VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMD #0216/01 0571221
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 261221Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY MADRID
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2010
INFO RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS

UNCLAS MADRID 000216 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/ERA, EUR/WE, EEB/IFD/ODF 
USEU FOR USAID-USEU ANDERSON 
STATE PASS USAID FOR EXEC SECRETARY PIERCE, SPECIAL 
ASSISTANT HUBBARD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR EAID KGHG SENV SP TBIO
SUBJECT: USAID ADMINISTRATOR AND EUROPEAN COUNTERPARTS 
DISCUSS TRANSATLANTIC COOPERATION 
 
This is a combined Embassy Madrid/USAID-USEU cable. 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. (U) USAID Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah, EU Development 
Ministers, and EU officials discussed the U.S.-EU 
Transatlantic Development Dialogue, Haiti, and related issues 
during the EU Development Ministers Informal Meeting on 
February 17-18 at La Granja, Spain.  In plenary sessions and 
in bilateral meetings, Administrator Shah confirmed the USG 
commitment to U.S.-EU development partnerships and support 
for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).  European 
development ministers clearly appreciated Administrator 
Shah's participation and the USG commitment to the MDGs and 
exploring partnership opportunities with the EU and member 
states.  End Summary. 
 
Breakfast Meeting Targets Food Security and Gender Issues 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
¶2. (U) USAID Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah prefaced his 
day-long engagement in the informal meeting of EU Development 
Ministers in Segovia, Spain with a wide-ranging breakfast 
discussion with Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Secretary 
of State (vice minister) for International Cooperation Soraya 
Rodriguez on February 18.  Secretary Rodriguez was 
accompanied by Elena Madras, Director of the Spanish Agency 
for International Cooperation (AECID), Juan Lopez-Doriga, 
Director General of Development Policy and Planning for 
AECID, Alejandra Del Rio, Chief of Staff for Secretary 
Rodriguez, Luis Sanchez-Vellisco, and EU and Multilateral 
advisor to Secretary Rodriguez.  Administrator Shah was 
accompanied by Steven Pierce, USAID Executive Secretary, 
Benjamin Hubbard, Special Assistant to the Administrator, 
William Anderson, USAID EU representative, and Ari Nathan, 
Embassy Madrid Economic Officer. 
 
¶3. (U) Administrator Shah praised Spain's leadership in food 
security.  He said the U.S. is committed to the World Bank 
Agriculture Trust Fund, and noted that a Spanish report could 
serve as an "operational blue print" for the Fund.  Secretary 
Rodriguez and the Administrator agreed that food security and 
gender issues are critical components of the MDGs and on the 
need to work together to identify MDGs gaps and highlight 
achievements prior to September's UN General Assembly. 
Administrator Shah said the MDGs should also incorporate new 
science and technology innovations.  Secretary Rodriguez and 
the Administrator also agreed to exchange information on 
Spanish and U.S. programs in Latin America in consideration 
of potential bilateral cooperation on hunger and gender 
issues. 
 
¶4. (U) Secretary Rodriguez said climate change financing for 
mitigation and adaptation in developing countries is 
increasingly important.  Administrator Shah noted the 
importance of forward thinking that integrates climate change 
activities across programs and underscored the importance of 
weather monitoring and forecasting systems for developing 
countries in Africa and South Asia. Secretary Rodriguez 
called improved donor coordination in Haiti "critical" and 
expressed frustration at Spain's exclusion from the weekly 
Haiti donor conference call. 
 
Bilaterals Emphasize Technical/Strategic Cooperation 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶5. (U) Following the breakfast meeting with Spanish 
officials, Dr. Shah had bilateral meetings with Swedish State 
Secretary for International Development Joakim Stymne, UK 
Minister of State for International Development Gareth 
Thomas, Finnish Foreign Trade and Development Minister Paavo 
Vayrynen, and EU Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs 
accompanied by DG Stefano Manservisi. 
 
¶6. (U) The meetings with Secretary Stymne and Minister Thomas 
covered similar issues.  Both agreed on the need for an After 
Action Review (AAR) for Haiti.  Administrator Shah invited 
them to join in an AAR focused on the effectiveness of the UN 
cluster system in Haiti, particularly on whether outside 
entities should be engaged in areas beyond UN/NGO expertise 
such as heavy engineering.  In addition, both Secretary 
Stymne and Minister Thomas expressed interest in partnering 
with the USG on a proposal to expand the role of science and 
technology innovations within the MDGs.  Administrator Shah 
and Minister Thomas expressed a strong interest in partnering 
 
closely on the Global Health Initiative and learning from the 
UK's previous work supporting health system investments. 
Secretary Stymne also said he would like to link his staff 
and USAID counterparts in developing a model information 
platform on aid transparency (for example, for health 
programs in Tanzania). 
 
