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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 CAIRO 002165 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
BRUSSELS FOR USDA SCOHEN AND ECON MDASTIN-VANRIJN 
ROME FOR USMISSION (FODAG) WBRAKEL 
PARIS FOR USOECD HRECINOS 
USDA FOR FAS BIOTECH UNIT EJONES AND BRICHEY 
NAIROBI FOR USAID AND UNEP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR ETRD ECON EFIN EINV TBIO EG
SUBJECT: SENIOR ADVISOR FOR AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY 
ADVOCATES SCIENCE-BASED REGULATORY FRAMEWORK IN EGYPT AND 
MIDDLE EAST 
 
REF: SECSTATE 34706 
 
This message is sensitive but unclassified. Please handle 
accordingly. 
 
------- 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1.  (SBU) State Department Senior Advisor for Agricultural 
Biotechnology Madelyn Spirnak visited Egypt the week of 
February 12-18 to speak at the International Center for 
Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), to advocate 
in favor of a supportive regulatory framework for 
agricultural biotechnology, and to urge support for U.S. 
positions in the negotiations in the Third Meeting of the 
Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (BSP) in Curitibia, Brazil. 
Spirnak met with GOE representatives, including members of 
the legislative drafting committee for a new law implementing 
the BSP, as well as with private sector representatives. 
Although there is pressure from the private sector and some 
support from the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) for the use of 
biotech products, some elements of the GOE have obstructed a 
biotech-friendly regulatory environment. End summary. 
 
---------- 
Background 
---------- 
 
¶2.  (U) In the 1990s, the MOA took the lead in developing 
Egypt's biotech laws, but over the past few years, the 
Ministry of Environment (MOE) has taken charge, and there are 
fears in the private sector that the legislation being 
drafted will hinder rather than promote biotech development 
in Egypt.  The draft legislation was created by a 13-member 
committee that included both the MOE and the MOA, and has 
been submitted to the Ministry of Justice, where it awaits 
action.  Biotech research will be governed by the MOA-led 
National Biosafety Committee, but commercialization decisions 
will be authorized by the MOE-led "High Committee on 
Biosafety." 
 
¶3.  (SBU) The private sector has experienced much frustration 
with the existing biotech approval process.  The Misr Pioneer 
Seed Company attempted to get a biotech maize variety 
registered about five years ago, according to the company's 
managing director, but after years of unnecessary costs and 
delays imposed by the Variety Registration Committee, Pioneer 
withdrew its application. Pioneer is planning to try again to 
get an approval next year for two new maize varieties. 
(Note: Egypt imports maize as feed from the US, half of which 
is biotech.  End note.)  Monsanto, working with Fine Seeds, 
has also been trying to register a maize variety, but has 
encountered bureaucratic tangles.  Monsanto also has been 
collaborating with the Agricultural Research Center of the 
MOA for five years to develop Biotech cotton seeds.  These 
cannot be sold in Egypt until the government puts into place 
a workable, science-based regulatory system. 
 
--------------------------------------- 
Meetings with Parliament and Ministries 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) In meetings and social events throughout the week, 
Spirnak interacted with a broad spectrum of Egyptian decision 
and opinion makers, including the chairmen of the Peoples' 
Assembly Agricultural and Science and Technology Committees, 
and biotech advocates such as Agricultural Genetic 
Engineering Research Institute (AGERI) head Dr. Hanniya El 
Etribi.  She also met the unconvinced, including Dr. Moustafa 
Fouda of the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA), 
 
