solar home systems, solar irrigation pumps, micro and mini grid schemes and captive plants based on re newable energy. The estimate for the project is 
USD 8,000,000. 
Grants to Provide Technical Support to Hydropower Firms Amohoro Energy and DC 
Hydropower – Rwanda 
In 2014, USTDA provided approximately USD 500, 000 to support studies for two hydropower 
companies operating in Rwanda, Amohoro Energy and DC Hydropower. These grants helped these 
firms to move forward new run of the river hy dropower projects and secure funding. DC 
Hydropower's Rwaza 1 is current under construc tion, employing hundreds of Rwandans, and will 
provide more than 3 MW of energy once complete d in 2018. Amohoro Energy is currently finalizing 
funding arrangements. Both firms pr ovide training to and rely heavil y on Rwandan staff to construct 
and operate hydropower facilities in Rwanda. 
USTDA Award to eleQtr – Mozambique  
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 Wi nd Power project in Mozambique, creating the 
benchmark for this industry in this country. The value of the grant was USD 1,061,081. 
SPEED+ - Mozambique 
USAID's technical assistance to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MIREME) 
established precedent for successful transactions an d 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 Concession Agreements, to manage the renewable energy feed in tariff regime, and to clarify the legal 
framework for independent power producers. Speed+'eExpected outcome is a stronger energy 
sector with more megawatts generated at lower prices to consumers. 
Climate Services for Agriculture – Rwanda 
Developed by IRI, a member of the CGIAR (a co nsortium of research agricultural research 
institutions) and funded by USAID in Rwanda, Mapr oom is a collection of maps and other figures 
that monitor climate conditions at present and in the recent past. With USAID support, the Rwanda 
Meteo Authority now disposes of a tool that facilitates various weather-related analyses and 
forecasting and enabled the Rwanda Climate Services  for Agriculture Activity to win the first ever 
Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) Project of the Ye ar 2018 during the Africa CSA Summit held in 
Nairobi, Kenya in May 2018. 
Mini-grid Project - Madagascar 
The Mini-grid is a USTDA grant of USD 804,330 for a feasibility study and pilot project for the 
Malagasy energy company Henri Fraise Fils & Ci e (HFFC) that will support the development and 
implementation of minigrids in Madagascar. The feas ibility study aims to evaluate the technical and 
economic viability of deploying solar photovoltaic-powered minigrids with integrated battery storage at up to 100 sites in Madagascar ("Project"). The Feasibility Study will include the design and IP/C/W/646 
 
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  implementation of a 100 kilowatt peak solar minigrid  with 881 kilowatt hours of battery storage pilot 
project (Pilot Project) to demonstrate the proposed minigrid solution in Belobaka, Madagascar. 
Madagascar President Inaugurates Mini-Grid Project 
Madagascar's President Rajaonarimampianina and US Ambassador Yamate inaugurated the 
mini-grid project in the village of Belobaka, a remo te area where the project can flourish. Belobaka 
is the first of the 100 villages to get the minigr ids project. The US Ambassador noted: "Through 
USTDA, the US Embassy is so proud to be part of the technical and economic study of solar 
photovoltaic-powered minigrids with integrated battery storage technology in up to 100 sites across 
Madagascar. This project is a good example of how the US Government is helping support US technology innovation and solutions in Madagascar." 
Millennium Challenge Corporation Benin Power Compact - Benin 
Initiated in 2016 and ongoing, the Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact will increase the 
quantity and quality of electric power in Benin Compact through policy reforms, institutional strengthening, and infrastructure investments. It focuses on strengthening the management and 
operations of the electricity utility, shoring up se ctor financing through tariff reform and reduction 
in arrears, and establishing an enabling environment for off-grid electrification and private sector investment in power generation. The Compact will also modernize Benin's electricity distribution 
infrastructure to reduce losses, improve reliab ility, reduce outages, and accommodate rapidly 
growing demand. Project implemented by the Millen nium Challenge Account – Benin II (MCA-Benin 
II) is finalizing designs of more than USD 100 millio n in electricity distribution works, and will launch 
the procurement for SBEE's management services contract in Q4FY18. The off-grid clean energy 
facility - the US government's largest off-grid investment in a single country – will launch the second 
round of its request for applications in Q1FY19.  Implementation of the five-year Compact will 
increase Benin's domestic generation capacity by up to 46 megawatts (MW). An 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. 
Program for Scaling-Up Renewable Energy 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 implementation for 23 projects 
and programs, expecting approximately USD 1.9 b illion in co-financing from other sources (see 
https://www.climateinvestmentfunds.org/ fund/scaling-renewa ble-energy -program ). 
Private Financing Advisory Network 
The Private Financing Advisory Network (PFAN) is a multilateral public private partnership 
initiated by the Climate Technology Initiative and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It identifies and nurtu res promising, innovative clean and renewable 
energy projects by bridging the gap between in vestors, clean energy entrepreneurs and project 
developers. PFAN mobilizes private sector's 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 economic feasib ility, project structure, investment and financing, 
preparation of the business plan, and introductions to  investors. PFAN's partners and donors include: 
the Government of Australia; the International Development Research Centre, Canada; the Ministry 
of Economy, Trade, and Industry/International Centre for Environmental Technology Transfer, 
Japan; the Swedish International Development Coop eration Agency; the United States Agency for 
International Development; the Asian Development Bank; the Climate Technology Initiative and its 
Member States. 
PFAN is hosted by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and the 
Program is executed in collaboration with the Re newable Energy and Energy  Efficiency Partnership 
(REEEP). IP/C/W/646  
 
