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RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV
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R 141806Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY LONDON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6992
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 0239
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0751
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1084

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LONDON 000126 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EAID UN UK
SUBJECT: MDG CALL TO ACTION: MORE UK THINKING 
 
REF: 07 LONDON 4389 (NOTAL) 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: In recent meetings at DFID and FCO, UK 
interlocutors raised PM Brown's Millennium Development Goals 
(MDG) Call to Action.  We were told the Call to Action is 
intended mesh with existing development initiatives, but 
bring in a private sector component that the others lack. 
More details will be forthcoming once the UN announces that 
it will host the envisioned September 2008 meeting.  In 
addition, the UK is pursuing the MDG concept via a planned 
spring private sector conference in the UK, EC consultations, 
and discussions with the Japanese in the G-8 context. End 
Summary. 
 
What is the Call to Action? 
--------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) According to UK interlocutors, the Call to Action is 
intended to reinvigorate progress on the MDGs )- and bring 
in a private sector component that has not been included 
previously.  Ian McKendry, head of DFID's MDG Call to Action 
Team said that including a wide range of private-sector 
actors is what differentiates the Call to Action from other 
development initiatives.  In fact, he called this approach 
the Call to Action's USP, or Unique Selling Point, which he 
said is a popular private sector term that DFID is using in 
its thinking.  Asked to define the Call to Action, McKendry 
said it aims to bring in a wide range of stakeholders and 
initiate new actions to get the MDGs back on track. 
 
¶3. (SBU) In a separate meeting at FCO, Nick Bridge, Head of 
FCO's Global Economy Group, stressed that it is important to 
generate momentum on the MDGs, not just within governments, 
but more broadly.  He added that the UK definitely does not 
want the Call to Action to become a process. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Bridge also wanted to ensure that the envisioned 
September 2008 MDG Call to Action event is linked in with the 
existing aid effectiveness agenda, including upcoming EU 
Council meetings in June, the G-8 Summit in Japan in July, 
and the December Financing For Development meeting in Doha. 
(Note: Bridge was not aware of the September Accra meeting on 
the Paris Declaration, but this event is on DFID's list of 
upcoming meetings it needs to link in with the Call to 
Action.)  McKendry also stressed the MDG focus as part of the 
broader development agenda, including other UK priorities 
such as the development of education sector plans and the 
International Health Partnership. 
 
Who is in Charge? 
----------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) McKendry said that the UK has been working closely 
with the UN to determine where to house the initiative at the 
UN.  The choice is between UNDP and the SYG's office.  DFID 
is lobbying for the SYG's office to take responsibility. 
Bridge also envisioned that the SYG's office would take 
responsibility. 
 
¶6. (SBU) McKendry said the UN should make an announcement by 
the end of January about the September conference.  Bridge 
said SYG Ban Ki-moon would make the announcement in a speech. 
 This announcement would provide a focal point for further 
discussions to shape the MDG initiative in practice. Bridge 
reinforced this, noting that the UK is currently in a bit of 
a "holding pattern" on the Call to Action since it has "some 
plans" but wants the UN to lead and shape the proposed 
September 2008 event. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Within HMG, responsibility for the Call to Action is 
shifting within DFID.  Sarah Kline has joined the MDG Call to 
Action team at DFID, and will take over as head of the 
two-person team by the end of January when Ian McKendry 
departs on a year-long leave of absence.  Also, the entire 
team has been shifted from the Global Development 
Effectiveness division of DFID to the division that deals 
with EU and Donor (G-8) Relations.  FCO told us that DFID has 
the lead on Call to Action issues. 
 
What's Next? 
------------ 
 
¶8. (SBU) Chris Carter from DFID's Call to Action team, who 
participated in the FCO meeting, told us the UK, likely the 
PM's office, will host a private sector event in late 
April/early May to discuss ways the private sector can use 
 
LONDON 00000126  002 OF 002 
 
 
its existing business structures (as opposed to just donating 
funds) to help developing countries achieve the MDGs. This 
links in with the 21 companies that have signed the MDG 
Declaration.  (Reftel outlines some of DFID Parliamentary 
Under Secretary and State Shriti Vadera's efforts in this 
area). 
 
¶9. (SBU) Bridge said the UK has been working closely in the 
EU context and that the EU is "keen" to include the MDG focus 
in the June European Council report.  To trigger discussion 
within the EU, Carter said DFID will be doing a report to the 
European Council in the March-April timeframe which will 
celebrate successes toward achieving the MDGs, but also look 
at what more needs to be done. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Bridge said that the UK has been working closely 
with the Japanese and that Japan wants to use MDGs as a hook 
for development issues at this year's G-8 Summit in July. 
 
¶11. (SBU) McKendry told us that Australia, New Zealand and 
Denmark had expressed an interest in becoming signatories to 
the MDG Declaration and that UK Secretary of State for 
International Development Douglas Alexander had spoken to the 
new Australian government representatives at the December 17 
Palestinian donors' conference in Paris.  McKendry said the 
UK plans to arrange a signing event in early 2008. 
 
Visit London's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/london/index. cfm 
LeBaron