CAIRO 00002165  002 OF 006 
 
 
who is also director of the National Biosafety Program. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) In meetings with members of Parliament and with the 
Ministries of Agriculture (MOA), Environment (MOE), Foreign 
Affairs (MFA), and Trade (MOTI), Spirnak urged support for 
the U.S. position in the negotiations in Curitibia, and for a 
practical and effective implementation of the BSP.  Spirnak 
also urged GOE representatives to ensure that Egypt's biotech 
laws were science-based and transparent, emphasized the cost 
to agricultural trade and development of impractical 
documentation requirements, addressed issues of liability 
regimes that place unreasonable burdens on biotech producers, 
and encouraged the GOE to ensure that all relevant ministries 
were represented in domestic regulatory decision-making as 
well as in its BSP delegation. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Spirnak met with several agricultural officials in 
the GOE who are committed to the advancement of modern 
agricultural biotechnology.  Saad Nassar, the Senior Advisor 
to the Minister of Agriculture, stressed the important role 
that his ministry has to play in the development of this 
technology and any legislation to regulate application of the 
technology.  He further stressed his desire to see all 
concerned ministries in Egypt working cooperatively to move 
Egypt to the next phase of development, which is 
commercialization. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Spirnak inquired about public outreach by the GOE. 
Saad Nassar responded that publicity campaigns should be 
carried out by scientists, but the Ministry is aware of the 
need for more positive exposure to biotechnology.  He 
confided that his Minister was in the process of appointing 
new members to a biosafety committee, which had been dormant 
for nearly two years due to lack of interest on the part of 
the previous minister.  Spirnak also focused attention on the 
meeting in Curitibia.  Mr. Nasser promised to send a 
representative from the Ministry of Agriculture.  (Note:  It 
was later learned that only Dr. Fouda represented Egypt in 
the meeting.  End note.) 
 
-------------------------------- 
Public Speaking/Media Interviews 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) The Embassy arranged numerous public speaking and 
media opportunities for Spirnak.  She spoke on the 
"International Implications of Implementation of the 
Biosafety Protocol" at a conference sponsored by the 
International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry 
Areas (ICARDA) February 13.  At the American University in 
Cairo, Spirnak addressed the topic of "Journalism and 
Biotech" with an audience of young journalists and 
scientists.  She also held a press roundtable with Egyptian 
publications El Messa, Akhbar El-Yom, The Agricultural 
Magazine, Al Akhbar, and Business Today.  Akhbar Al-Yom's 
article noted that ag biotech can help the poor, but it also 
played up the opposition to GMOs from environmentalists and 
the EU.  El Messa noted bilateral cooperation in biotech. 
Agriculture Magazine wrote a lengthier factual summary of the 
discussion, focusing on the need for education regarding 
GMOs.  A television interview was aired more than seven times 
on Nile News in its entirety. 
 
--------------------- 
FAO-ICARDA Conference 
--------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Spirnak participated in the three-day FAO-ICARDA 
conference on BSP Implementation along with officials from 
Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Morocco, Syria, Iraq, Algeria, 
Lebanon, Iraq and Iran.  In addition to FAO co-organizers, 
 
CAIRO 00002165  003 OF 006 
 
 
UNEP-GEF officials from Geneva and Kenya attended.  Spirnak's 
presentation focused on the costs of implementing BSP, noting 
the financial burdens that different documentation 
requirements would entail, using Egypt as an example.  Other 
participants briefed on the status of research and regulatory 
framework in their countries, requesting greater regional 
cooperation in research and risk assessment. 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Many participants, the most outspoken of which was 
the Iranian, derided UNEP-GEF for its failure to include all 
stakeholders (farmers, trade and agriculture officials) in 
the process of developing national biosafety frameworks. 
They also voiced concern that UNEP-GEF would abandon them in 
the implementation stage.  Iran was particularly concerned 
about the pre-eminent position that environment ministries 
have been given in the regulatory field of biodiversity; this 
has hampered development of the technology in the Middle East 
as well as in other regions.  He gave a fascinating 
presentation on Iran's biotech rice commercialization, noting 
that his biotech institute suffered a ten-year setback on 
commercialization because of inaccurate press reports that 
drew attention to the project.  (Note:  Iran is reportedly 
the only country in the world to have commercialized a 
transgenic rice variety and the only Middle Eastern country 
to commercialize a transgenic crop.  End note.) 
 
¶11.  (SBU) Summing up the workshop, participants agreed that 
they needed to "talk to each other" more and build a strong 
regional network of contacts.  Egypt noted that it had opened 
up its laboratories to researchers/students from the region 
and suggested others do likewise.  All participants stressed 
the need for more public information.  FAO noted that there 
already are several resource materials produced by 
international organizations such as itself and the World 
Health Organization that could be made available in Arabic 
for participating countries. 
 