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PROGRAMING AND INCENTIVES RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION  
Since 2009, the United States has engaged in a wide range of activities with developing 
countries, with the goal of promoting the deve lopment and deployment of climate-friendly 
technologies and practices, and responsible ma nagement of the environment and environmental 
resources.  
US Program on SilvaCarbon  
 
SilvaCarbon is a technical cooperation program under the Global Climate Change Initiative, 
and a US contribution to the Global Forest Observ ation Initiative of the intergovernmental Group on 
Earth Observations. SilvaCarbon draws on the strengths of cooperating US partners, NGOs, 
academia, and industry. Partner agencies include the Department of State, the US Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA), NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 
USAID, USDA Forest Service, US Geographical Survey of the Department of Interior, and the 
Smithsonian Institution. SilvaCarbon and its partners work with developing countries to build 
capacity for monitoring and managing forest and terrestrial carbon. SilvaCarbon helps to identify, 
test, and disseminate good practices and cost-effective, accurate technologies (see http://www.silvacarbon.org/). 
Colombian Officials Praise SilvaCarbon 
At a meeting with USAID officers, Colombian officials said that SilvaCarbon is a good example 
of how capacity building should be conducted in order to reduce deforestation.  
International Forestry Management Programming   
US Forest Service (USFS) promotes capacity building for sustainable forest management and 
biodiversity conservation internationally by linkin g 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-ag ency/international-
programs/program-topics). This work involves a variety of partners, including intergovernmental organizations, international research and conservation organizations, and other environmental 
NGOs. USFS scientists and other agency technical ex perts contribute specialized technical assistance 
to existing projects, conduct training, facilitate research, and publish technical guides to promote 
sustainable forest management and biodiversity conservation. 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 management, 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 contribu tion of forest science to international forest-
related policy processes and implementation of sustainable forest resource management, 
particularly in economically disadvantaged countri es. The agreement achieves technology transfer 
through strengthening national forest research systems in Africa, Asia and Latin America, particularly through capacity development, assistance to sci entists, 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/p artnerships). 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 Program for Development of Capacities (IUFRO-SPDC). These activities strengthen research programs and enhance the de velopment and implementation of sound forest 
management policies and practice s 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 management systems 
(see http://www.iufro.org/science/special/spdc/ ). IP/C/W/646 
 
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Winrock International Program Supp orting Forests and Biodiversity 
USAID's Supporting Forests and Biodiversity program is designed to improve forest 
conservation and governance of the Eastern Plains and Prey Lang regions of Cambodia, to adapt and 
mitigate climate change, while conserving biod iversity. While improving coordination with 
government and community groups, this program has improved the management of approximately 
1.35 million hectares of forest. The program trained over 1,000 people in climate change adaptation 
technologies, fostering the use of relevant technologies.  
Supporting Information Services  and Knowledge Dissemination 
The United States supports the provision of information services to scientists and policymakers 
in developing countries through the Global Fore st 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 info rmation and knowledge by developing a common 
information exchange platform, building capaci ty, and enhancing partnerships among forestry 
information providers and users (see http://www.gfis.net/ ). 
Country Programs  
USFS Inter-Agency Agreement – Zambia 
This activity supports USFS assessments to id entify 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 Environmen t Management Agency (Z EMA) through embedding 
an Environment Advisor to help with Greenhous e Gas Inventory reporting; provide technical 
assistance to the Zambia Forestry Department (ZFD) by embedding a REDD+  and Forestry Advisor 
to support forest monitoring, 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 boundary delineation as well as procurement of topographic maps for all the nine districts at the Forestry 
Department in Eastern Province. 
Disaster Management Program – Myanmar  
With funding from and through its partnership with USAID Office of US Foreign Disaster 
Assistance (OFDA), the USFS continues its efforts to build capacity for disaster preparedness and 
response in Myanmar. USFS efforts support the Gove rnment of Myanmar's Ministry of Social Welfare, 
Relief, and Resettlement (specifically, the Department of Disaster Management), as well as non-governmental partners such as the Myanmar Red Cro ss Society. Topics of capacity building activities 
include On-Scene Management Systems, Emergency Operation Centers, and other relevant technical 
and policy topics related to disaster preparedness and response. Implementation of the project will 
increase Myanmar's national capacity to detect and respond effectively and efficiently to a wide 
range of disasters, such as earthquakes and largescale fires. 
High Level Policy Dialogue Agricultural  Biotechnology (HLPDAB) and APEC Two 
Part Workshop: Agricultural Biotechnology Re gulatory Cooperation and Genome Editing – 
Myanmar 
USDA's workshops involve discussions about the current environment of agricultural 
biotechnology including issues and concerns along wi th the successes and the uses of the technology 
in response to climate change, scarce resources and food security. In Myanmar, government officials 
are responsible for agricultural biotechnology.  
Lacey Act – Illegal Logging – Myanmar 
A US NGO, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), collaborates with the Thailand-based Center for 
Peoples and Forests on a Myanmar initiative as pa rt of the Responsible Asia Forestry and Trade 
program, partially funded by the Department of St ate (a small part of a larger grant to TNC of IP/C/W/646  
 
