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DE RUEHBP #1423/01 3531008
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P 191008Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY BAMAKO
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6611

UNCLAS BAMAKO 001423 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR S/ES-O - Please pass to All Diplomatic and Consular Posts 
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E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR TBIO KFLU EAID ECON PREL ML
SUBJECT: Bamako Conference on Avian and Pandemic Influenza reviews 
progress, but much more needs to be done; USG leads pledges totaling 
almost $500 million 
 
Ref: State 190899 
 
¶1. Summary: Meeting in Bamako Dec. 6-8, international donors pledged 
approximately $475.9 million in new assistance for the global fight 
against avian and pandemic influenza (API), including $100 million 
from the USG (the largest single pledge, followed by Canada and the 
European Commission).  The new pledges came very close to the 
minimal requirements for a successful conference, but there are 
signs that momentum in the fight against the disease - despite the 
spread of outbreaks from 14 to 55 countries in 2006 alone -- is 
beginning to slow.   Malian President Toure in his welcoming address 
praised the USG for its commitment to the fight against API.  Major 
effort may be required in the coming months to maintain worldwide 
momentum, including a successful IPAPI conference in New Delhi next 
year.  Puzzlingly, the Indians were a no-show in Bamako. 
Nevertheless, the IPAPI Core Group, meeting on the margins of the 
conference outlined key areas of focus for the international effort 
in the coming months and remained optimistic that New Delhi would 
generate further funding.  End Summary. 
 
-------------------------- 
New Money for Fighting API 
-------------------------- 
 
¶2.  The "Fourth International Conference on Avian and Pandemic 
Influenza," a ministerial-level meeting organized by the Government 
of Mali, the African Union, and the European Commission, took place 
in Bamako December 6-8.  Participants reviewed progress in 
fulfilling previous funding commitments and donors pledged 
additional funds for API. 
 
¶3.  For new pledges, the USG led the way with $100 million (with 
more to follow later in FY-2007, pending congressional 
authorization) above our pledge at the Beijing conference in January 
¶2006.  (Included in the pledge was the US contribution of $100,000 
for conference expenses.)   The tally of new assistance pledges at 
Bamako was as follows (in millions USD): 
 
Donor   Bamako Pledge   Beijing Pledge   Total Pledge 
 
USA    $100.0          $334.0             $434.0 
Canada   92.5             0                 92.5 
EC       88.2           124.4              212.6 
Japan    67.0           155.0              222.0 
Others  128.2          1260.8             1389.0 
 
Total   475.9          1874.2             2350.1 
 
A total of 14 countries made pledges at the conference.  As a result 
of the new promises, total pledges against API, starting with the 
Beijing conference, have surpassed $2.3 billion. 
 
¶4.  The Bamako pledges approached the minimum yearly requirement 
against API as described by UN System Influenza Coordinator (UNSIC) 
Dr. David Nabarro.  Just before the conference began, the U.S. 
delegation chaired a meeting of the Core Group of the U.S.-initiated 
International Partnership on Avian and Pandemic Influenza (IPAPI) to 
coordinate objectives for the conference, including continuing 
worldwide focus and action on the API threat and demonstrating that 
donors, including the USG, are meeting funding commitments.  Nabarro 
stated the conference could be judged a success if donors pledged 
$500-$700 million in assistance, thus meeting needs worldwide for 
the next year, provided additional funds at a comparable level were 
made available in the coming 2-3 years as well and a significant 
portion of the funds pledged were not earmarked and were to benefit 
Africa.   Many of the donors stated that a significant portion of 
their new pledges would go to Africa. 
 
-------------------------------- 
Conference Themes and Discussion 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  In his keynote address, Nabarro discussed the rapid expansion of 
avian influenza outbreaks in recent years and noted that the 
likelihood of the virus changing genetically and becoming 
transmissible in humans in a sustained way is not known but 
increases with the amount of virus circulating.  He cited three 
factors for successful API program implementation: political 
leadership and successful alliances among shareholders; resources 
and capacity to scale up implementation with effective management 
systems; and long-term changes to reduce risks of animal and human 
influenza, including social mobilization for sustained adoption of 
new practices, and greater action on compensation. 
 
¶6.  An FAO representative made it clear that, although the avian 
influenza situation is "looking up" due to large-scale activities of 
governments and others and resources provided by donors, the battle 
has not been won and must continue.  The WHO representative, 
 
almost $500 million 
 
discussing planning for a possible pandemic, said that global 
surveillance still has many "blind spots."  The European CDC 
representative said the EU needs to undertake two to three more 
years of pandemic preparedness activities.  In a well-received 
session, attendees heard from the World Bank, UNICEF, and others 
regarding new studies and strategies on compensation and culling of 
poultry and on communications and public awareness activities.  The 
Indonesia representative described at length the Tangerang project 
(done jointly with the U.S. and Singapore).  In its intervention on 
behalf of non-governmental organizations, the International 
Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies stressed that 
community-based organizations and civil society play a unique and 
complementary role and have to work cooperatively to mitigate API 
risks and challenges. 
 