----------------------------- 
Meeting with Parliamentarians 
----------------------------- 
 
¶12.  (SBU) In a joint meeting with Dr. Mohamed Sherif Omar, 
Chairman of the Education and Scientific Research Committee 
of the People's Assembly, and Ismail El Ghoul, Chairman of 
the Irrigation and Agriculture Committee, Spirnak pressed 
Egypt to support a practical and effective implementation of 
the BSP, and explained the cost of impractical documentation 
requirements.  She also addressed issues of liability regimes 
that place unreasonable burdens on biotech producers, and 
encouraged the GOE to ensure that all relevant ministries 
were represented in domestic regulatory decision-making as 
well as in its BSP delegation. 
 
¶13.  (SBU) Spirnak also met with Dr. Moustafa El Said, 
Chairman of the Economic Affairs Committee of the Assembly. 
El Said said he views biotechnology as a very important tool 
for improving agriculture production, but was not fully aware 
of the draft biosafety law, which he thought addressed 
consumer protection issues.  The meetings with 
parliamentarians confirmed a general lack of knowledge about 
the government's regulation of transgenic crops and an 
interest in learning more in order to develop the potential 
of biotech for Egyptian agriculture.  In particular, Dr. 
Sherif Omar indicated his desire for more information and 
contact with the Embassy on this point. He indicated that 
Egypt should pursue a regulatory path similar to that of the 
United States. 
 
------------------------------------------- 
Egyptian Decision-makers Remain Unconvinced 
------------------------------------------- 
 
CAIRO 00002165  004 OF 006 
 
 
 
¶14.  (SBU)  During a well-attended dinner hosted by the DCM, 
Dr. Fouda of the EEAA stated that he opposed biotech on 
religious grounds, that he did not want to be known as the 
man who unleashed a disaster on his country by being 
under-cautious, and insisted that not enough was known about 
the safety of biotech products to allow them to be marketed 
in Egypt. 
 
¶15.  (SBU)  In a later meeting with Fouda and Dr. Osama El 
Tayeb, Advisor to the MOE on biosafety and one of the 
principal drafters of the biosafety regulations, Fouda 
shifted position, stating that he is actually very keen to 
develop biotech in Egypt, but only if it is developed 
according to the law and for the good of the Egyptian people. 
 Fouda said that issues such as documentation and liability 
under the BSP are still being negotiated but Egypt will 
continue to follow a precautionary approach in negotiations. 
Although Fouda acknowledged that biotech could be approved 
now under current law, and does not have to wait for the new 
law to be passed, he admitted that approvals have been held 
up.  He also said that approvals would take longer once the 
new law is in place.  Fouda and Osama confirmed that current 
draft legislation is now at the Ministry of Justice and will 
later be sent to the Cabinet.  Issues of documentation and 
labeling are still being discussed. 
 
¶16.  (SBU) Fouda said the most important factor for him was 
that approval of biotech products be completely transparent, 
and reiterated his fear that he will be condemned 20 years 
from now if he makes the wrong decision.  Spirnak agreed that 
transparency in a science-based decision-making process was 
necessary to create public confidence in the regulatory 
system.  She also urged Fouda and El Tayeb to look at the 
positive track record of biotech crops over the past ten 
years, including increased yields and environmental benefits. 
  Despite the positive results to date, El Tayeb said he 
remains unconvinced that the safety of biotech has been 
proven. 
 
¶17.  (U) At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Spirnak pressed 
these issues, and also addressed the issues of liability and 
damages.   The MFA's Environmental Counselor Omar Ali Abou 
Eiche said he remains cautious, stating that ten years of use 
of biotech in the U.S. is not enough to prove safety. 
 
----------------------------- 
Private Sector Favors Biotech 
----------------------------- 
 
¶18.  (SBU)  In separate meetings with industry 
representatives from Pioneer, Monsanto, and the Egyptian Seed 
Association, Spirnak heard complaints that the GOE has not 
moved forward with legislation, and has held up approvals for 
biotech products despite having no legal grounds for denial. 
Spirnak met wit Mr. Ahmed Kamel, CEO of Pioneer Egypt and Dr. 
Azmi Iskander, also of Pioneer, and with Samir El Naggar, 
Chairman of the Egyptian Seed Association.  The industry 
representatives speculated that Fouda may fear foreign 
technology, and suspects that biotech firms have an 
underlying agenda harmful to Egyptian agriculture that has 
not yet been exposed.  Another possible fear is that seeds 
will be too expensive for small farmers.  A third possibility 
is that approval is being held back until there is an 
"Egyptian seed," i.e., Egyptian biotech products that can 
compete with existing biotech seeds.  Although Fouda has 
stated that he is waiting for all the data to be in, the 
private sector representatives said they had provided him 
with volumes of data.  They also believe that existing laws 
permit the marketing of biotech products consistent with the 
BSP.  They complained that the biotech impasse has been going 
 