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  USD 700,000 from 2013-2018). TNC recently concluded a multiyear in-depth study of Burmese 
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 engagement. While the grant has concluded, TNC cont inues to work with stakeholders in Myanmar. 
US agencies, especially the US Department of Justice (DOJ), are actively exploring opportunities to 
build the capacity of Burmese counterparts through training on law enforcement related to natural resources, with a focus on forest crimes. 
Supporting Sustainable, Community-bas ed Natural Resource Management – 
Myanmar 
USFS aims to enhance livelihood security and sustainable, community-based natural resource 
management in Myanmar. To achieve this goal, USFS is partnering with Wildli fe Conservation Society 
and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization to implement various activities (such as 
trainings, seminars, and other forms of technical assistance) that build capacity of smallholders and community members, as well as other key stakeh older groups, in community forest management 
and participatory land management. Implementation of the project began in late FY17 and will 
enhance the capabilities of community members, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and Government of Myanmar counterparts in participat ory land use planning approaches, sustainable 
production of timber and non-timber forest products, value chain creation for timber and non-timber 
forest products, and other key topics related to  sustainable natural resource management. With 
enhanced capacity, direct user groups (such as smallholders and community members) and 
supporting organizations (such as CSOs) will be empowered to improve both local livelihoods and 
the health of local ecosystems through sustainabl e, community-based natural resource management 
in Myanmar. 
Bengal Tiger Conservation (Bagh) – Bangladesh 
Bagh aims to build a stronger and safer future  for wild tigers and the local communities who 
rely upon their forest home – the Sundarbans. To do this, USAID supports multiple stakeholders including the government of Bangladesh, local communities, NGOs, international organizations, and 
the private sector will be directly involved, with a total estimated cost of USD 10,758,629. The 
specific objectives of this activity are to expand the knowledge base for wildlife conservation, reduce illegal wildlife trafficking, minimize human-wildli fe conflict, enhance communications, outreach, and 
gender engagement and improve livelihoods for conservation.  
Strengthening Earthquake Resilience in  Bangladesh (SERB) – Bangladesh 
USAID's SERB program is implemented through a Grant Agreement with Asian Disaster 
Preparedness Center (ADPC). The project aims at earthquake capacity building of the Government 
of Bangladesh. This capacity building will be accomp lished 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 Serv ice and Civil Defense (FSCD) will strengthen by 
providing equipment to volunteers fo r conducting search and rescue operations.  The total projected 
investment for the program is USD 1,946,228; will train 660 hospital personnel and will provide 
171 sets of rescue and search equipment to FSCD.  
Coastal City Adaptation Project – Mozambique 
The goal of the Coastal City Adaptation Project (CCAP) is to increase climate resilience in 
selected Mozambican coastal cities. In partnership with the United Nations Human Settlements 
Program (UN Habitat) and USAID, CCAP is working in  the cities of Pemba and Quelimane to construct 
24 model houses that are low cost, made of local ma terials, and resilient to high winds, flooding, 
and other climate-related natural hazards. A key co mponent of the activity is to disseminate the 
construction techniques to home  builders, students, designers, government officials, and other 
decision makers across Mozambique. IP/C/W/646 
 
