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RUEHRN/USMISSION UN ROME 1347

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 UN ROME 000011 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
USDA FOR DOUVELIS; TREASURY FOR MORRIS; NSC FOR C.PRATT; AID FOR F.MOORE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL EAGR ECON EAID FAO UN KBIO
SUBJECT: NEW DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL OF OPERATIONS AT FAO DESCRIBES 
 
REFORM PROGRESS AND FIELD STRUCTURE ASPIRATIONS 
 
¶1.  (U) This message is sensitive but unclassified.  Not for 
dissemination outside the USG. 
 
 
 
Summary 
 
------- 
 
 
 
¶2.  (SBU) During an introductory meeting on January 29, FAO's 
new Deputy Director General (DDG) of Operations, He Changchui, 
described to the Ambassador his work priorities and reflected on 
FAO's ongoing reform program - the "Immediate Plan of Action" 
(IPA).  While not responsible for the reform portfolio, per se, 
DDG He will be responsible for implementation of many of its 
largest components.  A palpable culture of reform has taken root 
among staff, he said, but measurable results will take years to 
achieve given the enormity of the task.  Not surprisingly, DDG 
He focused on the operational functions at FAO, believing 
policies now had to be translated into results on the ground. 
The Ambassador cautioned against expanding FAO's field presence 
before headquarters reform is consolidated and successful. 
Likewise, the Ambassador supported efforts by FAO in the field 
to coordinate with other agencies to support countries in their 
food security planning.  In general, DDG He brings much 
technical and field experience to the job, and appears committed 
to strong communication and coordination among key partners in 
agriculture and food security.  End summary. 
 
 
 
Reform Taking Hold at FAO 
 
--------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶3.  (SBU) During a January 29 introductory meeting with FAO's 
new DDG of Operations, He Changchui (bio info at paragraph 
seven), the Ambassador reviewed the state of play on IPA 
implementation and queried on DDG He's role in the process.  DDG 
He confirmed that the DDG for Knowledge, Jim Butler, would 
retain overall responsibility for IPA implementation, even 
though the Operations portfolio would carry out many of the 
largest reform projects.  He said he was honored and excited to 
fill the new DDG slot, and noted that signs of a new reform 
culture was proliferating at FAO.  Training and reform meetings 
were a constant backdrop, while planning is "no longer the 
responsibility of only FAO elites" - it is now a participatory 
process involving all staff.  Still, he cautioned, FAO's reform 
plan is the most comprehensive ever attempted in the UN system. 
More than one third of the roughly 120 Director-level jobs had 
been cut, he reminded, and "time was needed" for reform to take 
root.  Responding to the Ambassador's point that extending from 
three to five years the IPA implementation period sent the wrong 
signal, DDG He agreed that the organization needed to implement 
quickly to succeed.  Quoting the Chinese military strategist Sun 
Tzu, DDG He said energy to conduct warfare is usually strong 
only during the early battles. 
 
 
 
Focus on Coordination 
 
------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶4.  (SBU) DDG He stressed that as the head of FAO's regional 
office in Bangkok for the past eight years, he focused on 
delivering results to member countries and their agricultural 
communities.  Last November's Food Summit, he agreed with the 
Ambassador, succeeded due to international adoption of the five 
Rome Principles for Sustainable Food Security; but, those 
principles, he stated, must now be translated into action on the 
ground.  Inter-agency cooperation is key, DDG He said, noting 
his close work in Bangkok with the Asian Development Bank, the 
 
UN ROME 00000011  002 OF 003 
 
 
International Fund for Agricultural Development, and the 
Association of South East Asian Nations to jointly respond to 
country needs.  This cooperative approach, DDG He hoped, will 
feature in FAO's newly empowered regional conferences to be held 
later this year, including a conference for Asia in September 
hosted by the Republic of Korea.  To the Ambassador's query 
whether the Asians had a CAADP-like (Comprehensive African 
Agriculture Development Plan) framework that the U.S. and others 
could support, DDG He noted that most Asian states had 
food/agriculture development plans already in place.  The 
challenge, he felt, is to identify comparative advantages of the 
organizations involved and foster coordination between them and 
host governments.  DDG He encouraged USG participation in the 
upcoming FAO regional conferences. 
 
