VZCZCXRO7535
PP RUEHRN
DE RUEHC #7760/01 0822001
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 231943Z MAR 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHRN/USMISSION UN ROME PRIORITY 0575
INFO RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 0253
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 3853
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 2966
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 4356
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 3547
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON PRIORITY 6789
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 6393
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 5379

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 027760 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPDC PREL FAO UN
SUBJECT: FAO DG DIOUF FIRM ON HIS PLAN FOR A NOVEMBER 
SUMMIT 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  SUMMARY.  In his meeting with IO DAS Anderson, FAO 
Director-General Diouf made clear that he intends to go 
forward with his plans for a head-of-state level food summit 
as part of the November 14-21 FAO Conference, despite 
concerns raised by the U.S. and other countries with the 
summit proposal.  Diouf rejected arguments that a summit in 
November is premature and that it would interfere with 
ongoing efforts to reform the FAO.  Diouf did say, however, 
if President Obama were to host a food security summit in the 
U.S. anywhere outside of New York, he would reconsider his 
plans.  END Summary. 
 
------------------------------- 
Diouf Proceeding with a Summit: 
------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  Diouf at length explained his arguments for 
calling for a summit in Rome in November 2009.   He indicated 
that food prices in developing countries are still 
substantially higher than in 2006, but production in most 
developing countries did not respond to the price increase 
and agricultural productivity remains low. Prices for inputs 
like seeds and fertilizer in developing countries are still 
very high and the financial crisis is lowering incomes and 
making more people food-insecure.   Diouf continues to see a 
need to raise the level of attention to the issue on the 
international agenda.   He acknowledged some success in 
boosting interest in the U.S. Congress and private 
foundations in promoting agricultural development to increase 
production.  He insisted on the need to address food 
security, agricultural investment, and rural infrastructure 
in a single  forum.  When asked what would be different about 
the outcome of a new summit than the meeting held in June 
2008,  Diouf said he aims to announce a new international 
goal to eradicate hunger worldwide by 2025. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Diouf dismissed  U.S. concerns (which have been 
raised by other countries such as Canada) over the drawbacks 
of a November summit at FAO headquarters.  Diouf said he 
cannot call off his plans because he alleged that he has wide 
international support including from the Arab Group, the 
African Union, Caribbean states, Chile and Brazil, including 
substantial commitments of financial support from wealthy 
Gulf states.  He also claimed that the regional groups in 
Rome support his plan.  Diouf dismissed suggestions that the 
UN General Assembly head-of-state meetings in September may 
be a better venue for addressing his concerns, saying that 
attention to food security would be "diluted" there. 
(COMMENT: Diouf appeared to be against addressing food 
security at all in New York.  END COMMENT.)  He also said 
that food security would also not have the prominence it 
should have if it were to be addressed in the context of an 
overall discussion on the Millennium Development Goals, 
including at the proposed MDG summit in 2010.  He said 
Italy's planned G8 discussion involving Diouf is intended to 
focus on Africa rather than food security.  Noting several 
times that he had written repeatedly to President Obama 
regarding his proposal, Diouf said that he would definitely 
reconsider his summit plan if the President accepted his 
invitation to host a food security conference in the United 
States - anywhere outside of New York, he added.  DAS 
Anderson reiterated the U.S. view that a summit in Rome in 
November would not be helpful to the broader effort to build 
a global partnership encompassing all UN system and other 
major actors. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
Diouf says Cooperation with UN High-Level Task Force is 
Good: 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Diouf said that he, WFP Executive Director Josette 
Sheeran, IFAD President Bage, and Coordinator of the UN 
High-Level Task Force David Nabarro are "working as a team." 
In this vein, he  claimed that the FAO's Committee on Food 
Security (CFS) has been "entrusted with moving the Global 
Partnership on Food and Agriculture Security (GPAFS) 
forward."  DAS Anderson pressed that the CFS is in need of 
reform, which we hope to see in process by the November 
 
STATE 00027760  002 OF 002 
 
 
Conference.  A reformed CFS, he added, would be in a better 
position to work in support of the GPAFS.  DAS Anderson added 
that the U.S. prefers a single international group of experts 
to support the Global Partnership, rather than multiple 
groupings. 
 
---------------------------- 
Discussion with Dr. Fedoroff 
---------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Diouf subsequently met with Dr. Nina Fedoroff, 
Science Adviser to the Secretary.  The discussion focused on 
actions the FAO is taking to promote crop adaptation to 
climate change and the need for infrastructure and leadership 
in Africa to combat food insecurity.  Dr. Fedoroff 
specifically noted that the FAO could help bridge the gap 
between international and private sector research work, and 
could be an important promoter of biotechnology to address 
climate adaptation.  DAS Anderson added that a reformed CFS, 
if recognized as a credible forum for serious discussion of 
food security issues,  could provide a forum for airing of 
these issues.  Diouf invited Dr. Fedoroff to visit FAO when 
she is in Rome for the May 5-7 Vatican conference on GMOs. 
CLINTON