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Supporting Forests and Biodiversity – Cambodia 
Funded by USAID, the SFB Project provides technical assistance, training, and leverages 
technology to improve forest conservation and go vernance of the Eastern Plains and Prey Lang 
landscapes. The USD 24,807,151 project trained 104 rangers in GPS use, improving their 
understanding and technical capacity to use GPS to track illegal activities. It also provided technical 
support to 32 community forest (CF) sites, and de livered trainings on the importance of forest 
protection and conservation to 161 community members from 19 community forests.  
Environmental Governance Reform for Sustainable Development (EGR) – 
Cambodia 
The objective of EGR is to assist the Royal Government of Cambodia to facilitate environmental 
governance reforms and create an enabling po licy and legal environment for conserving and 
protecting environmental resources at risk. This will be achieved throug h operationalizing a new 
structure of the Ministry of Environment (MOE), a new National Council fo r Sustainable Development 
(NCSD) Organizational Structure and Authorit ies, 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.  
PROGRAMMING AND INCENTIVES  RELATED TO HEALTH  
Health research through biomedical and behavioral  funding activities of US agencies, including 
the National Institutes of Health (NIH), USAID,  and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
(CDC), have contributed to technology transfer an d 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 2018, the NIH invested in over 1,160 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 supported by eighteen of the 27 NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs), led by the National 
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the Fogarty International Center, the National Institute 
of Mental Health, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the National Cancer Institute, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood In stitute, the National Institute of Diabetes and 
Digestive and Kidney Diseases, and eleven other IC s. Many of these projects involved technology 
transfer.  
Innovative Mobile Health (mHealth) 
NIH encourages exploratory/developmental research applications that propose to study the 
development or adaptation of mHealth technology specifically suited for LMIC 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. 
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 Accelerati ng Science in Africa (AESA). H3Africa fosters 
genomic and epidemiological research in African scientific institutions. Many Institutes and Center 
across NIH have partnered to support H3Africa, and NIH leadership on the Initiative comes from the NIH Common Fund, and NIH's National Human Geno me Research Institute (NHGRI) and Fogarty 
International Center. H3Africa, now funded at USD 146 million over 10 years, is focused on capacity 
building, as well as specific scientific goals. Thes e 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 program 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 IP/C/W/646  
 
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  programs aimed at retaining African scientists on the continent to help build a sustainable, critical 
mass of researchers. H3Africa has funded research and training in the following LDC countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Gambia, Malawi, Mali, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.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.  
Fogarty International Center  
NIH's Fogarty International Center 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 generation of scientists to address global health needs. These long-term investments in science 
help to promote technology transfer to LMICs. 
NIH Research Training Programs for Low-and-Middle-Income-Countries   
NIH's Fogarty International Centre supports several research training programs that include 
training for LMICs biomedical researchers and research institutions and contribute to technology 
transfer and capacity building. Programs includ e the AIDS International Training and Research 
Program, the Global Infectious Disease Research Training Program, the Fogarty HIV Research 
Training Program and the Medical Education Partners hip Initiative. The programs involve researchers 
and medical personnel from LMIC countries (see https://www.fic.nih.gov/Prog rams/Pages/default.aspx ). 
HIV Assistance – Papua New Guinea 
CDC PNG has had extensive involvement in the development of technology solutions in the 
eHealth space for the PNG National Department of Health (NDoH). This has included a collaboration between the National Central Public Health Labora tory (CPHL) and CDC's International Lab Branch 
(ILB) to customize and deploy a Viral Load Sample Management System (VLSM) to support national 
Viral Load testing for people living with HIV (P LHIV). CDC, through the CDC Health Informatics 
Systems Team (HIST) in Atlanta, has facilitated the participation of NDoH staff in the Growing 
eHealth expertise, knowledge and skills (GEEKS) pr ogram. This program is a 3-tiered approach to 
Health Informatics capacity building that includ es an eHealth project that has resulted in the 
deployment of the national HIV Surveillance system onto cloud based infrastructure that has decentralized HIV Surveillance for the first time. Proc essing times for viral load samples, data quality 
and result turnaround times are expected to signif icantly improve, supporting the country's goal of 
expanding viral load testing nationally.  
District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS2) 
DHIS2 is a free and open source health mana gement data platform used by multiple 
organizations and governments worldwide.  
DHIS2 – Mali 
USAID deployed DHIS2 under the Measure Evaluation program. The program 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. DHIS 2 includes indicators of all Health Programs 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 2018. 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 
response. 
DHIS2 – Uganda 
180. Uganda MOH, together with implementing partners and Mission Kampala, identified, 
customized and rolled out the first ever web-based aggregate reporting system in Uganda. CDC staff IP/C/W/646 
 