CAIRO 00002165  005 OF 006 
 
 
on for many years, with breakthroughs often seeming imminent, 
but without ultimate resolution. 
 
¶19.  (SBU) Some suggested that scientists at the Agriculture 
Research Center (ARC) are the real opponents to 
liberalization in Egypt, because ARC's "special units," who 
decide on the release of seeds by private sector firms 
(members of the Seed Registration Committee), also produce 
their own biotech products that would compete with the 
private sector. 
 
¶20.  (SBU) Kamel and El Naggar indicated a need for 
development of a new seed law that would allow practical 
application of biotechnology in agriculture. Kamel also 
admitted the private sector didn't do enough to get the 
message to the general public. 
 
¶21.  (SBU) According to Kamel, the EU had hurt itself with 
heavy-handed tactics in attempting to impose its views on 
labeling of biotech products on developing nations.  EU 
biotech policies, they added, also may harm Egypt's 
agricultural exports to European countries. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
Ministry of Health Seeks Assistance in Risk Assessment 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶22.  (U) Spirnak met with Dr. Azza Gohr, Director of the 
Nutrition Research Institute, which is affiliated with the 
MOHP, and with Dr. Mohammed Fahmi Seddik member of the 
National Biosafety Committee and a senior member at the 
institute.  Dr. Seddik indicated that the drafting committee 
is still reviewing the draft biosafety law, with particular 
regard to certain definitions and labeling issues.  The 
institute is responsible for the risk assessment of food 
products.  Dr. Gohr noted the Institute's cooperation with 
the U.S. FDA in the area of nutrition and favors the 
expansion of such cooperation, particularly in training of 
her new, young staff responsible for conducting risk 
assessments. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
Conclusion: Sustained Focus on Egypt May Benefit Biotech 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
¶23.  (SBU) Comment: Although Egypt has been developing its 
biotech capabilities for some time, there are factors that 
have impeded biotech-friendly legislation allowing the 
private sector, including U.S.-owned companies, to market 
their products.  Egypt is a signatory to the BSP, but has yet 
to promulgate regulations implementing it.  The Ministry of 
Agriculture (MOA) and AGERI have generally advocated 
biotech-friendly laws, but the new laws are being drafted by 
an inter-ministerial committee.  On the other side of the 
issue, the EEAA continues to block progress on a biosafety 
law because of its anti-biotech position. 
 
¶24.  (SBU) Comment continued:  There are other factors that 
may influence Egypt's stance on biotech, but it is difficult 
to discern their impact.  The EU's precautionary approach and 
strict traceability and labeling regime inhibit some 
agricultural producers in Egypt.  There are some indications 
that AGERI itself is holding back legislation until it is 
ready to release its own biotech products.  During the course 
of Spirnak's visit, even biotech advocates voiced strongly 
patriotic sentiments, with preference stated for an "Egyptian 
seed" that has not yet been developed. Also, GOE ministers 
and other bureaucrats often have a financial stake in assets 
they control through regulation. 
 
¶25.  (SBU) Comment continued:  Although the regulatory 
 
CAIRO 00002165  006 OF 006 
 
 
impasse has continued for years, post believes Egypt could 
benefit from continued focused attention on the biosafety law 
at the legislative level in order to keep the issue of 
biotech's benefits to Egypt alive and prevent obfuscation of 
the matter at the ministerial level.  Continued regulatory 
cooperation, especially with the Health Ministry, which could 
serve as a positive element in the ministerial drafting 
process, would help to broaden support for a science-based 
risk assessment and regulatory framework.  End comment. 
 
¶26.  (U) Senior Advisor Spirnak cleared this message. 
RICCIARDONE