Page Updated: 09-Jun-2008
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Fostering Regional Cooperation in the South Caucasus, Central Asia and the Mediterranean Dialogue countries

Following the NATO Bucharest Summit in April 2008, there has been particular emphasis on engaging with Partners in the strategically important regions of the South Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia), Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) and the Mediterranean Dialogue countries (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia).

Scientific cooperation enhances communication and understanding and therefore contributes to security and stability in these regions.
One example how the SPS Programme contributes to regional cooperation is the Virtual Silk Highway, under which NATO has supported the establishment of international Internet connectivity and improvement of the quality of telecommunication in South Caucasus and Central Asia.

Furthermore, applied Research and Development (R&D) projects of the SPS Programme enhance cooperation in all three regions. Examples are given below.
South Caucasus

• “South Caucasus River Monitoring”, engaging scientists from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Through this project, NATO, in cooperation with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), helps these countries develop their infrastructure on transboundary water quality and quantity monitoring. (ref. 977991)

• “Multi-disciplinary Analysis of the Caspian Sea Ecosystem”, to improve analysis of the Caspian Sea ecosystem through pooling data and expertise on a regional basis. (ref. 981063)

• “Study of Antimicrobial and Hypoallergenic Products of Lactic Acid Bacteria” brings together scientists in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Egypt, France and Russian Federation to study the antimicrobial and hypoallergenic products of lactic acid bacteria in order to protect the food supply. Since the start of the project in 2007, more than 200 samples have been selected from various mountain regions of Armenia and are currently being purified. So far, nine strains of lactic acid bacteria with antibacterial activity against pathogenic cultures of E. coli and L. bulgaricus have been identified. (ref. 982164)

Central Asia

• “Uranium Extraction and Environmental Security in Central Asian Republics” involves investigators from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Slovenia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. They have cooperated since February 2006 on improving the management of the uranium industry wastes in order to prevent adverse effects on the health of local populations and on the environment. The project determines the migration of radionuclides, the extent of local contamination and the doses to which different population groups have been exposed, with particular focus on drinking-water supplies near uranium tailing and waste ore deposits. The results of this work are of particular interest to various municipal and national regulatory authorities in the countries involved. (ref. 981742)

Mediterranean Dialogue countries

• “Natural and Anthropogenic Aerosol Pollution in the Gulf of Aqaba” involves scientists from Israel, Jordan and the United States. They are co-operating in a project to assess the impacts of aerosol pollution on the marine ecosystems of the Gulf of Aqaba. This effort has involved the integration of joint field, laboratory, modeling and remote sensing data. Work has begun on a conceptual ecosystem model, which will constitute the final product for the end-users, including the Environment Ministries of both Israel and Jordan. (ref. SFP-982161)

• “Microarray-Based Detection of Plant Viral and Viral-Like Pathogens” started in April 2005. Investigators from Jordan, Italy, Israel, Turkey, United States and Egypt have teamed together to develop a way of detecting viral and viral-like pathogens in plants. This has involved synthesizing long oligonucleotide probes for at least 50 viruses and viroids. They have also worked to develop a DNA microarray chip for simultaneous detection and genotyping of pathogens. It is expected that the technology will be transferred to the national plant protection services of the participating countries. (ref. SFP-981023)

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