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  and Mission Kampala implementing partners su pport the USD 500,000 DHIS2 system. The DHIS2 
incorporates the routine reporting requirements for the Uganda Health Management Information Systems (HMIS) with data entry and aggregation at bo th the district and facility level. DHIS2 is the 
standard reporting tool in all the 116 districts in Uganda. Facilities with computers, personnel and 
connectivity are able to enter their data directly and contribute to the district aggregates, which 
increases the number of facilities entering their own aggregate reports. 
DHIS2 – Guinea 
In Guinea, DHIS2 implementation is from the na tional to the prefecture level, with active 
participation and technical assistance from USAID and CDC partners. DHIS2 will 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 – 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 2018, USAID, through 
the President's Malaria Initiative (PMI), supported the GRA with USD 1,700,000 in assistance for the implementation of DHIS2. In 2017, the GRA also  adopted an Electronic Logistics Management 
System (eLMIS) to improve the management of its supply chain for health-related items. USAID/PMI 
supported this activity with an investment of USD 682,605. 
Foreign Government Officials Applaud DHIS2 
A Liberia MOH official said that, "[Through DHIS2], USAID gave back the opportunity to the 
MOH to get ownership of health systems." 
A Guinea MOH official mentioned that "USAID said we will send you two people, one to look at 
DHIS2 and another for the strategic plan. We had this already in our priorities and the evaluations 
agreed we needed this... For 10 years we've been tryi ng to find a single system... It was with the 
assistance of [USAID] that we found and convin ced the MOH to adopt DHIS2. Now everyone will 
follow the MOH." 
Another Guinea MOH Officialsaid: "The DHIS2 st rengthens the health information system for 
both epidemiological surveillance and routine data . The transition from a paper-based monitoring 
system to an electronic system is a crucial step in ensuring the availability of valid and reliable real-
time data for good decision making. " 
A Sierra Leone MOH official noted that the embedded technical advisor brought MOH staff up 
to speed on using DHIS2 and gave MOH staff the abil ity to generate reports and health bulletins for 
the first time in several years.  
Additional Country Programs 
Construction of National Re ference Laboratory – Liberia 
The Department of Defense is assisting th e Government of Liberia with the design, 
construction, and operationa lization of a national reference laboratory in Monrovia, Liberia. This 
effort is designed to establish a Liberian capacity to facilitate the detection, diagnosis, and reporting of pathogens and diseases of potential security concer n. This effort also provides for safe and secure 
short-term storage of pathogens of potential secu rity concern. In coordination with other US 
agencies, including USAID, the CDC, and the NIH, th e US government will also continue to train the 
technical staff and leadership of the newly established National Public Health Institute of Liberia to operationalize the laboratory facility, which will be completed in 2019.  
Defeat Malaria – Myanmar  
USAID's Program "Defeat Malaria" supports compre hensive coverage of at-risk populations in 
three states covering 3 million people with  malaria prevention, diagnosis and treatment IP/C/W/646  
 
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  interventions. Key objectives include strengthen ing the malaria surveillance system to monitor 
progress and respond to outbreaks; support the National Malaria Control Program; and promote the involvement of communities, private healthcare providers, and state-owned enterprises in malaria control and elimination initiatives. 
Maternal and Child Survival Program – Myanmar  
USAID's Maternal and Child Survival Program 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. 
Joint USAID & UN Program on HIV/AIDS – Myanmar 
The program 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.  
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, wi th the overall aim of improving access to quality 
health services. USAID funds leve rage funds from six other donors , including programming in HIV, 
TB, and malaria. 
Global Health Procurement & Supply Management – Myanmar 
USAID, along with Chemonics, supports the MOH to strengthen and unify the public health 
supply chain, and provide logistics technical assistance as well as procurement of selected commodities in support of malaria, HIV and TB pr ograms to improve the availability of essential 
medicines and supplies. 
HIV Rapid Diagnosis Test (RDT) – Burundi 
RDT provides HIV testing and counseling in five supported provinces in Burundi. USAID 
procures the tests and oversees the supply chain, as well as providing training for clinical staff of 
the Government of Burundi as well as civil society clinicians. In addition, USAID supports development of standard operating procedures (S OPs) and support supervisory visits to ensure 
quality. Implementation of the pr oject will result in 400,000 Burundians being tested for HIV and 
provide the Government of Burundi and civil society organizations with capacity, equipment, and 
procedures to continue HIV testing. 
HIV Self Tests – Burundi 
This program provides HIV testing in hard to reach populations such as female sex workers 
and men who have sex with men. USAID supports training of public clinic staff and peer educators by NGO implementers to teach key populations how to administer the test and link themselves to 
clinics for confirmatory reactive tests. Implementati on of the project will result in 3,000 Burundians 
in hard to reach populations being tested for HI V and knowledge transfer to government and NGO 
staff on administering the test and ensuring proper follow-up. 
Abbott Viral Load and Early Infa nt Diagnosis tests – Burundi 
USAID's program provides 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 tests and 
report the results back to patients. Implementati on of the project will result in 10,000 Burundian 
infants of infected mothers with HIV being tested  and the Government of Burundi and civil society 
organizations having the capa city, equipment, and procedur es to continue testing. IP/C/W/646 
 