¶7.  At the end of the conference, delegates approved by consensus 
the Bamako Declaration (available at 
www.avianinfluenzaconference4.org).  The declaration noted that the 
conference built on recommendations made during the previous 
international API conferences; that list began with IPAPI in 
Washington in October 2005.  Consistent with the IPAPI Core 
Principles, the declaration further strengthened international 
commitment to transparency in reporting of influenza cases and to 
immediate sharing of epidemiological data and samples with the World 
Organization for Animal Health (OIE in French), the Food and 
Agriculture Organization (FAO), the OFFLU Network, and the World 
Health Organization (WHO) to detect and characterize the nature and 
evolution of any outbreaks as quickly as possible in order to 
achieve early containment. 
 
¶8.  Special Representative John Lange participated in both press 
conferences held during the three-day meeting. 
 
-------------------------- 
Praise for U.S. Commitment 
-------------------------- 
 
¶9.  The U.S. fielded a strong interagency delegation led by the 
Special Representative on Avian and Pandemic Influenza and including 
USAID Assistant Administrator Dr. Kent Hill, USDA/APHIS 
Administrator Dr. Ron DeHaven, and HHS Influenza International 
Coordinator Dr. David Bell. 
 
¶10.  In his speech on Dec 6, Assistant Administrator Hill noted all 
countries, including the U.S., benefited from international 
cooperation against API.  He described the USG's National Strategy, 
introduced in November 2005, followed by our National Implementation 
Plan.  Hill also underscored USG international assistance, noting 
that our $324 million in assistance disbursed so far has reached 73 
countries, helping 53 of them to develop their national plans. 
 
¶11.  In his speech during the session on pandemic preparedness on 
Dec. 7, Ambassador Lange noted global progress on API since 
President Bush's announcement of the International Partnership at 
UNGA in September 2005.  He described increased USG assistance to 
Africa for fighting avian influenza and for preparing for a possible 
human pandemic.  He also emphasized that USG activities, where 
possible, emphasize support for strengthening animal and human 
health capacity for the long term.  (The remarks are posted on the 
State Department website at www.State.gov/g/avianflu.) 
 
¶12.  On the conference's second day, Malian President Amadou Toumani 
Toure praised USG leadership and engagement on API.  Referring to 
the inaugural IPAPI meeting in Washington, Toure said the USG has 
demonstrated "determined engagement" on API since October 2005 and 
noted that our delegation, with representatives from four USG 
agencies, was another indication of strong U.S. commitment.  In his 
prepared remarks to the plenary, UNSIC's Nabarro also praised IPAPI 
and affiliated initiatives for maintaining global political 
coordination against API.  Head of the African Union (AU) 
delegation, Commissioner for Social Affairs Bience Gawanas, also 
thanked the USG for its support against API and pleaded for it to 
continue. 
 
¶13.  On the margins of the conference, USDel members met with heads 
of delegation and others in a series of highly productive meetings 
with WHO, FAO, OIE, the AU, the Government of Mali (Minister of 
Livestock), the Government of Nigeria (Representatives of the 
Ministries of Agriculture and Health) and others. 
 
---------- 
What Next? 
---------- 
 
¶14.  Despite general satisfaction with the level of pledges and 
universal acknowledgement of Africa's critical need (eight countries 
so far with confirmed cases of avian influenza, but fears that the 
disease could spread much more widely), there was a sense among some 
 
almost $500 million 
 
donors that momentum against the disease may be slowing.  African 
delegations, on the other hand, tended to praise the conference as 
highly informative and very useful.  Approximately 72 countries 
attended the conference, but notably absent was India, the host for 
the next big meeting -- IPAPI -- tentatively slated for October 
¶2007. 
 
¶15.  Special Rep Lange again convened the IPAPI Core Group 
representatives (including incoming EU President Germany) and 
invited UN agencies, OIE, and the World Bank to a meeting 
immediately following the conference to discuss key actions for 
international focus in the next six months and to make tentative 
decisions on the sequence of upcoming international meetings.  Dr. 
Nabarro proposed four areas that were refined by discussion that 
warranted greatest attention, including:  a. improving 
implementation in Africa and the need for new financing mechanisms; 
b. refining technical guidance that was delivered at the conference 
on compensation and communications and developing new guidance on 
animal vaccination; c. strengthening pandemic readiness globally and 
developing ways to assist resource-poor nations; and d. further 
intensifying coordinated action in countries that are particularly 
challenging, such as Indonesia and possibly Egypt. 
 
¶16.  The Core Group also agreed to recommend to the Government of 
India that the next high-level international meeting on API, which 
the Bamako Declaration had reaffirmed is to be held in India, should 
take place in October-December 2007.  Given that timing and the 
level of pledges made in Bamako, the India meeting will need to 
include a pledging session.  The World Bank agreed to update the 
status of donor pledges as of June 30, 2007, and prepare a report 
some months prior to the next pledging conference. 
 
¶17.  There also was consensus in the Core Group that a broad 
technical meeting covering issues related to animal and human health 
should take place between now and the New Delhi meeting.  This 
meeting may be hosted by a UN agency, possibly FAO, and its agenda 
would be developed by UNSIC in coordination with others.  The IPAPI 
Core Group would convene in-person on the margins of that technical 
meeting, in addition to the regular Core Group conference calls 
approximately every other month. 
 
¶18.  Special Rep Lange has cleared this cable. 
 
MCCULLEY