 
 
Role of FAO Field Structure 
 
------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Pointing out that his first substantive task in his 
new job was to sign a joint appeal with WFP for assistance to 
Haiti, DDG He again turned to FAO's role in the field.  It was 
necessary, DDG He said, that FAO's operational arm is properly 
"balanced" with the knowledge arm, so FAO is capable of 
delivering on policy mandates agreed by members.  The external 
evaluation of FAO, he said, noted that there was "too much 
emphasis on headquarters and policies" rather than results in 
the field.  Decentralization, he added, should be enhanced, as 
FAO seeks to improve capacities of developing country 
practitioners.  Responding, the Ambassador noted it was crucial 
for FAO's headquarter performance to be improved promptly, after 
which targeted field assistance and best practices can be 
identified and communicated - within existing resource limits. 
FAO must bolster its credibility across the board, and 
effectively communicate where it has competitive advantage to 
support country led food security planning and implementation, 
she added.  How well FAO reforms its core functions and 
headquarters management will impact decisions on FAO's field 
presence, she concluded. 
 
 
 
Comment 
 
------- 
 
 
 
¶6.  (SBU) DDG He seemed enthusiastic about establishing a warm 
working relationship, and made numerous complimentary remarks 
about U.S. leadership in the food security field and at FAO. 
From his statements and from private comments from his 
counterpart DDG, we expect DDG He to be a positive managerial 
force in FAO's top ranks and help deliver meaningful reforms. 
Given DDG He's experience in FAO's Bangkok office, it is not 
surprising that he is focused on delivery of products and 
services at the field level.  With the IPA's endorsement of 
additional decentralized authorities and decision-making to 
Regional Conferences and country offices, he clearly believes 
this view is supported by the Membership.  However, it would 
appear from this initial meeting, that the new DDG may be overly 
focused on expanding FAO's field presence, which we know is 
costly and in need of further attention.  We are encouraged by 
his recognition of the importance of coordination with other 
agencies, and we would be wise to consider having USG 
representation at FAO's regional conferences.  At an appropriate 
time, we may also encourage DDG He to visit Washington, or 
arrange meetings with senior visiting USG officials in Rome.  In 
any case, we will be working closely with both DDG's to ensure 
the IPA is implemented in a positive, timely, and cost-effective 
manner. 
 
 
 
Bio Information 
 
UN ROME 00000011  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
------------------ 
 
 
 
¶7.  (SBU) He Changchui, a national of the People's Republic of 
China, has worked for the United Nations for 21 years, all but 
five of them in various field offices.  His most recent job 
before returning to FAO's Rome headquarters office was as 
Assistant Director General in FAO's regional office located in 
Bangkok, Thailand.  Dr. He joined FAO in April 1998 as Chief of 
the Environment and Natural Resources Service, Sustainable 
Development Department, at Headquarters in Rome.  DDG He has a 
B.Sc. degree in Physics; a M.Sc. degree in Integrated Survey 
Planning (Agriculture Remote Sensing) and a Ph.D. degree in 
Physical Geography (Geo-informatics Applications).  He is a 
Member of the International Eurasian Academy of Sciences.  Dr. 
He started his career in 1975 as a Research Scientist in the 
Chinese Academy of Sciences, focusing on geo-information 
applications to environment and natural resources management. 
In 1983, Dr. He was transferred from the Chinese Academy to the 
State Science and Technology Commission of China, where he held 
senior positions, including that of Deputy Director-General of 
the Department of Basic Research and High Technology, and, 
concurrently, was in charge of the National Remote Sensing 
Center of China.  From August 1988 to April 1998, Dr. He served 
as Chief Technical Advisor before becoming the Section Chief, 
Environment and Natural Resources Division at the United Nations 
Economic Commission for Asia and the Pacific.  During that 
period, he led the development of a number of regional 
strategies and programs on environment and natural resources 
management and pioneered an operational inter-governmental 
cooperation network on space technology applications (remote 
sensing, GIS, satellite meteorology and ICT) for sustainable 
development for the Asia and the Pacific Region.  He is married 
with two sons, one a computer scientist working in Silicon 
Valley, California, and the other studying in Australia. 
COUSIN