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Disease Detection Technology – Guinea 
CDC provides supplies and training to the Guinean National Institute of Public Health for the 
detection of influenza and anthrax. CDC also assi sted the Government of Guinea to develop its 
capacity to test for meningitis in the regional laboratories of Kankan and Labe. This program allows 
for specific identification of diseases and in the case of meningitis, resolves the problem of long 
transport times to the capital. 
Guinea Official Praises CDC 
Director of the National Institute of Public Heal th said: "CDC's support in supplies and training 
to INSP has allowed us to significantly strengthen our capabilities in influenza and Anthrax detection, and CDC is also helping us solve the problem of meningitis, but much remains to be done. We hope to continue to receive this support from CDC to do the same in other parts of the country and to 
continue to build our capacity for other diseases such as dengue, Chikunguny a, meningitis, as well 
as antimicrobial resistance." 
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 NIH campus. 
EQUIP Consortium – Zambia 
USAID and EQUIP Consortium work to advance stat e-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 
effectively 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 delivery, innovate new approaches 
to service delivery, scale-up viral-load technology, and analyze cost and outcome data to optimize cost-effectiveness of HIV programming. 
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 ul timate goal is for the drug testing laboratory 
(DTL) to obtain either WHO prequalification or ISO 17025-laboratory accreditation. The program 
intends to 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 quality-assurance related 
aspects of procurement. Its goal is to impr ove the compliance of selected pharmaceutical 
manufacturers with regard to good manufacturing  Practices (GMPs) and support them in dossier 
preparation for WHO prequalification systems for pu blic health medicines, such as MNCH and TB 
drugs. The USD 6,000,000 program also fosters collabo ration 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. 
Advancing Universal Health Coverage (AUHC) – Bangladesh  
USAID's AUHC Project provides people of Bangladesh with high-quality essential health and 
family planning services, while o ffering financial protection for those who cannot pay for services. 
The specific objective of the project is to suppo rt a transition of 399 Smiling Sun (Surjer Hashi) 
clinics to a unified, sustainable, gender sensitive pro-poor social  enterprise through developing 
innovative business models, expanding 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 IP/C/W/646  
 
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  Coverage (UHC) in Bangladesh. With a total investment of USD 90,000,000, 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.  
Research for Decision Makers – Bangladesh 
The purpose of the activity is to conduct implem entation research in response to Government 
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 activity has three primary elements: 1) conduct implementation research on priority health, nutrition and population issues and facilitate use of research findings; 2) provide policy analysis and other advisory services to 
GOB/USAID/USAID partners to assist in health plan ning and decision making; 3) and build capacity 
within Bangladesh to implement high quality research and effectively communicate research findings among various stakeholders. The research and related activities examine policy and programmatic 
issues that will identify and support effective strate gies for increasing access, use, quality and impact 
of maternal health, newborn 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 programmatic guidance 
that will assist the GOB, USAID and its partners to align their programs in effective strategic directions to support the GOB's USD 10 billion health sector program.  
Training Grant for Uganda Cancer Instit ute to Operate and Maintain a Linear 
Accelerator – Uganda 
USTDA is providing a USD 107,700 grant to train Ugandan staff at the Uganda Cancer Institute 
to operate and maintain a new linear accelerator purchased from US firm Varian Medical systems. 
Electronic Medical Records Systems (UgandaEMR) – Uganda 
In order to streamline the implementation of EM Rs in Uganda, the MOH, with support from the 
US government, is closely working with Makerere Un iversity School of Public Health (METS program) 
to customize and rollout OpenMRS as UgandaEMR. The EMR is used to capture client level 
information and have capabilities of generating the National Health Unit Quarterly Report (HMIS Form 106a) and a number of other custom reports th at aid clinical decision support and evidence 
based planning. UgandaEMR is currently the most widely used EMR in Uganda as it is installed in 
almost 700 facilities in 108 districts. UgandaEMR provides for improvements in data completeness 
and accuracy, timeliness of reports, clinical de cision support, improvements in efficiency, and 
immediate availability of information in th e system to the health care providers. 
Cooperative Biological En gagement Program – Uganda  
The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) provided lab equipment, renovation, and 
training for six labs and facilities throughout Uganda. The purpose is to improve biosafety and 
biosecurity standards; enhance the Ugandan capabili ty to detect, diagnose, and report infectious 
diseases; and facilitate collaborative research focused on pathogens of security concern. 
Ongera Ubucuruzi – Rwanda 
USAID will offer in Rwanda ICT interventions to be used to report and monitor non-tariff 
barriers, improve access to information and transpar ency of trade processes to reduce the time and 
cost to trade. Integrated Trade Management Systems (ITMS) are operations systems used in processing trade and trade related transactions us ing automated platforms - USAID support includes 
development of 3 Single Window Information fo r Trade (SWIFT) Portal for Government Trade 
Agencies. The development and rollout of SWIFT Port als will reduce in average clearance and transit 
time from lodgment to release.  IP/C/W/646 
 