¶7. (SBU) Bilateral meetings with Minister Vayrynen and 
Commissioner Piebalgs generally discussed partnership 
possibilities.  Minister Vayrynen said he helped launch the 
Transatlantic Partnership for Sustainable Development in 
January 2009 to encourage a strategic U.S.-EU donor alliance. 
 He explained that the US and EU should work with poor 
countries to promote good governance, and to counterbalance 
the influence of emerging developing countries who use the 
G77 to promote their own national interests.  Commissioner 
Piebalgs and the Administrator agreed on the importance of 
improving food security and maternal health.  The 
Commissioner called the Administrator's desire to partner 
with the EU "music to our ears."  Deputy General Manservisi 
noted that EU and USAID counterparts needed to look at how to 
structure such partnerships. 
 
Plenaries/Lunch Cover Transatlantic Cooperation/Haiti 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶8. (U) From the bilateral meetings, Dr. Shah moved to plenary 
sessions on the Transatlantic Development Dialogue and on 
Haiti. Secretary Rodriguez noted that only seven months 
remained before the September UN MDGs Summit in New York and 
urged Member States to strengthen their commitments and 
ensure that the U.S. and the EU work together on the MDGs. 
Administrator Shah agreed, and emphasized the USG commitment 
to the MDGs by highlighting the Administration's new USD 3.5 
billion Food Security Initiative aimed at MDG 1 (poverty and 
hunger) as well as the just-announced USD 63 billion Global 
Health Initiative aimed at MDGs 4, 5, and 6 (child mortality, 
maternal health, and HIV/AIDS and other diseases).  He 
proposed an emphasis on science, technology and innovation 
for the MDGs, and a focus on how the roles of women and girls 
are critical in the long-term for democratic governance and 
economic growth. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Development ministers discussed U.S.-EU cooperation 
including the importance of food security and agricultural 
production, gender equality, the need to consider regional 
integration in Africa, engagement with emerging donors, and 
the challenges involved in filling the remaining gaps for 
achieving the MDGs.  Belgian and French representatives 
questioned whether statements on U.S.-EU partnership would be 
followed by actions, and said that the experience at the 
Copenhagen climate change conference was not reassuring on 
this point. 
 
¶10. (U) In the plenary session on Haiti Edmond Mulet, the 
Secretary General's Special Representative in Haiti and Head 
of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti, gave a 
presentation on the range of relief, political, and security 
challenges faced by the international community and the 
government of Haiti.  Mr. Mulet emphasized the importance of; 
a UN-coordinated effort unified across sectors; a long-term 
partnership with Haitians including transparency and 
accountability, and; the March 31 Haiti donors conference. 
Participants at the session and the following lunch discussed 
USG and EU work in Haiti, noting that the EU had coordinated 
its response at three levels: within the Commission, within 
the EU, and within the UN (under the cluster system). 
Administrator Shah emphasized the USG's active participation 
in the UN cluster system, and complimented the UN's ability 
to stand up the system in the face of extreme human and 
material losses.  Still, he suggested that the capabilities 
of UN clusters may require expansion in heavy engineering 
areas. 
 
Press Focused on Haiti 
---------------------- 
 
¶11. (U) Administrator Shah met with a reporter from Spain's 
most popular radio station to discuss Haiti.  The 
Administrator emphasized the importance of continued 
partnership and offered examples of successful coordination. 
The Administrator had a second media encounter during the 
press conference directly following the ministerial plenary 
sessions in which he emphasized that U.S. relief efforts in 
the country are following the UN lead and are in close 
partnership with the Haitian government. 
 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶12. (U) European development ministers clearly appreciated 
Administrator Shah's participation --  one minister called it 
the reason he "decided to attend the conference" -- and the 
USG commitment to the MDGs and exploring partnership 
opportunities with the EU and member states.  Still, it is 
important that concrete follow-up activities progress, 
particularly if there is to be a follow-up U.S.-EU 
development meeting in April as Secretary Rodriguez 
suggested.  Areas for such activities could include: 
 
-- U.S.-GOS partnership in Latin America (possibly hunger and 
gender issues in Guatemala); 
 
-- U.S.-EU joint MDG effort prior to the September conference 
to identify and fill gaps (for example, maternal 
mortality), highlight achievements, and incorporate science 
and technology innovations into the MDGs; 
 
-- Joint AAR on UN cluster system performance in Haiti; 
 
-- Partnership (Sweden, UK, possibly others) on development 
assistance transparency (for example, in health 
programs in Tanzania); 
 
-- Identification of climate change actions (in specific 
countries) that demonstrate serious intent to meet 
Copenhagen commitments, and; 
 
-- General bilateral and multilateral cooperation in food 
security, health and gender issues. 
SOLOMONT