HELMS-BIDEN: PROGRAM EVALUATION AND SUNSETTING

UNCLAS ROME 003317 SIPDIS STATE FOR IO/EDA AND IO/S LYNETTE PODOLSKY FROM FODAG E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC ABUD FAO SUBJECT: HELMS-BIDEN: PROGRAM EVALUATION AND SUNSETTING REF: (A) 01 SECSTATE 178759; (B) ROME 468; (C) ROME1513 ¶1. FODAG HAS RAISED THE POSSIBILITY OF PROPOSING A RESOLUTION THAT WOULD BOTH REQUIRE EACH FAO PROGRAM TO BE EVALUATED AND EACH PROGRAM TO HAVE A SUNSET DATE (I.E. SO THAT THE PROGRAM WILL NOT BE RENEWED UNLESS THE EVALUATION SHOWS THE CONTINUING RELEVANCE AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAM) TO A NUMBER OF FAO INTERLOCUTORS ON A NUMBER OF UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ROME 03317 080701Z OCCASIONS. ¶2. ACTING PERM REP RAISED THE POSSIBILITY OF A SPECIFIC RESOLUTION THAT WOULD BOTH REQUIRE EACH PROGRAM TO BE EVALUATED AND EACH PROGRAM TO HAVE A SUNSET DATE OM MARCH 2002 WITH THE FAO DIRECTOR OF PROGRAM, BUDGET AND EVALUATION, TONY WADE. MR. WADE RESPONDED ON MARCH 18 THAT THE FAO GOVERNING BODIES HAVE "MADE SPECIFIC DECISIONS AS REGARDS THE INTRODUCTION OF RESULTS BASED BUDGETING AND THE FACT THAT EVALUATION WILL BE APPLIED TO IT SO AS TO ENSURE CONSCIOUS DECISION MAKING ABOUT THE CONTINUATION OR TERMINATION OF PROGRAMS" AND OFFERED THE SUGGESTION THAT THE HELMS-BIDEN LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS WERE "SUBSTANTIALLY SATISFIED BY THE ACTIONS ALREADY TAKEN BY FAO'S GOVERNING BODIES." (REFTEL C) ¶3. ACTING PERM REP RAISED THE POSSIBILITY OF A SPECIFIC RESOLUTION THAT WOULD BOTH REQUIRE EACH PROGRAM TO BE EVALUATED AND EACH PROGRAM TO HAVE A SUNSET DATE WITH THE U.K. AMBASSADOR TO THE FAO, ANTHONY BEATTIE ON MARCH 16. AS REPORTED IN REFTEL C, MR. BEATTIE'S REACTION WAS THAT A RESOLUTION WAS UNNECESSARY AND ONLY INCREASED THE RISK THAT SOME MEMBERS WOULD BECOME SUSPICIOUS AND IMPOSE BLOCK ON ANY FURTHER PROGRESS. ¶4. ACTING PERM REP DISCUSSED THE POSSIBILITY OF A SPECIFIC RESOLUTION THAT WOULD BOTH REQUIRE EACH PROGRAM TO BE EVALUATED AND EACH PROGRAM TO HAVE A SUNSET DATE WITH THE DUTCH AMBASSADOR TO THE FAO, JAN BERTELING (AMBASSADOR BERTELING IS ALSO THE CHAIR OF THE FAO PROGRAM COMMITTEE), AT A LUNCH ON APRIL 4, 2002. CANADIAN REP BLAIR HANKEY AND UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ROME 03317 080701Z AUSTRALIAN REP BRETT HUGHES ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THE LUNCH. AMBASSADOR BERTELING STATED THAT THERE WAS TOO MUCH OPPOSITION FOR SUCH A RESOLUTION TO GO FORWARD IN THE FAO GOVERNING BODIES. HE NOTED, HOWEVER, THAT IMPROVEMENTS HAD BEEN MADE IN THE CONTEXT OF EVALUATION, WITH TIME-LIMITED ACTIVITIES AND ADDED THAT THIS PROCESS COULD AND SHOULD BE IMPROVED. AMBASSADOR BERTELING ALSO EXPRESSED THE VIEW THAT THE APPROPRIATE VENUE FOR THIS DISCUSSION WAS THE FAO PROGRAM COMMITTEE. HEILEMAN UNCLASSIFIED > 2002ROME03317 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED