VZCZCXRO7869
OO RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHCO #0963 3550829
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 210829Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY COTONOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0071
INFO RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 0284
RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS 1287
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1217
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1415
RUEHAB/AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN 0268
RUEHRN/USMISSION UN ROME
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA

UNCLAS COTONOU 000963 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/W DBANKS AND G/AIAG MJONES 
DEPT PLEASE PASS USAID FOR MHARVEY, GGREER, GBERTOLIN, NSTUDZINSKI 
AND JBORRAZZO 
USDA FOR FAS MROSENBLUM 
CDC FOR INFLUENZA DIVISION DGROSS AND CDUGGAR 
DAKAR FOR USDA/APHIS CFRENCH AND RCOLY AND USAID 
ROME FOR SPANOS 
ABIDJAN FOR CDC 
 
C O R R E C T E D COPY (PASSING INSTRUCTIONS CHANGED) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR TBIO KFLU BN
SUBJECT: H5N1 UPDATE 1: GOB MEETS WITH DONORS 
 
REF: (A) COTONOU 950 (B) COTONOU 948 (C) COTONOU 932 
 
¶1. Summary: The GOB met with donor representatives on December 19 to 
review the GOB's avian influenza action plan.  The plan, which 
covers the next six months, now assumes that there will be 8 
outbreaks.  The GOB asked the donors to prepare their contributions 
before the GOB makes a decision on its contribution.  Donors 
insisted the GOB begin providing compensation to farmers who lose 
their poultry to culling.  The GOB reported another AI outbreak, 
confirmed by front line tests, in Akpro-Misserete on December 18. 
End Summary. 
 
¶2. The meeting between the GOB and donors was attended by Roger 
Dovonou, the GOB's Minister of Agriculture and the Minister of 
Health Kssil Tchalla as well as key officials from each Ministry 
including the Director of Livestock and the National Director of 
Health.  On the donors' side, representatives from UNICEF, WHO, FAO, 
UNDP and USAID attended the meeting. 
 
¶3. The GOB's contingency plan to contain AI outbreaks during the 
next six months was presented.  The plan covers four key points with 
the following budget needs identified: a) the animal health 
($1,620,000); b) human health ($83,000); c) communication 
($112,000); and d) coordination ($75,000); for a total of 
$1,883,000.  The donors who have announced their contribution are: 
African Development Bank: $128,000; FAO: $62,000 and UNICEF: 
$67,000. After these contributions the remaining funding gap for the 
AI contingency plan is $1.4 million. 
 
¶4.  The Minister of Health indicated Benin faces a grave crisis 
given the impact the AI outbreaks will have on the economy.  The 
Minister of Agriculture stated that the GOB wanted the donor 
community to study the plan and see what they can do to help before 
the GOB provides its own contribution. The GOB's veterinary 
officials now anticipate a total of eight outbreaks during the next 
six months. 
 
¶5. Donors presented what they have done since last year to assist 
the GOB to prepare an appropriate response to potential AI 
outbreaks.  UNICEF indicated that they will support the 
communication plan.  WHO and FAO will provide technical assistance. 
The USAID representative reminded the GOB of the $70,000 worth of AI 
commodities handed-over to the Minister of Agriculture in August 
2007 by the Ambassador. He also indicated that USAID may support the 
communication plan using expertise and resources under the AED/STOP 
AI project based in Dakar, to complement UNICEF's contribution in 
this area. He informed the donors and GOB that USDA is currently 
shipping test kits to Cotonou. The USAID representative also 
indicated the USG might provide sample collection boxes and that CDC 
staff based in Abidjan are ready to provide training to veterinary 
technicians. 
 
¶6.  Donors insisted on the need to do something to compensate 
farmers who will loose hundreds or thousands of birds.  The Director 
of Livestock mentioned that there is resistance among affected 
farmers with regards to culling the birds.  The Minister of Health 
indicated that culling birds should not be negotiable and the GOB 
should be ready to use the army if necessary. 
 
¶7. Both Ministers will give a press conference sponsored by WHO this 
evening.  The purpose is to inform the public about what the GOB is 
doing and planning to do to contain the AI outbreaks.  The Minister 
of Health will also provide information on the human side of the AI 
outbreaks. 
 
¶8.  Two new AI outbreaks were identified in Akpro-Misserete, a town 
in eastern Benin not far from the site of the first outbreak (Ref C) 
on December 18. A first line test performed by the GOB was positive 
for AI.  Additionally, the GOB culled 7,000 birds in Adjarra, the 
site of the first outbreak (Ref C), on December 19 and provided 
compensation to the farmers of the culled birds. 
 
BROWN