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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DUBLIN 000535 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT OF ENERGY FOR ANGIE PISCITELLI/MATT ROGERS/KAY THOMPSON 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/10/2019 
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID ENRG EI MI ET TZ UG MZ
SUBJECT: IRELAND: DEVELOPMENT MINISTER ON FOOD SECURITY, 
AFGHANISTAN, ENERGY 
 
REF: A. DUBLIN 521 
     ¶B. STATE 123222 
     ¶C. DUBLIN 510 
     ¶D. STATE 122731 
 
DUBLIN 00000535  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Daniel M. Rooney.  Reasons 1.4(b/d). 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY: On December 8 Ambassador Rooney met with 
Peter Power, Ireland's Minister of State for Overseas 
Development.  Power wants to work more closely with the U.S. 
on food security in Africa, Ireland's top development 
priority.  He also agreed to explore the possibility of 
contributing more to food security in Afghanistan.  Power 
suggested renewable energy and "green development" could be 
an additional area for cooperation.  Post will step up 
dialogue with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and 
others to follow up.  END SUMMARY. 
 
------------------------------------------ 
FOOD SECURITY COOPERATION IN KEY COUNTRIES 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶2. (C) The Ambassador began the discussion by stressing that 
food security is a priority that Ireland and the U.S. share. 
He offered to facilitate a focused dialogue between the 
Embassy and the DFA to help increase coordination and support 
possible joint projects.  Power replied that food security is 
indeed "the cornerstone of Irish development aid."  He 
praised President Obama's and Secretary Clinton's leadership 
on fighting hunger, and said he was proud to have represented 
Ireland at the September 26 food security event co-hosted by 
the Secretary and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon during the 
UN General Assembly.  Fiona Quinn, Development Specialist in 
Irish Aid (the development arm of the DFA), added that her 
counterparts in Africa were reporting that U.S. and Irish 
priorities were meshing well in key countries such as Malawi, 
Ethiopia, Tanzania, Mozambique and Uganda.  Power said he 
would welcome Embassy-DFA consultations to support the 
bilateral dialogue that has already started on food security, 
both in Washington and in key African capitals.  He added 
that Ireland is interested in collaborating on a possible 
side event on food security during the Millenium Development 
Goals Review Summit in September 2010. 
 
----------------------------- 
FOOD SECURITY IN AFGHANISTAN? 
----------------------------- 
 
¶3. (C) The Ambassador raised the importance of international 
unity in Afghanistan and Pakistan (reftels), and asked Power 
whether there would be any additional Irish contributions 
soon to the development effort there.  (NOTE: Ireland has 
contributed approximately 20 million euros in development aid 
in Afghanistan in recent years.  END NOTE.)  Power was 
noncommittal, but said that the Secretary's discussion of 
Afghanistan in October with Prime Minister Cowen and Foreign 
Minister Martin had registered with them; Power suggested 
that Ireland might provide additional aid to Afghanistan 
focusing on food security. 
 
------------------------------------ 
WORKING TOGETHER ON RENEWABLE ENERGY 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶4. (C) Power expressed enthusiasm about Post plans to 
co-organize with the Irish government and the Northern 
Ireland Executive a conference on renewable energy in Spring 
¶2010.  He said renewable energy, and the "green development" 
agenda in general, were areas in which the U.S. and Ireland 
should cooperate further. 
 
¶5. (C) COMMENT: Irish and U.S. interests  in food security 
and renewable energy mesh well.  Post will continue to 
explore ways to highlight and increase our cooperation in 
these areas.  On Afghanistan, the GOI seems willing to 
contribute more, but it is preoccupied now with the upcoming 
2010 austerity budget (septel); with continued engagement 
from us, however, Ireland might decide to announce additional 
contributions in time for the late-January London conference. 
 END COMMENT. 
 
DUBLIN 00000535  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
ROONEY