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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 Cambodia. The project supports a scale-up of high quality malari a control and prevention interventions, and works 
to strengthen national malaria surveillance syst ems 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 16,543,857 program funded 
by USAID, there were 46,883 malaria tests given. The result was that 11,301 of the tests were 
positive, and 100 % of those cases were treated. 
NOURISH – Cambodia 
SAID's NOURISH program works to reduce anemia in women and children and the %age of 
stunting among children through promoting divers ified food intake. Through this USD 16,249,263 
program funded by USAID, Community Agents co nducted community Growth  Monitoring Promotion 
sessions for 59,305 children under 2 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.  
Quality Health Services (QHS) – Cambodia 
USAID's QHS program works to strengthen and impr ove the quality and availability of services 
in public health facilities by continuing traini ng 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 newborn care, such as the poster on signs of sick 
newborns, updates of existing eclampsia/severe pr e-eclampsia posters, and revision of the birth 
partograph.  
Active Tuberculosis Drug Safety Moni toring and Management (aDSM)– Papua 
New Guinea (PNG) 
USAID supported the aDSM implementation in PNG. The USAID/Johnson and Johnson 
Bedaquiline Donation Program enabled the drug bedaquiline to be accessed for drug-resistant 
tuberculosis (DR-TB) patients. PNG began receiving bedaquiline at a time when no system for 
adverse event monitoring existed in the country. To meet this need, USAID funded the Challenge 
TB Project (CTB) and the Control an d Prevention of Tuberculosis (CAP-TB) Project, both implemented 
by FHI 360 in PNG, to develop aDSM in partnership with the PNG National Department of Health 
Pharmaceutical Services Standards Branch. As a resu lt of this technology transfer, the PNG Guideline 
for Programmatic Management of Drug-Resistant Tu berculosis (PMDT) has recently been approved 
and aDSM is being used for implementation of th is shorter regimen. USAID-funded work on aDSM 
will have a broader impact on the health system be yond bedaquiline as it sets up a recognized base 
for drug safety monitoring for other drugs. 
PNG's Health Department Praises USAID's Program 
The National Department of Health has acknowledged the valuable cooperation of the US 
government in setting up a system that will ensure effective and safe use of drugs to treat resistant 
TB. The experience gathered in monitoring the safe  use of TB drugs has al so benefited the health 
system as it monitors other drugs used in the public health sector. 
Mobile Health (mHealth) Fairs 
Since FY 2016, USAID continues to host a series of mHealth fairs in Benin, bringing the private 
sector, the Government of Benin, and implementing partners together to showcase many of the 
efforts being undertaken to use mobile technology to improve health service delivery. The mHealth 
fairs have provided information useful for the de velopment of a cyber-strategy document for all 
health interventions. The goal is to increase th e use of mobile technologies for health service 
delivery, increasing delivery of these services to rural/remote/hard-to-reach areas. IP/C/W/646  
 
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President's Malaria Initiative (PMI) support to the MOH for entomologic 
monitoring – Zambia 
Entomologic monitoring is an essential component of malaria vector control programs such as 
indoor residual spraying (IRS) campaigns. Entomological activities assess the impact of IRS on 
vector density and behavior; evaluate the quality of operations; and determine mosquito 
susceptibility to insecticides. At the district level PMI provided capacity building to district-level environmental 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 laboratory. The National Malaria Elimination Center can now conduct its own analyses such as speciation of malaria vectors, sporozoite rates, and cone bioassays of insecticide longevity, which were previously outsourced. 
Biomedical Engineering Program – Zambia 
CDC's Biomedical Engineering Program's goal is to establish three National Laboratory 
equipment calibration centers. These centers will be equipped to calibrate all auxiliary equipment 
from all the functional Laborato ries providing diagnostic services. The targets are to establish 
calibration centers and to provide calibration needs for auxiliary laboratory equipment.  
PROGRAMMING AND INCENTIVES RELATE D TO BUILDING LABOR CAPACITY 
US agencies, including the US Department of Labor (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 economy. DOL has developed international projects and joint efforts that aid other countries and international organizations to better understan d the problems facing workers throughout the 
world and to strengthen international labor standa rds and worker protections. These programs build 
capacity in global labor markets and help to level the playing field among trading partners. 
Improving Working Conditions in Bangla desh through Building and Fire Safety 
Programming 
In response to the Bangladesh Rana Plaza disa ster, DOL is funding a USD 1.5 million Fire and 
General Building Safety project that aims to improv e Bangladesh's fire and building safety policies 
and plans; enhance its capacity to efficiently and effectively inspect and ensure timely remediation 
of fire and general building hazards and protec tion against employer retaliation for reporting 
hazards; and provide education and outreach to em ployers and workers on fire and general building 
safety, with improved social dialogue among tripar tite partners (government, worker organizations 
and employer organizations). The project, spanni ng from 2013-2017, provides assistance to the 
Bangladesh Ministry of Labor in the developmen t of a protocol for remediation, and to the 
Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technolo gy (BUET) in approving factory corrective action 
plans (CAP). Active partners in the project includ e the ILO, the Government of Bangladesh Ministry 
of Labor's Directorate of Inspections and Fire Safety and Civil Defense (FSCD) and BUET. This group focusses on vetting structural and fire/electrical consultants, tracking the CAPs, and monitoring 
remediation work. The project has also supported  FSCD training, which has increased the number 
of inspectors from 55 to 268 over the term (see http://www.dol.gov/ilab/p rojects/summaries/Bangla 
%20ILO %20 %20Project %20Summary.pdf ). 
Country Programs  
SAVABE Project – Madagascar  
DOL-funded the USD 4 million SAVABE projec t during November 2016 – July 2020 whereby 
the International Labor Organization (ILO), with its implementing partner the Sustainable Vanilla 
Initiative, works to sustainably reduce child labor in  the production of vanilla as Madagascar produces 
80% of the world's supply. The project seeks to  fully implement the Vanilla Code of Conduct 
throughout the supply chain by, investing in education about child labor issues, ensuring capable 
systems for monitoring and addressing child labor issues, and investing in improving the livelihoods 
of vanilla producing communities including educat ional and vocational training opportunities for 
youth. IP/C/W/646 
 
