VZCZCXRO4183
PP RUEHIK
DE RUEHBS #1613 3351535
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 011535Z DEC 09
FM USEU BRUSSELS
TO RUEHRN/USMISSION UN ROME PRIORITY
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNMEU/EU INTEREST COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS BRUSSELS 001613 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR MPLOWDEN, MLURIE, AND EWILLIAMS; 
USAID FOR JHILL, FMOORE, SBRADLEY, JLEWIS, AND DSKORIC; 
USUN ROME FOR HSPANOS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID EAGR ECON ETRD EUN SOCI
SUBJECT: USEU RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE ON CLARIFICATION OF 
L'AQUILA FOOD SECURITY COMMITMENTS 
 
REF: A. STATE 120804 
     ¶B. USUN ROME 0061 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY: USEU USAID officer delivered reftel demarche to 
the European Commission's (EC) Directorates General for 
Development (DG DEV) and for Agriculture (AGRI).  USEU 
officer spoke with DG DEV's Head of Sector Sustainable 
Management of Natural Resources Marc Debois.  USEU also 
engaged the DG for Agriculture's Head of Unit for Africa, 
Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) and South Africa, UN Food and 
Agriculture Organization's (FAO), and Food Aid Leonard Mizzi, 
who suggested USEU contact DG DEV.  DEV reiterated its 
support for the 2010-2012 timeline for L'Aquila Commitments 
and stressed overall objectives should be to increase donor 
coordination.  END SUMMARY 
 
¶2.   DG DEV's Debois confirmed DEV is working from the 
2010-2012 timeline and committed to USD 3.8 billion.  DEV 
will continue to rely on its primary budget line (European 
Development Fund (EDF)) to satisfy the majority of its 
pledge.  As the EDF runs from 2008-2013, the EC's L'Aquila 
funding does not represent new or additional streams of money 
coming online.  While DEV would not identify a regional or 
country focus, the EDF covers former EU colonies in African, 
Caribbean, and Pacific regions.  DEV will prioritize food 
security funding through individual country plans as part of 
its ongoing EDF strategic review. 
 
¶3.  The EC's Food Security Thematic Program (FSTP) will 
supply a smaller portion, making up roughly 30 percent of the 
aggregate L'Aquila funds.  Like the EDF, FSTP is funded on a 
multi-year basis, but the current cycle runs from 2007-2010. 
The EC will negotiate a new FSTP budget and strategy with the 
Council and Parliament in 2010.  DEV anticipates the same 
funding levels for the next FSTP. 
 
¶3.  DG DEV will utilize a number of criteria for prioritizing 
its food security funds.  The Comprehensive Africa 
Agricultural Development Program (CAADP) is primary among 
them.  However, DEV's priorities also include the importance 
of the agriculture sector to host countries; impact of food 
prices and the price crisis; as well as the EC's Food 
Facility target countries and criteria.  The EC will channel 
85 to 90 percent ofQll L'Aquila funds through bilateral 
mechanisms.  Multilateral channels will include the 
Consultative Group on International Agriculture Research and 
FAO's work on early warning systems. 
 
¶5.  The Commission does not plan to send a Brussels 
representative to the December 7-8 CAADP meetings.  However, 
A representative from the EC Kigali Delegation will 
participate.  USEU officer conveyed the strong USG desire to 
see higher level EC participation to match our engagement. 
 
¶6.  Debois said he was not concerned about commitment 
timelines.  He expressed a desire to have donors clarify 
contributions for any period as new information will 
inherently enhance coordination.  He said he did not find it 
necessary to release publicly details on contributions at 
this stage.  Rather, donors should wait until new information 
 is available beyond a regurgitation of L'Aquila commitments. 
 He noted a need to avoid duplicating activities of the newly 
forming High Level Panel of Experts (HLPE) within a reformed 
FAO Committee on World Food Security. 
 
 
MURRAY 
.