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Madagascar Government O fficials Applaud SAVABE 
Officials from the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Labor wrote two letters to DOL 
saying that the SAVABE project is "relevant and w ill support the implementation of the National 
Action Plan to eliminate the worst forms of child labor." The Prime Minister also visited and praised 
the project in 2016. 
Strengthened Capacities for Improved C oordination, Protection and Prosecution 
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-centered 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. 
Cambodia Countering Trafficking in Persons (CTIP) Program – Cambodia 
USAID's CTIP enhances national and local strategi es to prevent TIP by focusing on root causes 
of trafficking relating to education, employment opportunities, and livelihoods. The program provides 
strengthened survivor protection and services fo r all forms of TIP through victim identification 
strategies and reintegration options for men, women,  and children. It also increases the likelihood 
of successful prosecutions of TIP and reduced impuni ty for offenders. There are 356 partners in this 
USD 8,500,000 program (private sector partners, NGOs, IOs) providing material, in-kind, technical and financial support towards TIP prevention. 
Rehabilitation and Prosthetics Program fo r Persons with Disabilities – Cambodia 
Funded by USAID, the objectives of the progra m are to ensure the quality of services and 
devices, and to build the capacity of three rehabili tation centers 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 PWDs received 
services and 15 trainings occurred in order to build the capacity of staff delivering rehabilitation 
services. The total estimated cost for this program is USD 1,902,716. 
Decentralization Hackathon – Togo 
The US Embassy teamed up with the technology  collective Minodoo, a group of young coders 
and software developers, to organize a workshop  June 14-17 aimed at putting technology at the 
service of local governance. The event, titled "Doo nyenyo" (meaning "let's do it together" in local 
dialect), took the form of a "hackathon" in which th e coders joined with experts from the field such 
as civil society activists and local government officials to examine the challenges related to the provision of effective services at the local level. The participants then split into groups and worked 
together over the course of three days to develop tech solutions to the challenges that identified. 
The goal is to use technology to improve communi cation between civil society and the government 
with the aim of improving service provisions.  
Nyenyo City – Togo 
The embassy'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 8 months 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.  
Workers' Empowerment Program (WEP) – Component 1 – Bangladesh 
WEP will improve labor 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 US D 3,100,000 total projected investment, it will IP/C/W/646  
 
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  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 specifically wo rk 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 
understanding of construc tive labor relations.  
PROGRAM AND INCENTIVES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION 
US agencies, including the Department of State and Department of Transportation (DOT), 
operate programs such as Safe Skies for Africa. Th e Safe Skies for Africa Program (SSFA) is based 
on the premise that "Safe Skies" are a prerequi site for African economic development through 
increased trade and investment. SSFA works to promote sustainable improvements in aviation safety 
in Africa as a means of advancing economic development and increased investment for Africa. The 
overarching goal of the program is to increase the number of African nations meeting International 
Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards. Th rough the program, 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 thousands 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). SSFA participants include several LDCs, including Angola, Cameroon, Mali, and Tanzania. SSFA's efforts have also included regional outreach through the EAC and the Banjul Accord Group - see 
http://www.ntsb.gov/news/events/Documents /Safe %20Skies %20for %20Africa.pdf.  
Regional Connectivity - Department of Transportation (DOT) – Nepal  
DOT selects in-country partners to conduct workshops to build capacity on transportation-
related topics for participants from South Asia and the Lower Mekong Sub-region. The last workshop 
was March 2018 in Phnom Penh "Best Practices in Infrastructure Public-Private Partnerships."  
Google Project Link - Liberia  
In July 2017, USAID, Google and the Government of Liberia launched the Google Project Link 
to bring best-in-class, reliable, affordable broadband infrastructure to Liberia's capital city of Monrovia. Through a USD 12 million co-investment of cash and in-kind support, this partnership provides access to communications systems needed to prevent and detect future outbreaks before 
they start. The initiative serves to strengthen essential health, education and government systems, 
and will ultimately unlock the potential of the digita l economy for Liberian citizens, of which only five 
% have internet access. Internet connectivity has been set to 50 government sites so far.  
 
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